Name: COL Robert Lee Sowers
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 04/27/1972 while performing the duty of Aircraft Commander.
Age at death: 49.2
Date of Birth: 02/14/1923
Home City: Richmond, IN
Service: regular component of the U.S. Air Force.
Unit: USAF ADV TEAM 4
Service: U.S. Air Force.
The Wall location: 01W-008
Short Summary: Flying a VNAF Huey trying to lift out a small FAC aircraft via cable when it broke and flew into the rotors causing the crash.
Aircraft: UH-1H
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: *
Started Tour: 06/28/1971
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - pilot
Length of service: *
Location: Phong Dinh Province IV Corps.
Military grid coordinates of event: WR210835
Additional information about this casualty:
The crash happened when he tried to lift a small FAC aircraft out of the boonies via a cable or harness. As has happened more that once in such a situation the cable snapped and flew up into the rotor. Killed with him was a Viet B/Gen.
From: Tom Garcia
Colonel Sowers was my commanding officer from October 1971 until his death in April 1972. I remember the first day I met him as well as that fateful day he left the headquarters office a little early to recover a downed aircraft. Having such respect and admiration for him, it was more than I could take being part of the few men who gathered his personal belongs to pack and be shipped home. He was very well liked and respected by all who served under him. Every April 27th I honor him and recall the days serving with him. To this day I still talk of him to friends and relatives. It was indeed an honor to serve with him.
From: James Meadows, September 2018
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
This information is available on CD-ROM.
Additional information is available on KIAs at http://www.coffeltdatabase.org
Please send additions or corrections to: The VHPA Webmaster Gary Roush.
KIA statistics
Return to the Helicopter Pilot KIA name list
Return to the KIA panel date index
Date posted on this site:
10/25/2024
Copyright © 1998 - 2024 Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association
Casualty type: Non-hostile - died of other causes
married male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Religion: no religous preference
Burial information: EAST LAWN PALMS CEMETERY, TUCSON, AZ
This record was last updated on 09/16/2018