Name: WO1 Robert Morrison Persinger
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
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Date posted on this site:
11/13/2023
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Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 04/01/1971 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Died 21 days later on 04/22/1971.
Age at death: 22.0
Date of Birth: 04/10/1949
Home City: Alderson, WV
Service: AV branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 175 AHC
Major organization: USARV
Flight class: 70-29
Service: AV branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 03W-002
Short Summary: On assault in IV ship lift south of Can To caught a ricochet round. Died 3 weeks later in hospital in Siagon.
Aircraft: UH-1
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 1981 = 19 Rotary Wing Aviator (Unit Commander)
Primary cause: Ricochet Round
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: small arms fire
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: pilot
Vehicle ownership: government
Started Tour: 10/17/1970
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - pilot
The initial status of this person was: hostile wounded in action - very serious hospitalization
Length of service: *
Location: An Xugen Province IV Corps.
Military grid coordinates of event: VR873716
Additional information about this casualty:
I was flying with Bob Persinger that day & was wounded myself. The incident date is listed as 4/22/71, however that is incorrect. Mr. Persinger died on 4/22/71 as a result of the air-assault we were engaged in on 4/1/71. We were flying in Outlaw 13 with WO Kevin Kelly as AC, WO Bob Persinger as "left seat" Pilot, Sp-4 Dave Naylor as CE and myself as Gunner. I have a photograph taken by a crew member from the 175th Outlaw's that assisted as a Med-Evac for Bob & myself. I have looked for years to find family of Bob's to share this photo with them but I have been unsuccessful. There isn't a day that goes by that I think of Bob and others that were lost from our unit. I visit the website often & drop a prayer for Bob. He was a good man just doing his job.
From: Robert T. Kelly
Casualty type: Hostile - died of wounds
married male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Religion: Baptist - other groups
The following information secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: warrant officer
This record was last updated on 06/16/2010