Smith, Robert Norman
Marines Colonel
Robert Norman Smith from Trucksville, Pennsylvania, Luzerne county.
Service era: Vietnam
Date of death: August 19, 1969
Death details: On August 19, 1969, an F-4B Phantom II (bureau number 149416, call sign “Pigment 502”) with two crew members took off from its base in South Vietnam to escort a photo reconnaissance mission over North Vietnam. During the mission, the reconnaissance aircraft made the last known radio contact with “Pigment 502” in the vicinity of (GC) 48Q XE 810 020. At this point, the reconnaissance pilot radioed that he was starting his second run and the pilot of “Pigment 502” acknowledged that he was directly behind. After completing his run, the reconnaissance aircraft attempted to re-establish radio contact with “Pigment 502” but was unable to do so. “Pigment 502” was reported as missing, and search efforts were unable to locate the aircraft or its crew members.
Lieutenant Colonel Robert Norman Smith entered the U.S. Marine Corps from Pennsylvania and was a member of Headquarters and Maintenance Squadron 11, Marine Air Group 11, 1st Marine Air Wing. He was the pilot of “Pigment 502” when it disappeared and was lost with the aircraft. After the incident, the Marine Corps promoted LtCol Smith to the rank of Colonel (Col). Today, Colonel Smith is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
Source: National Archives., Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
