18 September 1947 – The United States Army Air Forces separates from the United States Army and becomes an independent armed service, the United States Air Force. Initially formed as a part of the United States Army on 1 August 1907, the USAF was established as a separate branch of the U.S. Armed Forces on 18 September
Robert Arthur Saucier began his tour in Vietnam as an Airman 2nd Class/Still Photographic Specialist with the 600th Photo Squadron on October 23, 1966.
On July 1, 1967 “A2C Saucier was a backseater in an F-100 taking combat photographs when the aircraft was hit by ground fire. An emergency landing was attempted at Bien Hoa AB. Apparently, the aircraft ran out of fuel, made a hard landing and the aircraft rolled over into a drainage ditch, drowning A2C Saucier. He had 15 combat missions at his death.”(1)
Robert Arthur Saucier is buried at Rose Hill Memorial Park, Corpus Christi, Nueces County, Texas, and is honored on the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial in Washington DC. Name inscribed at VVM Wall, Panel 22e, Line 92.
Sources: Photo/Bio Info – HonorStates.org; Add’l photos vvmf.org; (1) Saucier, Robert, A2C – Welcome to USAF Combat Camera; Findagrave.com
