Robinson, Lewis Merritt
Air Force Lieutenant colonel

Lewis Merritt Robinson, age 46, from Saginaw, Michigan, Saginaw county.

Parents: Clara M. Walker
Spouse: Elizabeth Jean (Hoff)
Children: Scott W., Bradley C., Gary L, William L., Mary Lou

Service era: Vietnam
Schools: University of Michigan graduate

Date of death: Sunday, June 4, 1967
Death details: On March 5, 1999, the Joint Casualty Resolution Center identified the remains of Lieutenant Colonel Lewis Merritt Robinson, missing from the Vietnam War. Lieutenant Colonel Robinson entered the U.S. Air Force from Michigan and was a member of the 1st Air Commando Squadron. On June 4, 1967, he took off from Pleiku, South Vietnam, piloting an A-1E Skyraider (tail number 52-132681, call sign “Hobo 34”) on a close air support mission against enemy targets over Saravane Province, Laos. During the mission, “Hobo 34” was hit by enemy ground fire, crashed, and exploded, killing Lt Col Robinson. A heavy enemy presence in the loss area prevented any search and recovery efforts, and Lt Col Robinson’s remains were not recovered at the time. However, in February 1988, a joint team visited the crash site and recovered human remains, and in March 1999, investigators using modern forensic techniques were able to identify Lt Col Robinson from these remains.
Cemetery: Arlington National

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, findagrave.com, Belleville New Democrat (1967)