Name: Robert Bruce Leonard
Rank/Branch: E5/USN
Unit:
Date of Birth: 08 May 1946
Home City of Record: Des Moines IA
Date of Loss: 02 October 1969
Country of Loss: North Vietnam/Over Water
Loss Coordinates: 175402N 1073602E (YE754810)
Status (in 1973): Killed/Body Not Recovered
Category: 5
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: C2A
Personnel In Incident: Terry L. Beck; Richard W. Bell; Michael L. Bowman;
Frank
Bytheway; Rolando C. Dayao; Donald C. Dean; Herbert H. Dilger; Carl J.
Ellerd;
James J. Fowler; Roy G. Fowler; Leonardo M. Gan; Paul E. Gore; William D.
Gorsuch; Rayford J. Hill; Delvin L. Kohler; Howard M. Koslosky; Robert B.
Leonard; Richard A. Livingston; Ronald W. Montgomery; William R. Moore;
Paul K.
Moser; Kenneth M. Prentice; Fidel G. Salazar; Keavin L. Terrell; Michael J.
Tye;
Reynaldo R. Viado (all missing)
Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 01 April 1990 from one or more of the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews.
REMARKS:
SYNOPSIS: On October 2, 1969, a C2A "Greyhound" cargo aircraft from Reserve Cargo Squadron 50 departed Cubi Point Naval Air Station, Republic of the Philippines on a shuttle flight to various aircraft carriers in the Gulf of Tonkin in Vietnam, including the USS CONSTELLATION, the USS WALKER, the USS HAMMER, and the USS LONG BEACH.
The flight crew onboard the aircraft, assigned to Fleet Support Squadron 50 based in Atsugi Naval Air Station, Japan, included the pilot, Lt. Herbert H. Dilger; co-pilot, Lt. Richard A. Livingston; air crewman, Petty Officer 3rd Class Paul K. Moser; aircraft captain, Petty Officer 3rd Class Michael J. Tye; and loadmaster-trainee, Petty Officer 3rd Class Rayford J. Hill. Most of the twenty passengers appear to be bound for the USS CONSTELLATION, but one was bound for the USS LONG BEACH, one of the four Philippine citizens onboard was headed for the USS HAMMER, and two to the USS WALKER.
The aircraft was inbound to the CONSTITUTION and made communication at about 0600 hours, reporting that operations were normal. When communicatons were established with the Carrier Air Control, control was passed to the Marshall controller (Approach Control). The carrier's radar continued tracking the aircraft until approximately 0655, at which time radar contact was lost at about 10 nautical miles from the CONSTELLATION.
Helicopter search and rescue efforts were immediately initiated from the ship. The helicopter began sighting an oil slick and debris. A few pieces of aircraft were recovered, and analysis of this debris indicated that the aircraft was in a relatively high speed nose down, right wing down impact with the water or had a possible right wing failure before impact. There was no sign of survivors, nor were any bodies recovered.
The crew and passengers onboard the C2 which went down on October 2, 1969 were all declared Killed/Body Not Recovered. There is very little hope that they will ever be found. They are listed with honor among the missing because no remains were ever located to repatriate to their homeland.
For many of the missing, however, solutions are not so simple. Several were photographed in captivity, but never returned. Others were alive and well the last they were seen awaiting rescue. Still others described their imminent captures. For the families of these men, the years have passed heartbreakingly slow.
Since the war ended, nearly 10,000 reports relating to Americans missing in Southeast Asia have been received by the U.S. Government. Many officials who have reviewed this largely classified information are convinced that hundreds of Americans are still alive as captives in Southeast Asia. It's time we brought our men home.
