BARR, ROBERT HOWARD

Name:   Robert Howard Barr
Branch/Rank:  United States Air Force  / LTC
Unit: 4133RD BOMB WING (P), 70TH BOMB WING (TDY)
Date of Birth:  06/26/1923
Home City of Record:    Pewaukee, WI
Date of Loss:   28-July-69
Country of Loss:   South Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 
Status (in 1973):  NOT noted on PMSEA
Category: 
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground:   B-52D Stratofortress strategic bomber (#56-0630)
Missions:

Other Personnel in Incident:   All eight personnel aboard were killed. The lost crewmen
included aircraft commander MAJ Edward W. Wyatt, co-pilot CAPT John A. Albasio,
radar navigator CAPT Donald J. Maccio, navigator CAPT Edward A. Miskowski, electronic
warfare officer (EWO) 1LT Gary P. Leach, and gunner TSGT Clinton E. Tibbetts. The two
other U. S. Air Force personnel reportedly on board the aircraft were LTC Robert H. Barr
and TSGT Richard Piskula.


Source: Compiled by P.O.W. NETWORK from one or more of the following: raw data from
U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA families, published
sources, interviews and CACCF = Combined Action Combat Casualty File. 

BIO ADDED 11/21/18
 

 

Subject:   FYI
Date:   Thu, 11 Oct 2018 17:21:34 +0000
From:   William M. Killian
To:   info@pownetwork.org <info@pownetwork.org>

 

I was doing research on the below air loss and discovered that the remains of two airmen from
this incident were not recovered. Neither of them are mentioned in the pownetwork.org database.


Their names are highlighted below:

 

On July 27 1969, a U.S. Air Force Boeing B-52D Stratofortress strategic bomber (#56-0630) from the 17th
Bomb Wing, 4133rd Bomb Wing, Strategic Air Command, crashed into the Pacific Ocean following the failure
of the starboard wing after takeoff from Anderson Air Force Base in Guam. All eight personnel aboard were

killed. The lost crewmen included aircraft commander MAJ Edward W. Wyatt, co-pilot CAPT John A. Albasio,
radar navigator CAPT Donald J. Maccio, navigator CAPT Edward A. Miskowski, electronic warfare officer
(EWO) 1LT Gary P. Leach, and gunner TSGT Clinton E. Tibbetts. The two other U. S. Air Force personnel
reportedly on board the aircraft were LTC Robert H. Barr and TSGT Richard Piskula. The wing loss occurred

about the time the nose wheel left the ground during takeoff. Eyewitness accounts reported that the plane
continued momentarily in level flight, then made a violent bank below the sight of the cliff at the end of the

runway, crashing into the ocean. Aircraft commander CAPT Wyatt attempted to eject, and his chute was
found either fully or partially deployed. His remains were recovered. The remains of the four other crewmen
and one passenger were also recovered. However, neither Leach’s nor Barr’s bodies were found. Tibbetts

was posthumously promoted to Master Sergeant. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org, aviation-safety.net, and
web.archive.org]

 

Regards,

 

William M. Killian

 

Field Title Value Meaning
Last Name BARR BARR
Given Names ROBERT HOWARD ROBERT HOWARD
Social Security or Service Number 442079982 442079982
Date of Birth 19230626 06/26/1923
Service F Air Force
Component R Regular
Rank LTC Lieutenant Colonel
Grade and posthumous promotion O5 O5
Service Occupation ----- Undefined Code
Actual Date of Casualty 19690728 07/28/1969
Actual Date of Death 19690728 07/28/1969
Tour Date ------ Invalid Date
Posthumous decoration    
Casualty Type C1 Non-Hostile, Died of Other Causes
Reason B Air Loss, Crash - Land
Air no Air 2 Fixed Wing - Crew
Body Recovered --- Undefined Code
Date Body Recovered ----- Invalid Date
Country VS South Vietnam
Province -- Undefined Code
Casualty Location    
Major command, eg division or brigade SAC SAC
Company/battery/troop or similar level unit    
Battalion or similar level unit    
Regiment, ROAD    
Air Wing 4133RD BOMB WING (P) 4133RD BOMB WING (P)
Air Group    
Squadron 70TH BOMB WING (TDY) 70TH BOMB WING (TDY)
Task Force    
Task Group    
Ship    
Unparsed Unit    
Home of Record City PEWAUKEE PEWAUKEE
Home of Record State Code WI Wisconsin
Notes    
Panel 20W 20W
Line 054 54

 

 
Date: Tue, 20 Nov 2018 19:58:30 -0500
To: POW Network <info@pownetwork.org>


Mary, I believe that the crews of the C 130 and B 52 incidents must have been classified as nonhostile
casualties. Their names would never have been entered in the KIA-BNR lists or MIA rolls. It is very
strange, though, and hard for me to understand how the C 130 case, in such close proximity to Tan
Son Nhut and ostensibly in territory under friendly control would not have been thoroughly gone over.
How did our accident investigation teams and graves registration efforts miss remains that decades
later were turned over by indigenous residents of the area?  It seems very strange to me, and without
knowing any of the details of the case, it seems like a case of extreme carelessness and dereliction of
duty.
 
The B 52 case is a little more understandable on the surface, I think, because it involves at least a
partial over water loss.
 
Each incident of loss is unique, and the stories in many cases are stranger than fiction.

 

(name withheld)