Robert Lauren Standerwick Sr.
Colonel, U.S. Air Force
25th Tactical Fighter Squadron
Entered the Service From: Mankato, Kansas
Date of Birth: June 23, 1930
Date of Death: February 03, 1971
Wars or Conflicts: Vietnam War
Memorialized: Courts of the Missing: Court A
Honolulu Memorial
National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific
Colonel Standerwick was a member of the 25th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Ubon Airfield, Thailand. On February 3, 1971, he was the pilot of a McDonnell Douglas Phantom II Fighter (F-4D) on a sensor drop mission over the Ho Chi Minh Trail, Laos, when his aircraft was shot down. He ejected safely to the ground and had contact to report being surrounded by the enemy. His remains were not recovered. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial.
∼Robert was from Bellvue, NE and a Col in the Air Force during the Vietnam War. He and his crewmen survived after their fighter plane was shot down, but were declared MIA.
On 03 Feb 1971, Lt Col Standerwick and Major Norbert A. Gotner launched from Ubon RTAFB in F-4D tail number 66-8777 on a sensor-dropping mission along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. While operating near Ban Kantaloung southwest of the Ban Karai Pass their aircraft was hit by AAA fire and the two men were forced to leave the aircraft.
Both survived the ejection without significant injury and once on the ground established voice communications with each other and with US aircraft. Weather conditions precluded immediate SAR operations, and before SAR aircraft could attempt to pick them up communications had been lost with both Standerwick and Gotner. The last radio call from Standerwick indicated that he had been shot and was surrounded by enemy troops. Both men were classed as Missing in Action.
Major Gotner had in fact been captured and would survive captivity, returning to US custody on 28 March 1973 - but he knew nothing more about Standerwick.
Robert Standerwick was continued in MIA status, gaining promotion to Colonel, until the Secretary of the Air Force approved a Presumptive Finding of Death on 20 June 1980. At that time his status was changed to "Died while Missing, Body not Recovered". His remains have not been repatriated.
I still have his MIA Bracelet, although it is damaged and I can no longer wear it.
Colonel, U.S. Air Force
25th Tactical Fighter Squadron
Entered the Service From: Mankato, Kansas
Date of Birth: June 23, 1930
Date of Death: February 03, 1971
Wars or Conflicts: Vietnam War
Memorialized: Courts of the Missing: Court A
Honolulu Memorial
National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific
Colonel Standerwick was a member of the 25th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Ubon Airfield, Thailand. On February 3, 1971, he was the pilot of a McDonnell Douglas Phantom II Fighter (F-4D) on a sensor drop mission over the Ho Chi Minh Trail, Laos, when his aircraft was shot down. He ejected safely to the ground and had contact to report being surrounded by the enemy. His remains were not recovered. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial.
∼Robert was from Bellvue, NE and a Col in the Air Force during the Vietnam War. He and his crewmen survived after their fighter plane was shot down, but were declared MIA.
On 03 Feb 1971, Lt Col Standerwick and Major Norbert A. Gotner launched from Ubon RTAFB in F-4D tail number 66-8777 on a sensor-dropping mission along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. While operating near Ban Kantaloung southwest of the Ban Karai Pass their aircraft was hit by AAA fire and the two men were forced to leave the aircraft.
Both survived the ejection without significant injury and once on the ground established voice communications with each other and with US aircraft. Weather conditions precluded immediate SAR operations, and before SAR aircraft could attempt to pick them up communications had been lost with both Standerwick and Gotner. The last radio call from Standerwick indicated that he had been shot and was surrounded by enemy troops. Both men were classed as Missing in Action.
Major Gotner had in fact been captured and would survive captivity, returning to US custody on 28 March 1973 - but he knew nothing more about Standerwick.
Robert Standerwick was continued in MIA status, gaining promotion to Colonel, until the Secretary of the Air Force approved a Presumptive Finding of Death on 20 June 1980. At that time his status was changed to "Died while Missing, Body not Recovered". His remains have not been repatriated.
I still have his MIA Bracelet, although it is damaged and I can no longer wear it.
Robert Lauren Standerwick Sr.
Colonel, U.S. Air Force
25th Tactical Fighter Squadron
Entered the Service From: Mankato, Kansas
Date of Birth: June 23, 1930
Date of Death: February 03, 1971
Wars or Conflicts: Vietnam War
Memorialized: Courts of the Missing: Court A
Honolulu Memorial
National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific
Colonel Standerwick was a member of the 25th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Ubon Airfield, Thailand. On February 3, 1971, he was the pilot of a McDonnell Douglas Phantom II Fighter (F-4D) on a sensor drop mission over the Ho Chi Minh Trail, Laos, when his aircraft was shot down. He ejected safely to the ground and had contact to report being surrounded by the enemy. His remains were not recovered. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial.
∼Robert was from Bellvue, NE and a Col in the Air Force during the Vietnam War. He and his crewmen survived after their fighter plane was shot down, but were declared MIA.
On 03 Feb 1971, Lt Col Standerwick and Major Norbert A. Gotner launched from Ubon RTAFB in F-4D tail number 66-8777 on a sensor-dropping mission along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. While operating near Ban Kantaloung southwest of the Ban Karai Pass their aircraft was hit by AAA fire and the two men were forced to leave the aircraft.
Both survived the ejection without significant injury and once on the ground established voice communications with each other and with US aircraft. Weather conditions precluded immediate SAR operations, and before SAR aircraft could attempt to pick them up communications had been lost with both Standerwick and Gotner. The last radio call from Standerwick indicated that he had been shot and was surrounded by enemy troops. Both men were classed as Missing in Action.
Major Gotner had in fact been captured and would survive captivity, returning to US custody on 28 March 1973 - but he knew nothing more about Standerwick.
Robert Standerwick was continued in MIA status, gaining promotion to Colonel, until the Secretary of the Air Force approved a Presumptive Finding of Death on 20 June 1980. At that time his status was changed to "Died while Missing, Body not Recovered". His remains have not been repatriated.
I still have his MIA Bracelet, although it is damaged and I can no longer wear it.
Colonel, U.S. Air Force
25th Tactical Fighter Squadron
Entered the Service From: Mankato, Kansas
Date of Birth: June 23, 1930
Date of Death: February 03, 1971
Wars or Conflicts: Vietnam War
Memorialized: Courts of the Missing: Court A
Honolulu Memorial
National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific
Colonel Standerwick was a member of the 25th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Ubon Airfield, Thailand. On February 3, 1971, he was the pilot of a McDonnell Douglas Phantom II Fighter (F-4D) on a sensor drop mission over the Ho Chi Minh Trail, Laos, when his aircraft was shot down. He ejected safely to the ground and had contact to report being surrounded by the enemy. His remains were not recovered. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial.
∼Robert was from Bellvue, NE and a Col in the Air Force during the Vietnam War. He and his crewmen survived after their fighter plane was shot down, but were declared MIA.
On 03 Feb 1971, Lt Col Standerwick and Major Norbert A. Gotner launched from Ubon RTAFB in F-4D tail number 66-8777 on a sensor-dropping mission along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. While operating near Ban Kantaloung southwest of the Ban Karai Pass their aircraft was hit by AAA fire and the two men were forced to leave the aircraft.
Both survived the ejection without significant injury and once on the ground established voice communications with each other and with US aircraft. Weather conditions precluded immediate SAR operations, and before SAR aircraft could attempt to pick them up communications had been lost with both Standerwick and Gotner. The last radio call from Standerwick indicated that he had been shot and was surrounded by enemy troops. Both men were classed as Missing in Action.
Major Gotner had in fact been captured and would survive captivity, returning to US custody on 28 March 1973 - but he knew nothing more about Standerwick.
Robert Standerwick was continued in MIA status, gaining promotion to Colonel, until the Secretary of the Air Force approved a Presumptive Finding of Death on 20 June 1980. At that time his status was changed to "Died while Missing, Body not Recovered". His remains have not been repatriated.
I still have his MIA Bracelet, although it is damaged and I can no longer wear it.
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