Robert W. Barnett

Bob Barnett was commissioned a Second Lieutenant through the Air Force ROTC program at the University of Southern California on July 31, 1953, He served as an instrument flight instructor and then as an F-86D all weather instructor pilot with the 3558th Combat Crew Training Squadron. Captain Barnett then served as an F-101 Voodoo pilot and on the staff of the 78th Fighter Wing at Hamilton AFB, California, and then as an F-101 pilot with the 83rd and 84th Fighter Interceptor Squadrons. Major Barnett completed F-105 Thunderchief Combat Crew Training before deploying to Southeast Asia where he served as an F-105 pilot with the 44th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Korat Royal Thai AFB, Thailand, from July 1967 until he was forced to eject over North Vietnam on October 3, 1967. He managed to evade for three days before being captured and taken as a Prisoner of War on October 6, 1967.