THE WALL OF FACES

On the remembrance of your 70th birthday, your sacrifice is not forgotten.

My POW-MIA flag flies daily.

HOOAH

Thank you for your service and your sacrifice. Thank you for stepping up and answering your country's call. Rest easy knowing you will never be forgotten.

Robert,

I am wearing your rememberance bracelet now. I am from Greensburg as well and served in the Gulf War in 1991. I honor your sacrifice and am grateful for what you have done in the name of your Country and everything you believe in. Godspeed.

On 6 Nov 2015, the Veterans of the 48th Assault Helicopter Company, known as "Blue Stars", dedicated a Memorial Monument at Fort Rucker, Alabama honoring the service of the unit in Vietnam and especially the 36 Blue Star Fallen Heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country during the period 6 Nov 1965 to 23 Aug 1972. SSG Robert Joseph Acalotto was one of those heroic members of the unit until the time of his death.

The back image of the Monument may be seen at “SEE ALL PHOTOS” above.

Lam Son 719 was a large-scale offensive against enemy communications lines which was conducted in that part of Laos adjacent to the two northern provinces of South Vietnam. The South Vietnamese provided and commanded ground forces, while U.S. forces would furnish airlift and supporting fire. Phase I, renamed Operation Dewey Canyon II, involved an armored attack by the U.S. from Vandegrift base camp toward Khe Sanh, while the ARVN moved into position for the attack across the Laotian border. Phase II began with an ARVN helicopter assault and armored brigade thrust along Route 9 into Laos. ARVN ground troops were transported by American helicopters, while U.S. Air Force provided cover strikes around the landing zones. During one of these maneuvers, WO1 Jon E. Reid and was flying a UH-1C helicopter (#66-00700) from the 48th Assault Helicopter Company “Bluestars” with co-pilot 1LT David M. May, crew chief SP5 Randall L. Johnson, and gunner SP4 Robert J. Acalotto on a mission providing gun cover for an emergency re-supply mission about 20 miles southeast of Sepone, Laos. The aircraft was hit by hostile groundfire and crashed. When the helicopter landed, it was upright on its skids, with the tail boom broken off and the right aft burning. Witnesses stated that it was certainly a "survivable crash." Two people were seen exiting the aircraft on the right side, running towards nearby trees. Witnesses noted that the left pilot door was jettisoned and that both forward seats were empty. Several attempts were made to rescue the downed crew, but were unsuccessful because of heavy enemy fire. The 1st ARVN Division was to assist in a ground rescue attempt, but the tactical situation changed before the infantry could reach the area, and the unit had to be pulled out. No contact with the crew was ever established after the crash and the four crewmen were listed as Missing in Action. During the period they were maintained missing, David M. May was promoted to the rank of Captain, Jon E. Reid to the rank of Chief Warrant Officer, Randolph L. Johnson to the rank of Sergeant First Class, and Robert J. Acalotto to the rank of Staff Sergeant. In 1994, 1996 and 1998, U.S. and Lao investigators interviewed villagers in the area of the crash, then initiated an excavation which recovered human remains as well as portions of an identification tag with the name "May, David M." Analysis of the remains and other evidence by the U.S. Army Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii confirmed the identification of CPT David May and CW3 Jon E. Reid. They were interred at Arlington National Cemetery in 2000 after being Missing in Action for twenty-nine years. The remains of Acalotto and Johnson have not been recovered. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org, vhpa.org, and pownetwork.org]