More detail on this person: (Gerald R. Crow,
Jr.) Bob Crow, who was born October 18, 1947 in
Tacoma, passed away February 24, 2010. Bob was
a decorated Vietnam helicopter pilot who received
such medals as the Distinguished Flying Cross.
After an honorable discharge he continued to serve
his community with the Pierce County Sheriff's
Department. During his service with the Sheriff's
Department he was a department pilot and also a
pilot with the search and rescue team. Bob retired
as a Sergeant after 23 years of service. After his
retirement he founded C & C Legal Investigations
where he and his son Jerry, worked as private
investigators specializing in criminal law issues.
Bob always had a passion for and maintained an
active role as a lifetime member of the Vietnam
Helicopter Pilots Association as well as the VFW.
Bob was also a member of the Eagles. Bob is
survived by mother of his children Sue Dyer, Bob's
companion Linda Parker, mother Ida M. Rogers,
Ida's husband Buck, sister Nancy Harlow; sons
Eric, Jason, and Jerry, and grandchildren Tyler,
Preston and Blake. Please donate to the Bob Crow
memorial fund at Columbia Bank (Stadium District).
Funds to be used for post education of Bob's
grandchildren. A Memorial celebration of Bob's
life will be held on Saturday, March 6th, 1pm to
2pm followed by a Celebration of Life, 2pm to 5pm,
at the Tacoma Eagles on South Tacoma Way.
Please sign the on-line guest book at
www.tuellmckee.com Funeral home contact: (253)
272-1414. Pub Date: 3/3/2010 This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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07/12/2023
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Saturday Feb 27 2010 - Richard Green wrote: Who
was Bob Crow to those who served with him in
Vietnam and met with him years later at reunions?
When I arrived in Vietnam, I had been a Captain
for 4 months, my flight experience was limited to
the time it took me to get through flight school
and my combat experience was zero. Of course I
was given command of the 2nd Platoon, C
Company, of the 101st Aviation Battalion. We were
the Black Widows!! Though new to Vietnam, I was
not new to the Army, having had over 7 years
enlisted experience. I knew that I needed to find
the best and most experienced pilots, and learn
from them, quickly. Though Bob Crow was just a 20
year old Warrant Officer, he impressed me
immediately with his knowledge and his willingness
to discuss what needed to be done. My
"orientation" flight (read that first flight in
Vietnam) was with Bob Crow. I never let him forget
how that turned out. We were on an ash and trash
mission (Army Aviation for Resupply mission) and
had to haul a load of rations and ammo to the
Ashau Valley and the landing zone turned out to be
beneath triple canopy jungle. Bob hovered the
helicopter down thru a hole in that canopy,
hovered forward, down some more, forward and
finally we saw the spot the grunts had prepared
for us. It looked good to me, and apparently
looked good to Mr. Crow. The spot was clear and
the grunts had made a log landing pad. As we
settled to the ground, Bob's intent was to set
down solid, but the logs began to roll, the
helicopter shifted and the rotor blades began
chewing into the vegetation on the left. When he
corrected, we had blade strikes on the right. We
both knew there was blade damage, but there was
no way we could shut down and check the blades
in that LZ. After the supplies were kicked out,
Bob begin to lift out of the LZ. Up, back, up,
back and up. Clear of the jungle canopy, we headed
for home. That was actually safer than shutting
down in the Ashau Valley. I was too new to know
how serious the problem was, but Bob sweated
bullets, for good reason. When we landed back at
the Widow Web, we found that we'd lost about 4
inches off the ends of each blade. That could have
been a lot worse, but Bob's good judgment brought
us home. Others might have tried to stay in the
Ashau Valley and that would not have been much
fun_ In the time that Bob and I served together
that was the last "accident" that he had... and I
believe it was also his first one. (My kidding him
about it consisted of reminding him that whenever
he wanted to "play Lumberjack" to leave me at
home! And I reminded him of that often.)
Approximately one week later, Bob was my Aircraft
Commander of choice when we flew north to
support a CCN (Command and Control North)
mission with the Special Forces Unit in Dong Ha.
It was a large mission and a lot of brass was
sitting in on the briefing, along with the pilots
that were to fly the missions, insert the troops,
resupply them and bring the out when the mission
was over. A LTC was giving the briefing and he was
throwing around facts and figures, estimates and
guess-ti-mates that were way over my head. (This
was my first combat mission). Bob Crow, sitting
beside me, said "Capt Green, that's not going to
work, he's going to get us killed!" I asked him
if he had a better way, and he said "Yes". I
asked him if he wanted to put in his two cents
worth re the use of aviation assets and he said
"Yes". I stood up and told the LTC that we needed
to take a "re-look" at his plan for aviation
assets and that my "expert" had some
suggestions. A lot of looks were exchanged when
the young WO1 walked to the front of the room.
Bob told them that using single ship LZs would
restrict the speed of inserting troops and showed
that there was a better LZ neat the objective, he
gave them resupply times, refueling times, and
simply dazzled them with his knowledge of the
area. He laid out the entire "program" for
aviation support, and all of his suggestions were
written into the plan. I was as impressed as
everyone else was. Later, when we were airborne, I
asked him how he knew all this. He told me that
the Black Widows had supported the 2nd ARVN
Regiment in a similar exercise in the same area a
few months earlier and all he had done was
"eliminate" the mistakes that had been made during
that mission.
With less than a week left in-country, even
though he did not have to fly, he volunteered to
take a mission for Hamburger Hill. In
accomplishing that mission, he took two 50 caliber
rounds thru the cockpit. One round "scratched" the
back of his helmet. Had he not done everything
right that day, he wouldn't have come home. When
he landed after that mission, he advised me that
he was taking himself off flight status and I
advised him that I'd already taken his name off
the roster. He had more than done his part.
Bob Crow was a true hero, a professional soldier
and a good friend. He cared when others were
unconcerned. He planned when others were
partying. He thought ahead when others did not. He
was always prepared, always calm under fire and
always ready to undertake the most dangerous
missions when others wished to avoid them. He and
I flew together often, and if the mission dictated
that I fly with someone else, I always scheduled
it so that Bob was my wing man. Bob was my
friend and I'm going to miss him_..
From: Richard A. Green, Major US Army (Retired),
Black Widow 36
Sunday 29 Feb 2010 - Bobby Cormack wrote: To
the Family Crows: Well folks here is a little
story that nobody on Earth can lay claim to; not
even Randy.
Due to fate and the alphabet Robert (Bob) Crow and
I Bobby (Sarge) Cormack were destined to be "stick
buddies" all the way from the beginning of Flight
School at Fort Wolters, TX until graduation at
Ft. Rucker, Alabama (Class 68-9). We were yellow
hats all the way through, along with Doug Cooper
who stood in front of me alphabetically. After
graduation, it was Cooper, Cormack and Crow who
were assigned to Charlie Company, 101st Avn Bn,
101st Airborne Division, Vietnam.
Now it was no small measure of good fortune (for
me), that I was Bob's stick buddy. You see on our
first solo night cross-country navigation flight
from Dempsey Army heliport, in our trusty Hiller
OH-23D I had the first leg to navigate as Bob did
the flying. Well, we were hardly out of the glow
of Dempsey lights when I realized that not only
was I disoriented but hopelessly LOST!! Not even
the first check-point was where it should have
been. After not finding a few more of those
phantom check-points, using my TIME, DISTANCE,
HEADING, it was Bob's turn to navigate us "home"
and I would fly.
(Praise The Lord!) I took the controls and Bob
took the map, oriented it properly to coincide
with our desired course and proceeded to navigate
us home to Dempsey! To this day it seems to me
that I had us lost for several hours on just a
couple of hours worth of fuel, and it took Bob but
a few minutes to have us headed back to those
beautiful lights of Dempsey Heliport.
That was a valuable lesson in navigation which I
never forgot and shared with many pilots I was to
fly with during my Army career.
Once we arrived at the unit in Vietnam we were
assigned to different platoons, tents/ hooches,
and I don't recall ever flying with Bob again.
But one thing can never change for Bob and me; we
were "STICK BUDDIES".
How about when you two went on R&R to Bangkok
you might ask.........? Well that is another
story.
Sincerely, Bobby G. (Sarge) Cormack, Black
Widow 20, 1968-1969
Sunday 29 Feb 2010 - Bill May wrote: The email
that Richard Green sent out several days ago was
one that I will not forget for a long time. This
was not news that I was prepared for.
When I got to LZ Sally in January 1969 as a young
Infantry Captain straight out of flight school, I
remember this bigger than life guy with a big
mustache and thick brown hair. He sort of looked
me over and apparently thought I might be OK and
bought me a beer in our little club. From that
first encounter, he quickly became one of the guys
that I knew could be counted on in any situation
and someone that I could learn a great deal from.
He became a friend.
His strong character, sense of humor and
dedication to the ground soldiers that we as
aviators were there to support was equal to none.
He was one of the three "senior" pilots in the
unit that taught me how to fly and without doubt
the things I learned from him helped me get home
safely. Everyone loved Bob Crow. We trusted him.
His crew loved to fly with him as did all of the
new guys because he was such a good instructor
and instilled confidence in us as we learned.
When bullets flew, Bob was oblivious to them. I
think it made him mad that someone was actually
shooting at him. He always got the job done. He
spoke often of his family and how he missed them.
I truly missed him when he left our unit to return
home but was happy for him that his tour of duty
was over and he had made it out OK. Be assured
that he saved a bunch of lives over there. I
really enjoyed seeing him again at a couple of our
reunions. He was truly a friend for life. I will
never forget him. I will think of him every single
day. I will always remember him and his family in
my prayers.
If any of Bob's family is ever in Florida, they
are always welcome at my home.
From: Bill May, Lt Col, US Army Retired, Black
Widow 16
Sunday 29 Feb 2010 - George Garich wrote: I had
the great honor of crewing helicopter 491 for Mr.
Crow after I joined the unit. He always seemed to
have a joke or funny story to tell. I remember one
day on a flight in the valley, when the weather
turned to almost pure crap, he said"It could be
worst, we could have a warning light", making a
joke in a situation that had the rest of the crew
on edge...
This is a sad day for all of us who knew him. But
I know he is now in heaven, teaching sore faces
(those without a sense of humor) how to have fun.
From: George C. Garich, Crew Chief C-101,
1969-1970
Monday 1 March 2010 - Richard Green wrote: In
mid 1969, the CO decided that the company should
have a "real" formal officer's party in
conjunction with the promotion party for WO1s
Cooper, Cormack and Crow. I was detailed to set
it up and everything was a "go" up until about 15
minutes before the guest (nurse from Phu Bai and
DaNang Hospitals) were to arrive. I received a
report that one of my lieutenants had been injured
and his jaw was dislocated. I rushed him to the
hospital. An hour later I returned to the company
area. A few things had happened. The 3 new CW2s
had been required to drink a large quantity of
alcohol, the XO had flashed the first group of
nurses to arrive and was showing stag films in the
ballroom, everyone in the company area was drunk
and a lot of strange stuff was going on. The CO
had hidden himself in the Orderly Room, the XO
was naked in the graveyard behind the company
area, and the Operations Officer was under a desk
in the Operations Building fearing that the
"troops" were going to "get" him. When I drove
into the company area, the CO whispered out the
window that Mr. Crow was in the mess hall and he
was attempting to "assault" the Vietnamese KPs
(all females by the way) and I'd better stop him.
That gave me pause as Mr. Crow was even then a
bear of a man, but it was my job to protect the
KPs, and so I set off for the mess hall. Enroute I
was compelled to stop a lot of inappropriate
behavior that I will not go into here, other than
to say that I had to pistol whip my way through a
couple of gatherings, had to fire rounds into the
air/ground to get the attention of a few small
groups that were intent on "going after" the
nurses, hooch maids, etc. Somehow, Mr. Crow's
crew chief at the time joined me as I went into
the mess hall. I was prepared for the worse! I
could hear Mr. Crow in the back of the mess hall;
he was beating on the door of the storage room,
yelling "Let me in! Let me in!" He was highly
intoxicated, but I had doubts that I could
restrain him if it came to that.
Assuming my most commanding manner, I walked
up and said "Mr. Crow, what the hell do you think
you are doing!" He slowly turned to me and I saw
he had tears in his eyes (I told you he'd been
made to drink a large vessel of alcoholic
beverages, didn't I?) and he said "Aw, Captain
Green, I just wanted to talk to them!" I knew
immediately that he was totally sincere, so I had
his crew chief escort him back to the barracks and
put him to bed.
I was "busy" until dawn's early light "correcting"
potential problem areas, ranging from waving off
the helicopters that were bringing in the nurses
from DaNang to evacuating the hooch maids and
female KPs who were in possible danger. Quite a
few men in the unit were on "sick call" the next
day to have cuts, bruises and contusions attended
to_ But Mr. Crow was up early, hale and hearty,
which was good as he was one of the few pilots
capable of flying the assigned missions that day!
Bob was a professional!!
From: Richard Green, Major US Army Retired,
Black Widow 36, 1969-1970 Vietnam
Tuesday 2 March 2010 - Larry Moak wrote: A FEW
THOUGHTS ON MY FRIEND BOB CROW
After a full 12 hour day of Combat assaults,
unbearable heat, directing fast movers toward the
three o'clock position and cheating death in
general... I always looked forward to sharing a
cold beer with my roommate Bob Crow. We would
unwind, discuss the events of the day... giggle
behind the backs of our newbie co-pilots, (mostly
RLO's), and in general attempt to deal with what
had come... and prepare for what would be...
Bob was the kind of guy that made relaxing an easy
thing... a great quality in any war... because
well, relaxing after a day of dodging bullets was
not always easy. But Bob helped to make it
tolerable and sometimes... even fun. Nickel beer
helped. As the days on our DEROS calendars
counted down, my friendship with Bob grew... It
was a friendship that would last well beyond those
days of powdered eggs and mosquito nets and
became for me... a friendship that cannot be
measured.
Bob never failed to come thru when he was
needed... whether it was to take it upon himself
year after year in organizing and hosting the
Black Widow mini reunions... or to always be there
at the end of a day of combat... just to help
others shake off the dust, clear out the mental
cobwebs and to take count of another day survived.
He was the essence of reliability... not just in
matters that counted and in things that
mattered... but in the small details that only
friends tended to tend to. If you asked Bob what
time it was... he would build you a clock... and
that was a good thing. He would focus on you and
whatever it was you happened to be focused on.
When you were in his company... you always felt
like you were at home. Bob was always ready to
pull the Special Forces out of a bomb creator on
short notice, while under heavy fire... and he did
so with the precision of a surgeon. Fly a late
flare ship mission? No problem for Bob. If a job
needed to get done, Bob would always be the one
everyone could count on to Get 'er done... long
before "Get er done" became a pop phrase... It was
my lucky day to be assigned to share quarters with
Bob... and to share combat assaults with Bob...
and beyond that, to share a lifetime of friendship
that will never die. To count him as a friend and
to be counted by him... as his friend, was a
blessing in my life, matched only by the same
friends from the same time and place we called LZ
Sally and Camp Phu Bai. The world is just a
little bit less now. But the things Bob Crow did,
and inspired and left us with will last for
eternity.
I salute you Mr. Crow. You will be missed. I'm
sure heaven must have nickel beer... Have a few
for me. Keep your head down. Keep an eye out for
the rest of us. And when you get a chance, put in
a few good words to the C.O. and have him send us
some relief for the enemies we still face.
God bless you buddy.
From: Larry Moak, Black Widow Four Niner,
Vietnam 1968-1969
Tuesday Mar 2 March 2010 - Diane Hanson wrote:
Hello Jerry. I am Diane Hansen from Pierre, SD.
My late husband and Bob were good friends from
Vietnam.
My husband was killed on April 19, 1993 in an
airplane crash. He was flying for the State of SD
and our governor was also killed plus six other
people. I'm sure if you mention this to your
mother she will remember. She met Dave several
times and I have met her also.
Dave thought so much of your father. They became
fast friends in Vietnam. After several years of
not talking, Bob and Dave found each other
because of the reunions they attended. Dave saw
Bob for the first time at the reunion in Atlanta.
He was so excited he waited outside the hotel for
Bob to arrive. He really admired and looked up to
your dad.
In Vietnam, when Bob finally got to go home, Dave
requested to have his call number changed to
Bob's--Black Widow 38, because he thought so
much of him.
I know your loss is so overwhelming right now that
it is hard to even focus on what needs to be done.
I'm sure your mother is taken over by her grief.
I remember what it was like when Dave died. It
completely consumes a person. But please know
that people are thinking of you and your family.
Bob was a great guy, kind, considerate and always
had a smile on his face.
May God bless your family and give you the
strength to make it thru all of this. He will be
missed by his Black Widow family also. I like to
think he and Dave are up there catching up on each
others lives since they last talked. By the way,
the night before Dave died April 18, 1993, he
called your dad and they talked for a long time.
I'm sure that was special to your dad also after
Dave died. Take care.
From: Mrs. David Hansen (Diane)
Saturday Feb 26, 2010 - Cathy Hanson-Stahl wrote:
Words cannot express my deepest sympathy to
your family at this time.
Please let me introduce myself- I am Cathy
Hansen-Stahl, the daughter of David Hansen (the
other Black Widow 38). My father died in a plane
crash back in 1993.
My family and I were deeply saddened to find out
of Bob's death. We unfortunately have not been to
a Black Widow gathering for some time; my
sister,Kristi and I started having families of our
own, which made it difficult to do all of the
travels we did before kids and families.
I just wanted to tell you how important it was to
my father to have reconnected with Bob. In fact,
the night before he died, he and Bob spent quite
some time on the phone talking; catching up on all
the years. I also read a letter from your father
at my dad's funeral. Up until that time, my family
did not even know certain details of my dad's
service in Vietnam; especially the day when he got
shot down. Your dad's letter was irreplaceable
information and a great source of comfort when we
needed it the most.
My dad respected your father enough to ask for his
call sign when he left Vietnam. They also both had
a distinguished career in law enforcement. South
Dakota is a distance away, but please know that
we have your family in our thoughts and prayers.
Sincerely, Cathy Hansen-Stahl
Saturday Feb 27 2010 - Ben Taylor Wrote: My
name is Ben Taylor, and I served with Bob in VN
back in 1968/69.. I am so sorry to hear this news
about Bob. He was a good friend, and one of the
best pilots I have ever known, I knew he continued
to fly for the Sheriff's Department and his
community, even after leaving the service.
He will be greatly missed by myself, family, and
all of the Blackwidow members. I am sure there are
a great many more friends that knew him, that will
miss him as much as we will.
Please accept my sincere felt Sorrow for your
loss,
From: Ben and Peggy Taylor, Former Blackwidow
Member
Saturday Feb 28 2010 - Carl Rosenow wrote: Dear
Gerald, Please accept my condolences over the
loss of your father.
I was assigned to the Black Widows from April
1969 until April 1970. My interface with your dad
was brief but memorable. By the time I arrived in
the unit, your father was one of the senior
aircraft commanders, and highly skilled. He was
always helpful and quick to pass on "lessons
learned". His quick smile, great sense of humor,
and kindness managed to work it's way through the
pressures of the moment.
Your father was a good man, a credit to his unit,
his community, and his family. We will all miss
him.
Regards, Carl Rosenow, Black Widow 47 (1969)
Tuesday Mar 2 2010 - Terry Hunt wrote: Hi Jerry,
I was with your dad at LZ Sally and Phu Bi for 3-4
months. Then I was transferred to 1st Bde 101. I
remember your dad as ONE OF THE REALLY
GOOD GUYS. I was only 20 but since he was there
1st he was someone to follow. The real great
thing was at my 1st VHPA I wasn't sure I would
remember anyone or feel comfortable. Your dad
solved that. He remembered things I had forgotten.
He made me feel like I belonged and his stories
brought back memories.
I can't imagine a reunion without him.
From: Terry and Karen Hunt
Wednesday Mar 3 2010- Frank Linster wrote:
Gerald, I am shocked and sorry to hear that your
father passed away. I was Bob's platoon leader
when he arrived in Vietnam. Bob was natural pilot
and picked up the ways of flying in cobat very
quickly. Most pilots would have 300 hours of
combat flying time before we would consider them
for an aircraft commanders position. Bob was one
of two Warrant Officers that I had who far
exceeded what they were expected to learn in that
amount of time. Bob becqame one of my aircraft
commanders in under 250 combat hours. He was
that good. He accomplished that mission on his
own in less than 3 months in Vietnam. Bob was a
great pilot and never complained about missions he
was given on a daily basis, he just went out and
did his job without any one having to look after
him. He was a great firend and a true warrior.
He will be surely missed by all of us who served
with him. It was a privilige to have known him.
From: Frank Linster, Black Widow 4, Vietnam
1967-1968
Saturday Feb 27 2010 - R. Nicholas Palarino, Ph.D.
Wrote: I was saddened to hear about Bob; a great
American, a patriot, an expert pilot and most
importantly a fine human being. I flew with Bob
on one of my first missions in Vietnam. His
expertise and cool headedness guided me through
a harrowing experience. He set the standard and I
was fortunate to learn from him. Although I am
sad about his death I do know that Bob, and all
members of the Black Widow community, have
contributed much to this great country. He will
be missed, but not forgotten.
I raise my glass to toast Bob Crow, and all of our
fallen comrades.
From: Nick R. Nicholas Palarino, Ph.D.
Tuesday 2 March 2010 - John Madden wrote: I am
shocked at the news. I wonder if we feel as old as
we are getting. Still the memory of such great men
that we associated with in Vietnam makes me feel
locked in at the age of 21. The horror of my time
at war is almost all but forgotten, but the memory
of great young well trained, disciplined and
courageous individuals will stay forever with me.
It was an honor to know Bob Crow he will be
remembered in my prayers. I will miss him.
Bob, we will meet again at the flight line in the
sky.
From: John Madden, Black Widow 25, Vietnam
1970 - 1971
Wednesday 3 March 2010 - Doug Cooper wrote: I
am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of our
friend Bob Crow. Bob, Bobby G. Cormack and I
went through flight school together in the same
class and were assigned to the Black Widows at
the same time. In fact the three of us arrived at
LZ Sally in the same Huey from Camp Eagle. We
spent the rest of that hot, humid day "humping"
sandbags to build a bunker on the LZ Sally
perimeter. Rather inglorious for three new "hot
shot" helicopter pilots.We flew numerous combat
assault missions together in the same flights.
Also shared many a war story, with refreshments,
at our officers club after long days of flying
missions. Bob was one of our best pilots and it
was always reassuring to know his Huey was with
us when situations got hot. Bob, Bobby G. and I
were promoted to CW2 at a party in our Officer's
Club at The Web in Phu Bai. Some of the rather
notorious events of that occasion are part of
Black Widow lore and were chronicled in Randy
Main's book.(Bob, Bobby G. & I stayed under total
control that evening of course.)
I am grateful for Bob's time consuming efforts in
successfully locating and uniting many former
Black Widows.
Bob was in Warrant Officer Class 68-9/11. He
served in Vietnam from early August 1968 to
August 1969. He is missed.
From: Doug Cooper, Black Widow 13, Vietnam
1968-1969