Note:
On 7/15/05, the The
Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO)
announced that the remains of Lt. Col. Marvin L. Foster,
from Hubbard, Texas; Capt. David R. Smith, from Dayton,
Ohio; Sgt. 1st Class Michael L. Batt, from
Defiance, Ohio; and Sgt. 1st Class Raymond E.
Bobe, from Tarrant, Alabama were identified.
DPMO reports indicate that their remains were identified
on 2005/04/05. According to various
news articles that followed the announcement, a fifth
soldier [Major Barnes] has yet to be found.
The
Beech U21A was a low-wing, twin engine executive aircraft used primarily for
liaison flights for staff-level personnel that served with the Pacific Air
Forces in Vietnam. The US Army also used it as a personnel and light cargo
transport before it was reassigned to Air America, the CIA airline in Southeast
Asia.
On
16 March 1969, Capt. David R. Smith, pilot; and Capt. Charles Barnes, co-pilot;
comprised the crew of a U21A on a morning administrative flight that departed
Qui Nhon enroute to Hue/Phu Bai Airfield, Thua Thien Province, South Vietnam.
Also aboard were three passengers: SP4 Michael L. Batt and PFC Raymond E. Bobe
who were assigned to Liaison Detachment, Headquarters US Army, Vietnam; and
Major Marvin L. Foster who was on temporary assignment to Liaison Detachment,
Headquarters, US Army, Vietnam.
During
this mission, the aircrew was required to navigate by using only instruments
rather than visual flight due to low cloud ceilings, poor visibility and rain
showers. The U21A was scheduled to land at 1015 hours. As it approached Hue/Phu
Bai Airfield on schedule, it was picked up by radar. The control tower approved
Capt. Smith for an immediate landing from southwest to northeast instead of
having them enter the traffic pattern with other aircraft that were preparing to
land. According to personnel on the ground who were waiting to pick up Major
Foster, SP4 Batt and PFC Bobe; the U21A came in too fast and could not stop
before running out of runway. Capt. Smith and Capt. Barnes added power to take
off and the aircraft was observed pulling up and to the right in order to enter
the airfield's landing traffic pattern. Unfortunately, the U21A disappeared
before it could come around for a second landing attempt.
After
the Hue/Phu Bai tower lost contact with the U21A, all standard emergency radio
frequencies were used, but radio operations were also limited by the bad
weather. Search and rescue (SAR) efforts were immediately initiated, but were
also hampered by the weather. SAR personnel were unsuccessful in locating any
trace of the down aircraft, or its crew and passengers. At the time formal
search efforts were terminated, Raymond E. Bobe; Marvin L. Foster; David R.
Smith; Michael L. Batt and Charles R. Barnes were listed Missing in Action.
The
aircraft's last known position placed it on the north side of the rugged jungle
mountains located approximately 10 miles south of the Hue/Phu Bai airfield, 6
miles southwest of Highway 1 and the railroad line that ran along side the
highway. It was also 2 miles east of a second major road running north/south
that branched off of Highway 1 about 5 miles south of the airfield.
If
the crew and passengers aboard the U21A died in their loss incident, they have a
right to have their remains returned to their families, friends and country.
However, if they survived, they most certainly could have been captured due to
the fact that enemy troops were known to be actively operating in this region.
Their fate, like that of other Americans who remain unaccounted for in Southeast
Asia, could be quite different.
Since
the end of the Vietnam War well over 21,000 reports of American prisoners,
missing and otherwise unaccounted for have been received by our government. Many
of these reports document LIVE America Prisoners of War remaining captive
throughout Southeast Asia TODAY.
Military
men in Vietnam were called upon to fly and fight in many dangerous
circumstances, and they were prepared to be wounded, killed or captured. It
probably never occurred to them that they could be abandoned by the country they
so proudly served.
Prior Military Assignments: 4 JAN 67 -
Instructor, SA weapons Department, Co I, USAIS, Ft. Benning GA.
Incidental Information
Click
Here to view a queried report of messages and files concerning
Charles
R. Barnes from the POW/MIA
Database at the Library of Congress's
Federal Research
Division. (Links will open in New
Browser Window).
Honored
on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial: Panel 29E - - Line 50
|
The VietNam Veterans' Memorial Wall Page
Did you serve with this HERO? Is
he an old friend or High School Sweetheart? Is there something special you
would like to share about Charles -- If so, I would like to hear
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