YEAKLEY, ROBIN RAY
Name: Robin Ray Yeakley Rank/Branch: E4/US Army Unit: Date of Birth: 24 July 1948 Home City of Record: South Bend IN Date of Loss: 11 June 1972 Country of Loss: South Vietnam Loss Coordinates: 162326N 1072407E (YD565135) Status (in 1973): Killed/Body Not Recovered Category: 3 Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: OH6A Refno: 1874
Source: Compiled from one or more of the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews. Updated by the P.O.W. NETWORK in 2006.
Other Personnel In Incident: Arnold E. Holm; Wayne Bibbs (missing from one OH6A); James E. Hackett; James R. McQuade, Richard D. Wiley (missing from second OH6A).
REMARKS: EXPLODE - NO PARABEEPERS - J
SYNOPSIS: By December 1971, U.S. troops in-country had declined dramatically - from the 1968 peak of nearly 55,000 to less than 30,000. The enemy, temporarily on the defensive by the moves into Cambodia in 1970 and Laos in 1971, began deploying new NVA forces southward in preparation for another major offensive.
In March 1972, the Vietnamese launched a three-pronged invasion of the South. One NVA force swept south across the DMZ, its goal apparently the conquest of the northern provinces and the seizure of Hue. A second NVA force drove from Laos into the Central Highlands, and a third effort involved a drive from Cambodia into provinces northwest of Saigon.
Fierce fighting ensued on all three fronts, with NVA success the greatest in the northern provinces. Fighting continued until by June, the North Vietnamese began withdrawing from some of their advance positions, still holding considerable amounts of South Vietnamese territory in the northern provinces.
On June 11, 1972, Capt. Arnold Holm, pilot, PFC Wayne Bibbs, gunner, and SP4 Robin Yeakley, passenger, were aboard an OH6A observation helicopter flying from Camp Eagle to the Northern Provinces of South Vietnam on a visual reconnaissance mission. The function of their "Loach" chopper was searching out signs of the enemy around two landing zones (LZ's). The OH6 joined with the AH1G Cobra gunship as "Pink Teams" to screen the deployment of air cavalry troops. On this day, Holm's aircraft was monitoring an ARVN team insertion.
During the mission, Holm reported that he saw enemy living quarters, bunkers, and numerous trails. On his second pass over a ridge, at about 25' altitude, the aircraft exploded and burned. It was reported that before the aircraft crashed that smoke and white phosphorous grenades began exploding. After the aircraft impacted with the ground, it exploded again. Other aircraft in the area received heavy anti-aircraft fire. No one was seen to exit the downed helicopter, nor were emergency radio beepers detected.
In another OH6A (tail #67-16275), 1Lt. James R. McQuade, pilot, and SP4 James E. Hackett, gunner, tried to enter the area of the crashed OH6A, but encountered heavy fire and their aircraft was also shot down. McQuade's aircraft was hit, and the intensity of the resulting fire caused white phosphorous and smoke grenades carried aboard the aircraft to explode prior to hitting the ground. The aircraft continued to burn after impact and no crewmen left the ship before or after the crash.
No ground search was made for survivors or remains of either aircraft because of hostile fire in the area.
There are unanswered questions remaining from Vietnam. Of the nearly 2500 Americans who did not return alive or dead, experts venture that hundreds may still be alive. Thousands of reports have been received concerning them. Whether the two OH6A crews are among those seems unlikely. But one can imagine their willingness to deploy on one more combat team to bring those who are alive home to freedom.
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Crash site discovered of local veteran missing since Vietnam War
Back in 1972, Specialist Robin Yeakley of South Bend and two other soldiers were shot-down in the middle of heavy fighting between the armies of North and South Vietnam... Posted: 07/25/2006 05:33 pm Last Updated: 07/25/2006 06:49 pm
Story filed by NewsCenter16 Reporter Robert Borrelli
South Bend, IN - After more than three decades, the mystery of a missing local soldier appears to be over.
Robin Yeakley would have been 58-years-old on Monday, but he never made it past 23. He was shot-down in heavy fighting in the middle of the Vietnam War.
Now however, his death is made final with the announcement that his crash site has been discovered.
Back to war Back in 1972, Specialist Robin Yeakley of South Bend and two other soldiers were shot-down in the middle of heavy fighting between the armies of North and South Vietnam.
[picture] ...Specialist Robin Ray Yeakley is remembered by his mom, Pauline Yeakley...Missing and presumed dead, his family had a memorial service, dedicating a plaque at Westminister Presbyterian Church in South Bend.
Authorities now say they believe they have found the wreckage, which all-but confirms that Yeakley and his crew died more than 34-years ago.
Closure The POW-MIA flag has been flying in front of Pauline Yeakley's South Bend home since her son was first reported missing in action.
[picture] ...with his childhood Bible, Boy Scout badges, service medals, and the last picture his mom would take as he left for Vietnam"I think its time for closure, 34-years is a long time," she said Tuesday.
Specialist Robin Ray Yeakley is remembered by his mom with his childhood Bible, Boy Scout badges, service medals, and the last picture his mom would take as he left for Vietnam.
Talking to the widow of the downed chopper's pilot, Yeakley's 84-year-old mother heard about the discovery of the crash site Sunday.
"I haven't slept for two nights and, I wonder if they even find bones of any kind if I wanna' accept them. But you know, life just goes on," says Pauline.
[picture] F. Keith Bingham knew Robin Yeakley. In 1966, he played football for the South Bend Central Bears while Yeakley was the team manager.
"This is a great team. We only won three games that particular year, but I still remember all these guys like it was yesterday," says Bingham. "That particular camaraderie is formed on the football field of course translates over very easily to the military service. So, it's easy to understand how Robin would find it very natural in that environment, and he probably was a very good soldier."
Yeakley is now a soldier whose end is finally beginning to be known.
F. Keith Bingham knew Robin Yeakley; in 1966, he played football for the South Bend Central Bears while Yeakley was the team manager"It's a shame, really; take college kids and you know that's war," says Pauline.
Always hoping Pauline says she's still waiting for some type of official notification that her son is dead.
However, she knows the day the plaque was dedicated at Westminister Presbyterian Church that Robin Yeakley was gone.