BARNETT, ROBERT RUSSELL

RIP - remains returned - ID announced 02/22/17. 

Name: Robert Russell Barnett
Rank/Branch: United States Air Force/O3
Unit:  8th Bomb Squadron
Date of Birth: 05 October 1933
Home City of Record: GLADEWATER TX
Date of Loss: 07 April 1966
Country of Loss: Laos
Loss Coordinates: 161759 North 1064200 East
Status (in 1973): Killed in Action/Body Not Recovered
Category: 3
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: B57B
Missions:
Other Personnel in Incident: Walker, Thomas Taylor  KIA/BNR
Refno:  0298

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. 2020

REMARKS:

CACCF - HOSTILE KILLED/CRASH/PILOT 10 YRS USAF

No further information available at this time.

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From: Ford, Jocelyn A TSgt USAF DPAA OPS TASK HI (US) [mailto:jocelyn.a.ford.mil@mail.mil]
Sent: 22 February, 2017 10:21
Subject: Remains of Airman from Vietnam War Identified (Barnett)

Dear Sir/Ma'am,

The remains of Air Force Capt. Robert R. Barnett, missing from the Vietnam War, has now been accounted
for. On April 7, 1966, Barnett was a member of the 8th Bomb Squadron, and was the pilot of a B-57B
aircraft on a strike mission over Laos.  While making a dive-bombing attack, the aircraft reportedly
crashed, disintegrated and burned.  No parachutes were seen and the hostile threat in the area prevented
a search and rescue or ground inspection of the site.  Following the crash, Barnett was declared killed
in action. 

In January and May 2005, a joint U.S./Lao People's Democratic Republic (L.P.D.R.) team visited the
site of the crash.  In late 2014, and early 2015, three excavations of the site were conducted, recovering
possible human remains, life support items and material evidence.  The remains were sent to the DPAA
laboratory for analysis.

To identify Barnett's remains, scientists from DPAA used circumstantial evidence and dental comparisons,
which matched his records.

The support from the government of Laos was vital to the success of this recovery.

Interment services are pending.

For more information on DPAA please visit our website at www.dpaa.mil, find us on social media at
www.facebook.com/dodpaa or call 703-699-1008.

~Fulfilling Our Nation's Promise~

V/r,

//SIGNED//
Jocelyn A. Ford, TSgt, USAF
Forensic Photographer
Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
808-448-4500 ext. 3159

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NATIONAL LEAGUE OF FAMILIES OF AMERICAN PRISONERS AND MISSING IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

UPDATE: April 1, 2017

AMERICANS RECENTLY ACCOUNTED FOR: On March 28th, DPAA Statistics listed three USMC personnel as recently accounted for: Captain John A. House of NY, Cpl Glyn L. Runnels, Jr., of AL, and LCpl John D. Killen, II, of IA. All were listed as KIABNR on June 30, 1967, in South Vietnam. Their remains were recovered in June, 2012, and identification was authorized on December 22, 2015. DPAA has not yet published the formal announcement with interment plans. On March 7th, DPAA released an announcement that Captain Daniel W. Thomas, USAFR, listed as MIA on July 6, 1971 in South Vietnam, had been accounted for. Remains were recovered by a Vietnamese Unilateral Recovery Team (URT) in August, 2014, and identified in August, 2015, as those of Major Donald G. Carr, USA, the other person in the OV-10A piloted by Capt Thomas. Subsequent recovery efforts by the URT and repatriation of additional remains and material in April, 2016, brought the more recent ID of Capt Thomas. DPAA also listed on its website, under Statistics, the accounting for Colonel William E. Campbell, USAF, listed as MIA in Laos January 29, 1969. His remains were recovered April 17, 2014, identified August 29, 2016, and his name was placed on the DPAA website as accounted for on March 3rd. On February 22nd, DPAA announced the ID of Capt Robert R. Barnett, USAF, listed as KIA/BNR on April 7, 1966 while piloting a B-57B over Laos. His remains were recovered June 18, 2015 and identified August 16, 2016. Earlier this year, a Marine Corps Reserve officer, 1st Lt William C. Ryan, was the first person since June of 2016 announced as accounted for from the Vietnam War. 1st Lt Ryan was listed KIA/BNR in Laos on May 11, 1969. His remains were recovered January 27, 2016, and identified December 7, 2016.

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01/2020

https://dpaa.secure.force.com/dpaaProfile?id=a0Jt000000oMgHUEA0

CAPT ROBERT RUSSELL BARNETT

Return to Service Member Profiles

On March 30, 2017, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) identified the remains of Captain Robert Russell Barnett, missing from the Vietnam War. 

Captain Barnett joined the U.S. Air Force from Texas and was a member of the 8th Bomb Squadron. On April 7, 1966, he was the pilot and one of two crew members aboard a B-57 Canberra (tail number 52-5130, call sign "Yellow Bird 12") on a strike mission over Laos. During the mission, the Canberra crashed and burned during a dive bombing attack on its target, and Capt Barnett was killed in the crash. Enemy presence in the area prevented immediate attempts to recover his remains. During 2014 and 2015, excavations of the site recovered aircraft parts consistent with a B-57 as well as human remains, and modern forensic techniques identified Capt Barnett from among the remains recovered. 

Captain Barnett is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

If you are a family member of this serviceman, you may contact your casualty office representative to learn more about your service member.