THE WALL OF FACES

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. Your Air Force Cross citation attests to your courage and devotion to fellow soldiers. As long as you are remembered you will always be with us....

Robert Lanoue Baldwin
DATE OF BIRTH: March 17, 1933
PLACE OF BIRTH:
Kisangani, Belgian Congo
HOME OF RECORD:
Tomah, Wisconsin
Major Baldwin succumbed to the wounds sustained in this action. Sergeant Russell Hunt, Major Baldwin's Helicopter Mechanic also received the Air Force Cross for this mission. The other members of the crew survived the crash without further injury and were rescued by the ground team.

AWARDED FOR ACTIONS
DURING Vietnam War
Service: Air Force
Battalion: 20th Special Operations Squadron
GENERAL ORDERS:
CITATION:
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Title 10, Section 8742, United States Code, takes pride in presenting the Air Force Cross (Posthumously) to Major Robert Lanoue Baldwin, United States Air Force, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force as a UH-1 pilot in E Flight, 20th Special Operations Squadron, 14th Special Operations Wing, in action in the Republic of Vietnam on 31 March 1967. On that date, Major Baldwin volunteered to pilot his unarmed helicopter to evacuate severely wounded American ground troops under heavy hostile fire. Despite intense and accurately directed automatic weapons fire which severely damaged his aircraft and inflicted serious wounds upon his person, Major Baldwin, with undaunted determination, indomitable courage, and professional skill, successfully delivered ammunition and water to the beleaguered ground forces and began rescue of wounded personnel. Again devastating ground fire struck his aircraft, causing it to crash. Disregarding his own serious wounds, Major Baldwin attempted to save the other wounded until his loss of consciousness prevented any further action. Through his extraordinary heroism, superb airmanship, and aggressiveness in the face of hostile forces, Major Baldwin reflected the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

DEAR MAJOR BALDWIN,
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE WITH THE AIR FORCE, I HATE THAT YOU DIED IN THE MONTH OF YOUR BIRTH. TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY, AND I FEEL IT IS IMPORTANT TO HONOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DIED IN SERVICE TO THIS NATION. AND VETERANS' DAY IS APPROACHING, MAY THE SAINTS AND ANGELS GUIDE YOU. REST IN PEACE.

On March 31, 1967, a U.S. Air Force helicopter UH-1F (tail number 65-07932) from the 20th Special Operations Squadron (20th SOS) was attempting to resupply a SOG team when it came under fire and crashed. The aircraft was hit by 12.7 mm (.51 caliber) weapons fire while hovering to lower ammo via the rescue hoist to the SOG Recon team. The pilot, MAJ Robert L. Baldwin, died of a penetrating wound in the abdomen as a result of the hostile fire. The Air Force casualty file states that the copilot, a captain whose name was blacked out in the report, sustained a gunshot wound in the left side of the wrist. MAJ Baldwin was the first fatality for the Green Hornets. He had previously served with the 606th ACS in Thailand on a TDY basis and was considered a very good Huey pilot. [Taken from wikipedia.org and vhpa.org]

Robert is buried at Fort Rosecrans National Ceremony, San Diego, CA. Robert is located in section I, site 24, first row, near tree, south end of section.