The 187th was engaged in a company size combat operation north of Dau Tieng on 22 NOV 67 (my birthday, it so happens).  Major Robeson was flying as co-pilot on A.C. 66-00925.  I don't recall the exact details, but CPT Ron Cody was the Aircraft Commander.  The flight received some small arms fire, and Ron radioed that his co-pilot had been hit, and he was proceeding to Dau Tieng.  MAJ R later told us that the two crewmen pulled him out of his seat and worked to control his bleeding while Ron flew as fast as the ship would go, direct to the dustoff pad, having notified Dau Tieng of the emergency.  The arteries in his right knee were severed and bleeding was severe - the medical personnel at Dau Tieng said that he would have bled to death in minutes except for the crew's response.  

This was not all that different than many other incidents the 187th experienced, but the strange part is what happened later. My co-pilot and I (I believe it was Kirk Nivens, but would have to verify with him) visited him in the Cu Chi hospital with on 25 Nov, along with another Blackhawk crew.  Apparently the other crew was that of the C.O., Maj Burns, based on another's account. Major R was medically stabilized with his right leg encased in a plastic bag of sorts.  He smiled broadly when we teased him about going home early, and when we left he seemed in good spirits.  It seems that shortly after we left he was told that he would lose the leg at the knee. He went into shock and died suddenly.

Eric Mercer