COLONEL JOHN LEIGHTON ROBERTSON





John Leighton Robertson
Photo Courtesty of his wife Barbara,
who submitted it to thevirtualwall.org

Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Panel 10E, Row 103

Name: John Leighton Robertson
Rank/Branch: O4/USAF pilot
Unit: Ubon, Thailand 555th TFS
Date of Birth: 11 October 1930
Home City of Record: Seattle WA
Date of Loss: 16 September 1966
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 211157N 1062558E (XJ487447)
Status (in 1973): Missing In Action
Category: 2
Acft/Vehicle/Ground: F4C
Other Personnel In Incident: Hubert E. Buchanan (released POW)

Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 15 October 1990 from one or more of the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews. Update by the P.O.W. NETWORK March 1997

REMARKS: IN INTERROG PO60 TOLD SUBJ DIED SYNOPSIS:

Maj. John L. Robertson was a highly valued member of the Inspector General's team that checked combat readiness of the nation's air bases when he wrote a 28-page letter requesting Vietnam service. When his request was granted and he was assigned to Ubon Air Base, Thailand, he was so elated that he did cartwheels and back flips around the family pool.
On September 16, 1966, a four-plane squadron headed from Ubon for a railroad bridge in the Red River Delta. Robertson's plane was in the number three position designated "Moonglow 3", and his systems operator on the flight was 1Lt. Hubert E. Buchanan. The squadron came under heavy fire, Robertson's plane was hit and went down. Buchanan successfully ejected, and was taken prisoner.

John Robertson's fate is unknown. When he was released in 1973, Buchanan supplied more information about the events of September 16, 1966. During his descent after ejection, Buchanan could not see above his parachute (the back-seater ejects first) to verify that Robertson had also ejected. He saw a large fire about one half mile away, but could not say with certainty that it was the plane or jettisoned fuel that was burning.

Buchanan later reported that because the Vietnamese did not display any strong reaction to the lies he told them regarding his mission, he presumed that they were only hearing one (his) story. Further, another returned prisoner, Maj. Douglas B. Peterson, was shown Robertson's ID card during an interrogation session.

If Robertson went down in a burning plane, how did his ID card survive? If he survived the crash, what happened to him?

The Vietnamese have certain knowledge of the fate of John Robertson. Robertson's wife and four children still work to find information that will answer their questions. They wait as sightings of live Americans mount into the thousands. Barbara Robertson says, "I don't think about if it's Johnny (that's alive), but rather that there are live prisoners over there. My husband is so special, but each one of those men is so special, and each one is someone's husband or father or son."

John L. Robertson was promoted to the rank of Colonel during the period he was maintained Missing in Action. Hubert E. Buchanan was promoted to the rank of Captain during his captivity.



Senate Select Committee - Vessey 135 Discrepancy Cases
North Vietnam John L. Robertson (0459)

On September 16, 1966, Major Robertson and First Lieutenant Hubert F. Buchanan were in one in a flight of four F-4C aircraft on a mission over North Vietnam. They were engaged by hostile MIG aircraft while en route to their target. Major Robertson's aircraft was last seen in an aerial engagement with a MIG by other aircraft in their flight. First Lieutenant Buchanan was captured alive and released in March 1973. During his post-release debriefing he described how their aircraft was attacked by a MIG-17 and that he was forced to eject. He did not have contact with Major Robertson during, or after, his ejection. Other U.S. POWs reported being questioned about Major Robertson on September 17th and having been told Major Robertson was dead. Major Robertson was in MIA status as of Operation Homecoming. In June 1978, he was declared dead/body not recovered based on a presumptive finding of death. In January 1987, U.S. intelligence received a report about the wartime crash of an F-4 aircraft which appeared to correlate to this incident. One crewman was reportedly captured, and one died in the crash. From February through April 1990, U.S. field investigators in Vietnam visited Hai Hung Province and interviewed witnesses who described an aerial encounter between a U.S. jet and a MIG aircraft. One crewman ejected and was captured. The team visited the crash site and determined the aircraft's wreckage had been dug up and removed to a nearby warehouse. The team was provided a small packet of remains, allegedly from the crash site, which were determined to be non-human. Also during April 1990, Vietnam repatriated remains it identified as Major Robertson which were later determined to be the skeletal remains of a large animal (possibly a horse or cow) and a piece of non-bone material, possibly a rock. During November and December 1991, the site was excavated and personal property of an individual, probably American, was recovered and sent for analysis. Parts of the aircraft were recovered, including a data plate, as well as possible bone material. This case continues to undergo investigation.

http://freepages.military.rootsweb.com/~karmen/John.htm



Exerpt from U.S. Government Caught Robbing Grave of Vietnam Veteran
to Hide Its Mistake in Identification of Remains

For U.S. Veteran News and Report By Paul Warren

The 20-year history of doubt, grief and hoping against hope has left hundreds of MIA families with their lives on hold. Some, like Colonel Robertson's wife, Barbara, and his daughter, Shelby Robertson Quast, have never accepted that their missing men may be dead. "We are always aware of his birthday, anniversary and shoot-down date," says Shelby. "He never died in this household." Barbara Robertson still keeps fresh- made chocolate-chip cookies--her husbands's favorite--in the fridge. The linen sheets the Robertsons received as a wedding present are ironed and waiting to be put back on the bed. Shelby, equally convinced that her father is coming home, has worn her father's wedding ring for the past 19 years; last week she gave it back to her mother, and Barbara Robertson put it on. "When I saw that photo," said Shelby, "I felt like I had my father's life in my hands."

Johanna Lundy (cover photo) got the word from her 31-year-old son Albro, a Los Angeles trial attorney. "Mother," he said, "how are you feeling? Are you sitting down? Because I have evidence that my father is alive in Southeast Asia." Mrs. Lundy told him to stop: she wanted to see the photograph herself. At first, she said, she was not sure it was really her husband, but the eyes, the mouth and the hairline "absolutely" meant it had to be Al Lundy. Johanna Lundy is not one of those who has left her life on hold. When her husband was reported missing, she says, she took stock of herself and realized that "all I knew how to do was read, argue and have babies." She went to law school, during the summers and at night, and today has her own law practice. Deeply religious, she says she has come to accept her grief; she is now trying to throttle back her soaring hopes. "I'm not making a decision," she says. "I would have to touch him to know that he's alive for sure.

" The Robertson-Stevens-Lundy photo, and others like it, have electrified MIA families from coast to coast. It has also set off a macabre political controversy in Washington. This controversy essentially pits the Defense Department and the State Department against the true believers of the POW/MIA movement and their supporters on Capitol Hill. It hinges on thousands of case files, "sighting reports" from Vietnamese and Laotian refugees, and grisly bits of 20-year-old human remains. It feeds on the hopes and bitterness of MIA families, many of whom think the U.S. government has been incompetent, callous and deceitful in its long years of dealing with them. It will soon lead to Senate hearings on the POW/MI issue, and it has now forced administration officials, including Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney, to stop basking in the glow of Operation Desert Storm and turn their attention to the unhealed wounds from Vietnam. "The suggestion that somehow we're not aggressively working these cases simply isn't a valid one," Cheney said last week. "I can absolutely guarantee that if we had any evidence that there was an American POW still alive in Southeast Asia, and we knew where he was, I'd have thousands of volunteers lined up outside my office door to go get him."

http://www.pownetwork.org/bios/f/f017.htm



From: elaine mattson emattson@wyardindustries.com
Subject: Lt.Col. John Robertson - MIA 9-16-66
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 2002 09:25:52 -0400

Barbara and Children of John Robertson -

Where to start. I bought my bracelet back in the early 70's. I have worn it every day since, with the exception of 3 days. It isn't worth going into the reason why. I just knew that I had to put it back on and keep it on. Over the years I have gotten some information on your family. I seem to remember getting some information a few years back that 2 of your children were still actively searching for more info on their dad. I also remember reading in that info that one of the kids passed away. If so, I am truly sorry for that. I did get a picture finally of John and it was so nice to see his face. Knowing something about his family has made it even easier to wear this bracelet and to be even more proud of the sacrifice that he made for you and all of us. Some day I would like to hear all about Johns likes and dislikes, sports likes and what his hobbies were. What kind of a father and husband he was and what kind of a grandfather he could have been.

I know that I have a lot of questions to ask, but I just wanted to get this sent to let you know that I still wear the bracelet and will continue to do so. If John comes home and you wish to have the bracelet, I hope you will contact me somehow. I lost a few friends during this war and I have quite afew friends that purchased one or multiples of bracelets. We haven't forgotten and will never forget those who fought, survived and died over there. Hope to hear something about John soon.

Kindest Regards and continued Prayers for John and his family.

E. Mattson

http://www.pownetwork.org/tletter9.htm



John Leighton Robertson Bios

Scopes
http://www.scopesys.com/cgi-bin/bio2.cgi?bio=R020
"Robbie" by Task Force Omega
http://www.taskforceomegainc.org/r020.html
POWNetwork
http://www.pownetwork.org/bios/r/r020.htm



From the Bloomington, IL, Pantagraph
Specialist To Examine MIA Photos
(BY MELINDA ZEHR)

A forensic specialist is expected to determine whether a LeRoy woman's brother, who has been missing since his airplane was shot down in 1972 during the Vietnam War, is the same man pictured in photographs allegedly taken recently in Laos.

Michael Charney, a former anthropologist at Colorado State University, said during a telephone conversation yesterday that he has been informed he is to receive photographs of Navy Lt. Daniel Borah Jr. of Olney and will begin an analysis as soon as they are received.

`We already know that it is him but we need--more for the media than anyone else--proof, or, rather, confirmation, that it's him,' said Borah's sister, Kathy Borah Duez of LeRoy. Charney, who has conducted many similar comparisons, was described by Mrs. Duez as a respected expert in photo identification.

Modestly, 80-year-old Charney said the process is `simple,' given the expertise and right equipment.

Once he receives the photographs of Borah--both in Laos and before his Vietnam tour--Charney said the faces, including eyebrows, hairline, eyes, nose, mouth, lips, chin, ears and any muscle creases, will be outlined.

The outlines, one in red and the other in black, will be made using a computer that `will draw a line for me to an accuracy of 1/100th of an inch,' Charney said.

Then, the two images will be superimposed, allowing conclusion to be drawn.

He will start with the ears because they are highly distinctive.

If there is a difference between the lobes, `we don't go any further; it isn't necessary.' But if the lobes are the same, Charney said he will look at other aspects of the ears, including the folded outer rim.

Then, additional parts of the faces will be scrutinized until all have been compared.

Charney said it doesn't matter that the age difference between the photographs of Borah is nearly 19 years. Borah was 26 years old when his airplane was shot down; he would be 45 now.

`It doesn't much matter what happens to a person over the years,' Charney said. `Your nose may get a little heavier, . . . you'll form pouches and you'll get creases and you'll get jowls.

`But the bone doesn't change; the underlying bone remains the same,' he added.

Charney said that in most cases, he can determine `yes or no' whether two photographs are of the same person.

`Do I make errors? I suppose so,' Charney said, answering his own question. `Everyone makes errors and I'll correct them where I see them.'

Earlier this year, Charney determined that a photograph taken in February 1990 in Laos is that of Vietnam POW/MIA Army Capt. Donald Carr of East Chicago, Ind.

`I don't think it's the same guy; I know it is the same guy,' Charney told USA Today.

Charney also is expected to make comparisons of the men pictured in the first photograph that surfaced recently in the media--one purportedly of Air Force Col. John Leighton Robertson, Air Force Maj. Albro Lynn Lundy Jr. and Navy Lt. Larry James Stevens, all fliers.

He began lending his expertise to families of missing U.S. service people in 1985, when he was asked by the wife of a Vietnam POW/MIA to determine whether the skeletal remains sent to her were indeed that of her husband.

`That's when I first discovered that the Army was just plain lying--not making errors, but deliberately lying,' Charney said. `And I said so in front of a congressional committee in 1986. All they say is that I'm ludicrous.'

Until most recently, Charney said `99.9 percent' of the POW/MIA work he has done involved determining whether the identification of skeletal remains was properly done by the U.S. military.

He does his work free of charge to the families of missing U.S. service people.

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?r102:H17SE1-419:




CONTINUE TO PAGE 13- LIEUTENANT LARRY JAMES STEVENS

RETURN TO MYSTERY PHOTO HOME PAGE