Thank you for taking the time to visit what I consider my most important page. John Hartley Robertson was born on 25 October 1936 in Birmingham, Alabama. He was an E7 in the US Army Special Forces and was attached to the C & C North, MACV-SOG, 5th SFG. Missing in action since 20 May 1968. Country of loss was Laos and the coordinates were 160023N 1072353E (YC566710)
BACKGROUND: The MACV-SOG (Military Assistance Command, Vietnam Studies and Observation Group) was an unconventional warfare task force engaged in highly classified operations throughout Southeast Asia. The 5th special forces channeled personnel into the MACV-SOG through the Special Operations Augmentation (SOA) which provided their "cover" while under secret orders to the MACV-SOG. The teams performed deep penetration missions of strategic reconnaissance and interdiction which were called, depending on the time frame, "Shining Brass" or "Prairie Fire" missions.
SFC John H. Robertson was assigned to Command and Control North, MACV-SOG. On May 20, 1968, he was a passenger, and the only American, onboard a Vietnamese CH34 helicopter on a MEDEVAC mission four miles inside Laos, south of the A Shau Valley. (Note: some records indicate this was a resupply mission to a Special Forces Recon Patrol which was in heavy enemy contact.) As the aircraft was landing, it was hit by enemy fire, smashed into the trees and burst into flames, breaking up as it hit the ground.
Several helicopters made low passes over the crash site, but no sign of survivors was observed. enemy activity in the area prevented Vietnamese ground units from reaching the wreckage. Still, the possibility existed that SFC Robertson was not killed in the crash of the aircraft, because he was listed as "Missing In Action" rather than "Killed In Action".
For every team like SFC Robertson's that was stopped, dozens of other commando teams safely slipped past enemy lines to strike a wide variety of targets and collect vital information. MACV-SOG teams conducted the most sustained American campaign of raiding and intelligence gathering waged on foreign soil in U.S. military history in Vietnam, and MACV-SOG teams earned a global reputation as one of the most effective, deep penetration forces ever raised.
MACV-SOG missions were exceedingly dangerous and of strategic importance. The men who were put into such situations knew the chance of their recovery if captured was slim to none. They quite naturally assumed that their freedom would come by the end of the war. For 591 Americans, freedom did come at the end of the war. For another 2500, however, freedom has never come.
Since the war ended, nearly 10,000 reports relating to missing Americans in Southeast Asia have been received by the United States and convincing many authorities that hundreds remain alive in captivity. SFC Robertson could be among them. If he is, I wonder what he thinks about us now?
If you want to adopt a POW/MIA or learn more about the issues, please go to
my links pageat the POW/MIA section. Thanks again for taking the time to come to this page.
Stanley J. Bice
Graphics courtesy of
No John, some of us still remember and always will
