US Navy Engineman Third Class Robert Lane Fallows
Birth: Jun. 2, 1948 Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., NC
Death: Feb. 26, 1970 An Giang Province, Vietnam.
US Navy Engineman Third Class Robert Lane Fallows, native of Charlotte, NC was 21 years old and was not married. Robert died when his helicopter crashed. His body was recovered. Robert was described as an extremely outgoing person with a lot of musical talent. He loved his family and enjoyed life.
Accident reports indicated that Robert’s UH-34D departed the Tan Son Nhut Airbase in Viet Nam at 0800 Hours for its daily mission of shuttling mail and passengers to and from the ships and shore installations of the Navy River Forces and a local airstrip for connections to other aircraft. The helicopter had completed two priveious trips in order to avoid an excess weight take-off from the one of the Naval Ships. The aircraft then landed at An Long Airstrip and loaded Robert and five other passengers and 1050 lbs of mail. Approximately 6 miles north of Long Xuyen, An Giang Province, an unidentified Vietnamese civilian stated that he heard two explosion noises and observed the helicopter turn over two times then fell from the sky, impacting inverted in a dry rice field. The aircraft clock stopped at 1303 Hours.
By nightfall, all bodies save the pilot were removed. The next morning the Aircraft Accident Board arrived and a comprehensive on-site investigation was commenced. Everything seemed to be normal save for the transmission. The transmission contained bits of newspaper and pieces of white plastic. The newspaper was coated with green and gold colored paint and the pieces of white plastic material were identified as parts of a plastic cover similar to that used on an aerosol paint spray can. Nine Personnel were killed in this accident including EN3 Robert Lane Fallows.
He served on board YRBM-21, NAVSUPACT SAIGON, U.S. Naval Forces, Vietnam. He was awarded The Purple Heart Medal for his combat related wounds, The Vietnam Service Medal, The Republic of Vietnam Campaign Service Medal, The National Defense Service Medal and The Good Conduct Medal.
Burial: Evergreen Cemetery, Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., NC.
Plot: Veterans Rest C -2
(Source: Posted with permission of Tom & Jim Reece, #46857744; finding NC Vietnam KIA/MIA’s gravesites
; Reconfigured and submitted by: Ron Yates)
I served with Robert on the YRBM-21 from early 1970 until his death. He was a fantastic individual with an outgoing personality and a positive attitude even in the worse of conditions. He would come over to the Electronics shack on board the YRBM to talk about his plans after Vietnam and to just talk about life in general. The morning he left for Saigon on his final flight, he came in all excited to let me know that he was going to Saigon. We lost four excellent sailors from the YRBM-21 on that flight. There are times even 42 years after Vietnam I think about him and the other guys we lost. You were the best of the best, Robert.
Jim,
Thank you for sharing these touching memories.
On August 8,2014, we dedicated a monument to Robert and the 14 other classmates who gave their lives in service to our country in Viet Nam. Not forgotten…………..
Thank yiu Jim for your service. I just stumbled on this site. I served on the YRBM-21 from July 1970 to July 1971. I was a seaman storekeeper. I also was the person who brought up the beer and soda to the Last Chance Saloon.
Another duty I had was a emergency Corpman if the Dr. needed help which on occasion he did. The last 3 months I was aboard I volunteered to be the LSE (Landing Safty Enlisted) in charge of the launching abd landing of Hal 3 Det 9. We too came under fire and lost both Helicopters. Fortunately no one died in that attack. We were attacked several more times in those 3 months. Thank God for Puff the Magic Dragen. The Officers Food. Cooking area took a direct hit from a rocket of some sort. You could put your fist through the hole.
All I can say to you is RIP and I love you.
Michael