More detail on this person: One Of A&M's Most
Decorated Graduates, He Never Talked About It
June 1999
Robert Livingston "Bob" Acklen '63 was a "frog," a
mid-term freshman in Company A-2 of Texas A&M's
Corps of Cadets in January of 1960. He'd already
spent a year and a half as an Army enlisted man,
so the military lifestyle was nothing new to him.
In fact his proficiency in close order drill
gained him the coveted post of unit guidon bearer
the next fall.
A quiet individual, he never talked much about
himself. In fact, until shortly before he died of
a brain tumor on New Year's Eve, Bob had never
even told his family he was a war hero and had
received numerous awards as a helicopter pilot and
infantry commander in Vietnam.
Bob laid out of school for several years before
returning to complete a degree in history in 1967.
He was commissioned a U.S. Army 2nd Lieutenant
upon graduation. Just over a year later he was in
Vietnam. Except for a brief stint on staff and 10
months as an infantry company commander, he
piloted helicopters with the 1st Aviation Brigade
and the 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile) until
he was shot down near Cheo Reo on May 8, 1971.
He received one of his Bronze Stars for valor when
he grabbed a satchel bomb tossed near his
helicopter and threw it back at the enemy in
January of 1969. In May of 1970, he earned a
Silver Star for leading a ground assault on an
enemy village in Cambodia. In November of that
year, he earned an Air Medal for maneuvering his
helicopter between an evacuation chopper and
enemy positions so other aircraft could rescue a
ranger team. A Distinguished Flying Cross was
awarded him when, in February of 1971, he provided
covering fire to extract a reconnaissance team
being attacked at night in adverse weather.
Told he would never walk again after his
helicopter crashed, he spent almost two years
rehabilitating a back injury. He then completed
requirements for a business degree at the
University of Texas and returned to active duty,
earning a Ranger Tab and completing paratrooper
training before being assigned to a one-year tour
in Korea.
Acklen received more than 60 awards and badges
including the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying
Cross, six Bronze Stars, 40 Air Medals, four Army
Commendation Medals, and a Purple Heart.
Fourteen of the awards were for valor. He also was
presented nine decorations from the Republic of
Vietnam, including three for valor.
He retired as a captain in 1978 with a 70 percent
disability because of his combat injuries and
earned a computer science degree at North Texas
State University in 1989. He taught computer
science at the University of North Texas and wrote
software programs for private companies. He also
produced a newsletter for the 101st Airborne
Division.
From 1994 to 1996 he traveled at his own expense
to analyze computer needs for an Israeli eye
hospital sponsored by the Order of St. John of
Jerusalem. In December he was honored for his
humanitarian work by The Order of Saints Maurice
and Lazarus and was in the process of being
nominated to become the only American ever
presented the Special Gold Medal of the Royal
House of Savoy at the time of his death.
Acklen was survived by his father, Robert L.
Acklen, Sr. of Dallas, two sisters and a brother.
c 1998 The Association of Former Students, Texas
A&M University All rights reserved.
Bonze Stars, 40 Air Medals, four ACMs and a
Purple Heart. Fourteen of the decorations were
for valor. He once jumped from his helicopter,
picked up a satchel charge and threw it back at
the enemy.
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
Please send additions or corrections to: HQ@vhpa.org VHPA Headquarters
Return to the Helicopter Pilot DAT name list
Return to VHPA web site
Date posted on this site: 03/11/2023
Copyright © 1998 - 2023 Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association