The Wall › Panel 1W › Indiana › Robert Lee Sowers
ROBERT LEE SOWERS
Colonel · U.S. Air Force
February 14, 1923 – April 27, 1972
Service recordRobert Lee Sowers, of Richmond, Indiana, served as a Colonel in the U.S. Air Force. He died on April 27, 1972, in Phong Dinh Province, South Vietnam, at age 49. His name is inscribed on Panel 1W, Line 8 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
On the Wall
Panel 1W · Line 8
Names are inscribed in the order of loss, starting at Panel 1E at the apex and ending at Panel 1W. At the Memorial, find the panel number at the base and count down from the top line.
Remember
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Service
- Branch
- U.S. Air Force
- Rank
- Colonel (COL)
- Service
- Regular
- Born
- February 14, 1923
- Home of record
- Richmond, Indiana (Wayne County)
Casualty
- Date of death
- April 27, 1972
- Age
- 49
- Province
- Phong Dinh
- Country
- South Vietnam
- Casualty type
- Non-hostile
- Category
- Accident
- Circumstance
- Helicopter Crash — crew
Context · from the records
What was happening
Four names on the Wall carry the date April 27, 1972; he was the only one lost in Phong Dinh Province that day. In April 1972, 106 Americans whose names are on the Wall died in the war.
He died in Phong Dinh Province while the Easter Offensive was under way. On 30 March 1972, North Vietnam launched its largest offensive since 1968, attacking across the DMZ, toward An Lộc and into the Central Highlands. By then few U.S. ground troops remained; American advisers and air power fought alongside the South Vietnamese.
Also on Panel 1W, Line 8
- KURT FREDERICK WEISMANCaptain · April 26, 1972
- THOMAS KNOWLES DUFFYLieutenant Colonel · April 27, 1972
- THOMAS FRANCIS SHAWFirst Lieutenant · April 27, 1972
- CLAUD PAUL STROTHERWarrant Officer 1 · April 27, 1972
From Richmond
- CURTIS LAMARR FOSTERPrivate First Class · June 6, 1965
- JON DAVID VANNATTALance Corporal · August 18, 1965
- KARL EDWIN KLUTECaptain · March 14, 1966
- JESSE FLOYD WAGESSpecialist Four · May 17, 1966
- BURNIE HARRISStaff Sergeant · May 18, 1966
- TERRY LEE WILESPrivate First Class · June 10, 1966
- THOMAS PAUL DEITEMEYERSpecialist Four · February 12, 1967
- DAVID ALLEN DOWNINGSergeant · March 11, 1967
- THOMAS CLAYTON BENGESergeant First Class · June 25, 1967
- TERRI LEIGH HINESPrivate First Class · July 2, 1967
Source. U.S. Department of Defense, Defense Casualty Analysis System, Vietnam Conflict Extract Data File (as of April 29, 2008), Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Record Group 330, National Archives (NAID 2240992). Panel and line as recorded in that file. This page presents the official record and its historical context; no biography has been written for him yet. See something wrong? Report a correction.