More detail on this person: My father, Robert W. Barber, USMC, served two tours in Vietnam as a
helicopter pilot (HMM-161). He retired as a MAJ and is interred at Arlington National Cemetery (27
May 1935-15 January 1978). Burial information: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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Date posted on this site:
08/31/2024
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My father's tour dates were approximately 1964-1965 and 1968-1969. I know one location was DaNang
but I do not remember the other. I believe on one tour he flew the CH-46 (Chinook) but a different
helicopter on his other tour. My brother would probably know more but is not available at this
time, but if you have any questions, I will refer them to him.
We were living in Corvallis, Oregon. He was killed in a small plane crash near Medford, Oregon
while getting ready to take the Oregon bar exam. He went to law school after he retired and was
licensed in New York and California, but wanted to move to Oregon, so we did.
Essentially the recently installed and put into operation Sam's Valley beacon gave false passages
and directed him into the side of the mountain.
All kinds of misconduct by Medford tower, including not telling him the beacon was giving false
passages 45 minutes earlier and canceling his IFR flight plan. We were not sorry when Reagan fired
the controllers shortly thereafter!
From: Robin J. Barber, Lieutenant, USCGR