Robert “Percy” Purcell was shot down on July 7, 1965 and was held as a POW for seven and a half years. After repatriation to the US in February of 1973, he continued to serve with the USAF.
Percy retired from the Air Force in 1980, and after a few years began working with American Airlines as a Simulator Instructor, a position he enjoyed for 15 years. He suffered a stroke in 2004 and “Headed West” in 2009. He is buried in Arlington Cemetery and remembered as a war hero.
SSS Member Jon Reynolds writes “His memory lives on, not only with those who remember and loved him, but also at “Percy’s House,” a foster home designed to re-settle children orphaned in Southeast Asia. The home was financed and built by a successful Fort Worth builder who knew and wanted to honor Percy. The builder contacted Catholic Charities; they studied the issue and worked out a program with their International Foster Care Program and with the State Department. A unique aspect of the program is that selected children may stay at Percy’s House until they are 22 years old and ready to make their own way.”
Robert B. “Percy” Purcell, Col USAF, Ret., “Headed West” on December 6, 2009.
PURCELL – Col. Robert “Percy” B., formerly of Louisville, passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on Sunday, December 6, 2009 at his home in Ft. Worth, TX.
He was born on February 14, 1931 in Louisville to the late William Tilden Purcell and Mary Baldwin Purcell. He was a 1949 graduate of St. Xavier High School in Louisville. Upon graduating from St. X, he attended the University of Louisville, Speed Scientific School. He attended primary flight training at Marianna Air Base in Marianna, FL. He received his basic training at Greenville Air Force Base in Mississippi. He graduated in December 1954 as a 2nd lieutenant and also received his pilot wings.
He went to advanced training in the F-100, assigned to Kadena AFB in Okinawa. He subsequently upgraded to the F-105 and flew combat missions in Vietnam until he was shot down on July 27, 1965. He was the 17th American captured. He remained a prisoner of war for seven-and-a-half years. He repatriated on February 12th, 1973. After repatriation, he returned to school and completed studies earning a BA from Bellarmine University and an MA in Political Science from Auburn University. He was also a graduate of the United States Air Force Air University Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base.
He finished a distinguished Air Force career as a full colonel. Numerous awards and decorations of his Air Force career include: Silver Star Medal, Bronze Star Medal with “V” device, 2nd Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Legion of Merit with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross, Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon, Army Good Conduct Medal, Combat Readiness Medal, Air Force Longevity Service Ribbon with 5 Oak Leaf Clusters, National Defense Service Medal with one Bronze Service Star, Vietnam Service Medal with 17 Bronze Service Stars, Air Force Presidential Unit Citation, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters and Republic of Vietnam Campaign medal.
After he retired from the Air Force, Percy became a simulator pilot Instructor with American Airlines in Ft. Worth, TX. He was a former member of St. Louis Bertrand Catholic Church in Louisville where he also attended elementary school. He was an avid tennis player, an ardent Louisville Cardinal Basketball fan. He loved his family, his friends and his country. He was a true American hero.
Along with his parents, Percy is preceded in death by a son, Robert Baldwin “Robbie” Purcell Jr.; and Percy’s two brothers, John Michael “Jack” Purcell and William Tilden “Abner” Purcell Jr.
He is survived by his loving wife of 32 years, Suzanne Tatum Purcell; five children, Rebecca Arts (Rick), of Charlotte, NC, Cheryl Purcell Snow, of Colorado Springs, CO, Danny Purcell (Tanya), of Columbus, OH, Kelly Purcell, of Louisville and Matthew Tatum Purcell, of Ft. Worth, TX; and nine grandchildren. He is also survived by his only sister, Jeanne Marie Purcell, of Louisville; mother-in-law, Margot Tatum, of Toronto, Canada; and sisters-in-law, Elizabeth “Betty” Purcell and Mary Frances Purcell, both of Louisville.
His funeral Mass [was] celebrated Saturday, December 12, 2009 at St. Louis Bertrand Catholic Church, in Louisville, [and he was] laid to rest with full military honors at his final resting place, Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA.
Memorial gifts may take the form of contributions to The Paralyzed Veterans of America. Paralyzed Veterans of America, 801 Eighteenth Street, NW Washington, DC 20006-3517.
Published in COURIER JOURNAL OBITUARY – 12/09/2009 [edited]
Name: Robert Baldwin Purcell
Rank/Branch: O3/United States Air Force, pilot
Unit: 12th TFS
Date of Birth:
Home City of Record: Louisville KY
Date of Loss: 27 July 1965
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 210500N 1051400E
Status (in 1973): Returnee
Category:
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: F105 D
Missions: 25
Other Personnel in Incident: none
Purcell was on his 25th mission over Vietnam when his F-105 was shot down in July 1965. He spent 17 months in solitary confinement and then was in the Hanoi Hilton until his release in February 1973.
“When Bob was shot down on the first SAM strike on July 27, 1965, members of his squadron said there was no parachute and he was likely killed in action. His flight leader, Bill Hosmer, and his squadron held a memorial service that evening at Korat RTAFB in Thailand. Percy hadn’t been alone, six F-105s were lost on that initial SAM strike…” – Jon Reynolds, BGen USAF, Ret. as told in a story in The Intake, Issue 34.
