Name: WO1 James Paul Barton
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 03/19/1967 while performing the duty of Aircraft Commander.
Age at death: 24.0
Date of Birth: 04/01/1943
Home City: Bates City, MO
Service: AV branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 68 AVN
Major organization: other
Flight class: 66-15
Service: AV branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 16E-109
Short Summary: When about to exit the LZ, a command detonated mine was set off.
Aircraft: UH-1D tail number 64-13799
Call sign: BLACK BART
Service number: W3154304
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 062B = Helicopter Pilot, Utility and Light Cargo Single Rotor
Primary cause: Hostile Fire
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: fire or burns
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: aircraft commander
Started Tour: 11/12/1966
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
Length of service: 06
Location: Tay Ninh Province III Corps.
Military grid coordinates of event: XT385705
Additional information about this casualty:
Since the AC usually assigned to my helicopter was an instructor pilot and the
units in country check out pilot [the one who took newly assigned pilots
through orientation and emegency landing procedures] I was the first CE in
country to fly with Black Bart. Having been on many check-out rides with
other new pilots I knew when a pilot was good this one was ' born to fly'. I
would have flown to hell with Barton and I told him so.I'm sure SOP was the
same in your unit where air crews picked each other as a GOOD CE picked a
GOOD GUNNER andwere in turn picked by GOOD PILOTS. No one wanted to fly with
someone who didn't have their 'shit together'. I spread the word around
quick that Black Bart had ' his shit together'. I transfered to the
'Mustang' gunship platoon shortly after he came into our unit, but I did get
to fly with him his first few CA's as my AC also knew Barton was GOOD.He
must have been recognized for his skills he made AC his 3 rd month in the
unit. When this incident took place in march of the following year the unit
had lost some of the really good guys.I have been in contact with Bartons
son [3 years old at the time of his death] He got my name from the Friends
of the VN Memorial and wrote to me.The son is now a lawyer MO. I sent the
son all the tracings I had made of his dads name on the wall.I try to go see
the wall at least twice a year, I thought the son would like to know that at
least someone knew and liked his dad, thought enough of him to make the
tracings.With the tracings I sent a long letter about the incident and what
I and the rest of the unit felt about his dad. Maybe I got to involved, too
emotional in my letter- his son never wrote me back, but everyone handles
their grief in their own way.
John E Frasso, fraz@bwkip.com
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - killed
married male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Religion: Protestant - no denominational preference
Burial information: NELSON CEMETERY, NELSON, MO
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 10/06/2012
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Date posted on this site: 10/25/2024
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