THE WALL OF FACES

Dear Captain Robert Middlebrooks, Thank you for your service as a Tactical Aircraft Pilot. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart. It is another autumn. Time passes quickly. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage and faithfulness, especially now. Rest in peace with the angels.

On the night of January 13, 1966, a C-123B transport (tail number 55-4519) of the 310th Air Commando Squadron was providing flareship support for a flight of A-1E Skyraiders from the 1st ACS. The Skyraiders in turn were attacking Vietcong positions near An Khe. As one of the Skyraiders pulled off target after delivering ordnance it collided with the circling flareship. Both aircraft crashed. There were no survivors. The crew from the C-123B included pilot CAPT Herman H. Ritchie, copilot CAPT Warren L. Anderson, SSGT Byron H. Crotwell, TSGT Thomas A. Fodaro, SSGT Edward J. Hincewicz, and TSGT Irwin L. Hoffman. The pilot of the A-1E was CAPT Robert N. Middlebrooks. [Taken from virtualwall.com and aviation-safety.net]

Dear Captain Robert Neal Middlebrooks, sir

As an American, I would like to thank you for your service and for your sacrifice made on behalf of our wonderful country. The youth of today could gain much by learning of heroes such as yourself, men and women whose courage and heart can never be questioned.

May God allow you to read this, and may He allow me to someday shake your hand when I get to Heaven to personally thank you. May he also allow my father to find you and shake your hand now to say thank you; for America, and for those who love you.

With respect, Sir

Curt Carter

Robert is buried at Resthaven Park Cemetery, Glendale,AZ. AM-6OLC PH

On the night of 13 Jan 1966 a C-123B transport (tail number 55-4519) of the 310th Air Commando Squadron was providing flareship support for a flight of A-1E Skyraiders from the 1st ACS. The Skyraiders in turn were attacking VC positions near An Khe.
As one of the Skyraiders pulled off target after delivering ordnance it collided with the circling flareship. Both aircraft crashed; there were no survivors. The dead were
• Aboard C-123B 55-4519
o Capt Herman H. Ritchie, Okmulgee, OK, 310th ACS, pilot
o Capt Warren L. Anderson, San Jose, CA, 310th ACS, copilot
o SSgt Byron H. Crotwell, Jackson, MS, 310th ACS
o TSgt Thomas A. Fodaro, Syracuse, NY, 6253rd Cbt Spt Grp
o SSgt Edward J. Hincewicz, Scranton, PA, 310th ACS
o TSgt Irwin L. Hoffman, Elmhurst, NY, 310th ACS

• Aboard A-1E 52-133989
o Capt Robert N. Middlebrooks, Ariton, AL, 1st ACS
The 310th served in Vietnam for 6 years, undergoing several name changes. Activated as the 310th Troop Carrier Squadron, Assault, on 24 May 1963, it became the 310th Air Commando Squadron, Troop Carrier, on 8 Mar 1965; the 310th Air Commando Squadron, Tactical Airlift, on 1 Aug 1967; the 310th Special Operations Squadron on 1 Aug 1968; and the 310th Tactical Airlift Squadron on 1 Jan 1970. The squadron was inactivated on 15 Nov 1972.