Barker, Frank Akeley, Jr., LTC

Casualty Occurrence:  This Soldier was killed when the chopper he was a passenger in, was involved in a collision MID-AIR UH-1D AND O-2A 12 KM NORTHEAST OF QUANG NGAI CITY 19680613
 

Frank Akeley Barker, Jr. was born on January 26, 1928 and joined the Armed Forces while in New Haven, Connecticut.  He served in the United States Army and in 18 years of service, he attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. On June 13, 1968, at the age of 40, Frank Akeley Barker, Jr.  perished in the service of our country in South Vietnam, Quang Ngai. NOTE: Colonel Barker was the Battalion Commander at the My-Lai "Massacre," but was killed before the incident was made public. 

On 16 March 1968, at about 0800, soldiers of Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 20th Infantry of the Americal Division assaulted a hamlet in South Vietnam's Quang Ngai Province called by the Vietnamese Thuan Yen but known to the Americans as My Lai 4. On this morning, Charlie company was part of a temporarily assembled strike force called Task Force (TF) Barker, named for its commander Lieutenant Colonel Frank Barker. The mission of TF Barker was to locate and destroy Vietcong main-force combat units in an area on the coast of the South China Sea known to be a VC political and military stronghold. The company met no resistance as it assaulted the hamlet, but by noon every living thing in My Lai that the troops could find men, women, children, and livestock was dead.
 

According to South and North Vietnamese sources, 504 civilians were killed in and around My Lai. Charlie Company suffered one casualty, the result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the foot. The company's after-action report claimed 128 enemy killed and three weapons recovered.
 

For over a year, the event lay dormant, but after a letter was sent to the Army and members of Congress by a recently-discharged soldier, the Army began an investigation and Seymour Hersh broke the story in the press. A number of soldiers from Charlie Company were charged with murder. All were acquitted or had their charges dropped except for Lieutenant William Calley, a Charlie Company platoon commander, who was convicted of premeditated murder by a court martial and sentenced to life imprisonment. After various reviews and appeals, he served only four and a half months. Twelve officers were accused of covering up the incident. Only one was tried by court-martial, and he was acquitted.

POSTED ON 9.11.2016. POSTED BY: WKILLIAN@SMJUHSD.ORG. FINAL MISSION OF LTC FRANK A. BARKER JR. On June 13, 1968, a U.S. Army UH-1D (#66-01016), a Dolphin slick, was dispatched from Duc Pho to fly command and control for the 4th Battalion, 3d Infantry, 11th Light Infantry Brigade. WO1 James D. Carter was the aircraft commander on the Dolphin. WO1 Jerry H. Johnson was the pilot, and SP4 Gary A. Milton and PFC Allen R. Weamer were the door gunners. The aircraft landed at LZ Dottie to pick up LTC Frank A. Barker Jr., CAPT Earl R. Michles, and 1LT Michael L. Phillips, 4/3 Infantry. The aircraft departed at 0730 hours to fly a visual reconnaissance in the area where a unit from 4/3 Infantry had reported light contact. Dolphin 016 was avoiding machine gun fire on climb out when it collided with a USAF O-2A (#67-21415) airplane piloted by MAJ David G. Brenner while flying at about 1000 feet AGL (above ground level). Both aircraft crashed. At 0745 hours, the 174th Assault Helicopter Company operations center at Duc Pho received a report that WO1 Carter's aircraft was involved in a mid-air collision with the forward observer airplane. The UH-1D burst into flames on impact, the O-2 also crashing nearby. Another helicopter crew in the area observed WO1 Carter's aircraft impact with the ground and stated they did not see anyone escape from the crash. An element from A Company, 4/3 Infantry was airlifted to both crash sites. They could find no survivors at either crash site. A 174th maintenance aircraft (Witchdoctor) arrived at the UH-1D crash site and assisted in the removal of five bodies from the surrounding area. The remains of the O-2 pilot, MAJ Brenner, were recovered. One additional body (believed to be WO1 Carter) was still in the wreckage and could not be recovered due to the extensive damage to and burning of the helicopter. The maintenance crew reported no survivors in the area and that helicopter 016 was completely destroyed. On subsequent searches on 13th, 14th, and 15th of June 1968, only portions of bodies were recovered and evacuated. Of these, none could be identified as the remains of WO1 Carter. The Chu Lai Graves Registration shipped a total of six remains involved with the incident to the Da Nang US Army mortuary (there were seven crew and passengers aboard the helicopter). WO1 Carter is carried in the status of dead, body not recovered. [Taken from 174ahc.org]

Additional information about this casualty: In 1993, a Vietnamese man searching for aluminum scrap at the crash site discovered human remains. Army investigators and a Vietnamese support team went in, and they found bits of bone and scraps of metal, fragments from the crash. Carter had been the only crew member not positively identified years earlier. The purpose of the original mission was to take LTC Frank A. Barker, Jr. to find two companies from his battalion that had been pinned down by the Viet Cong. He found them and called in Air Force aerial support. While the helicopter hovered nearby, the Air Force jets thundered in, bombing the Viet Cong. One plane got hit and spun into the helicopter causing both to crash. No one survived. Rescue crews found the Air Force pilot had been shot. From Sun-Sentinel, Sunday, October 8, 1995.

POSTED ON 5.7.2002. POSTED BY: MAJOR (RET) EUGENE M. KOTOUC. TO MY COMMANDER. I served LTC Barker as his S-2. Col Barker was without question the finest CO I served under during my 20+ years of military service. A true gentelman who held the respect and admiration of all who had the honor and pleasure of serving along side him. Rest in peace SIR. I think of you often. 

POSTED ON 12.4.1998. POSTED BY: RANCE BROOKS. REMEMBERANCE LTC BARKER. I served w/LTC Barker. I was an enlisted USAF SGT working in the TOC where he was a frequent participant. Army was different and at the time, and I thought their officers to be crude. Not so with LTC Barker. I knew him as a dedicated untiring professional. A true gentleman that had the high regards of those that knew him. It is a distinct honor and high priviledge to have known and served with him. A great loss ~

Frank Barker. Son. 13407, Kintyre Ct., Matthews, NC., 28105,  My Father, My Hero. I'am the only child, of Lt., Col., Barker, my name is, Frank Akeley Barker III. It is, my privledge and pleasure, to be of the same, blood, as this man. My father died, when I was only 2, he adopted, my older brother and sister, when he married my mother, Dottie Barker, where LZ., Dottie came from, so I, have no memories of him, only pictures. Everything, I have, read and seen points, to the man, that I, would have, taken pleasure, in making proud. I now, have 3, children, that I have told all, about their grandfather and we, are enjoying, spending time with my mother, who, has never remarried, because she feels she married, a perfect man and when you have had, the best, there can, be no other. I thank everyone, for their gracious, comments and know, that bravery lives, on, in all of us who, have lost. May 31, 2010.

John Sears, Salute. I was, a young, infantry man, with D-4-3, when LTC., Barker, became our Brigade, commander, in May/June, of 1968. My memories of him were, of a good, man and commander, who cared, for his troops. He would land his CC sometimes and walk with us. He would talk with the troops. He always made us feel that he cared. I understand that there are some people who make judgements without facts. I pray that his family knows that there were grunts there that thought he was a great men. Rest in Peace, LTC.. Sep 4, 2009