ZUKOWSKI, ROBERT JOHN
REMAINS IDENTIFIED 10/30/96
AIR FORCE MAJ. ROBERT J. ZUKOWSKI OF CHICAGO; LOST FEB. 11, 1969, LAOS.
THREE JOINT FIELD ACTIVITIES IN 1993 AND 1996 RESULTED IN THE RECOVERY
OF "AIRCRAFT AND CREW RELATED DEBRIS, AS WELL AS HUMAN REMAINS."
DEFENSE POW/MIA WEEKLY UPDATE - OCTOBER 30, 1996
Name: Robert John Zukowski
Rank/Branch: O2/US Air Force
Unit: 34th Tactical Fighter Squadron
Date of Birth: 30 October 1943
Home City of Record: Chicago IL
Date of Loss: 11 January 1969
Country of Loss: Laos
Loss Coordinates: N170700 E1060300
Status (in 1973): Missing In Action
Category: 3
Acft/Vehicle/Ground: F105D
Other Personnel in Incident:
Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project and the P.O.W. NETWORK 27 March
1992 from one or more of the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency
sources, correspondence with POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews,
family approved obituary.
REMARKS:
SYNOPSIS: The F105 Thunderchief (or "Thud") performed yoeman service on many
diversified missions in Southeast Asia. F105s flew more combat missions over
North Vietnam than any other USAF aircraft and consequently suffered the
heaviest losses in action. They dropped bombs by day and occasionally by
night from high or low altitude and some later versions (F105D in Wild
Weasel guise) attacked SAM sites with their radar tracking air-to-ground
mis- siles. This versatile aircraft was also credited with downing 25
Russian MiGs.
On February 11, 1969, Major Zukowski led a mission of two F-105D aircraft
from Takhli Air Base on a mission over Laos. It was during the attack on a
heavily defended area that his plane was shot down. Major Zukowski was
placed in a missing in action status at that time.
On January 15, 1979, his status was changed by the Department of Defense to
presumed killed in action.
For Zukowski, death seems a certainty. For hundreds of others, however,
simple answers are not possible. Adding to the torment of over 10,000
reports relating to Americans missing in Southeast Asia is the certain
knowledge that some Americans who were known to be prisoners of war were not
released at the end of the war. Others were suspected to be prisoners, and
still others were in radio contact with would-be rescuers when last seen
alive. Many were known to have survived their loss incidents, only to
disappear without a trace.
Prior to Major Zukowski's military service he earned a Bachelor of Science
Degree from the University of Detroit College of Engineering and
Architecture.
He was a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the
Society of American Military Engineers. He enthusiastically participated in
intramural sports and was an active member of the Air Force Reserve Officers
Traing Corps throughout his college years.
Major Zukowski began his Air Force career with flight training after being
commissioned a Second Lieutenant on October 16, 1966. The following year, he
was awarded the aeronautical rating of Pilot, and received his wings at
Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas on October 21, 1967.
His foreign service tour of duty commenced on June 12, 1968 as a pilot with
the 34th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Korat Air Base, Thailand. During the
next seven months, Major Zukowski flew one-hundred twenty-two combat
missions in support of military opera- tions in Southeast Asia.
He earned the following awards: Distinquished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf
Cluster; Air Medal with First thru Seventh Oak Leaf Cluster; Purple Heart;
Vietnam Service Medal; Good Conduct Medal; Longevity Service Award Ribbon.
Major Zukowski is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Frank
Zukowski; and three brothers, Thomas, Raymond and Michael.
**********************************************************
Daily Southtown
Fallen pilot laid to rest
Family buries son 27 years later
by Stephanie Gehring
Staff Writer
A pallbearer dressed in full mid military uniform lifted the folded American
flag above his head with his white-gloved hands, then slow Iy lowered it to
chest level before' placing it into a triangular wooden box.
The boxed flag was given toAnthony Zukowski with a salute from another
pallbearer. Zukowski clutched it tightly. It was for the son he had lost so
long ago.
Eyes turned upward as four military planes flew over Resurrection Cemetery
in Justice. They flew in formation until one suddenly broke away. The pilot
pointed his plane upward and disappeared into Friday's grey sky. The others
flew on without him.
A military honor guard from Scott Air Force Base in downstate Illinois fired
a 21-gun salute. Taps were played.
Air Force fighter pilot Maj. Robert John Zukowski, who grew up in Chicago's
Brighton Park neighborhood, was laid to rest in a dramatic ceremony with
full military honors-27 years after his F-105D fighter plane was shot down
in Laos during the Vietnam War.
Thomas Zukowski, Robert's older brother, said his father and the rest of the
family felt a sense of closure.
"It means a lot to him-to every member of the family. We're a pretty
close-knit family," Thomas Zukowski said "Not knowing for sure is always
something we lived with."
His remains and some of his personal effects were returned to the United
States last month after U.S. military personnel worked with Laos officials
to find the plane wreckage and excavate the site.
The major was classified as missing in action from Feb. 11, 1969, until 1979
when the U.S. government changed his status to killed in action because of
the circumstances surrounding his death. He was 25 at the time his plane
went down, during his 122nd combat mission for the Air force.
But Laotian officials were slow to allow American personnel in, so years
dragged on before the family would really know for sure of the major's fate
and the highly decorated pilot would receive the military burial he
deserved, Anthony Zukowski said.
"It would have been sooner if Laos would have acknowledged them sooner,"
Anthony Zukowski said.
Thomas Zukowski said it was the family's understanding that American
personnel were not allowed in Laos to see the crash site until 1993. It
wasn't until early this year that they performed the first 30-day
excavation. In April another excavation was conducted.
The remains of eight other military men have already been shipped in or will
be shipped in by the end of this month.
The major's youngest brother Michael Zukowski, flew to Travis Air Force Base
in California to personally escort his brothers' remains back to the Chicago
area. The remains had been positively identified at the U.S. Army's Central
Identification Laboratory in Hawaii.
Now the family, which moved to Burbank 10 years ago, has more than just
memories to hold onto.
The excavations also recovered two dog tags, a wristwatch and a St.
Christopher medal along with other military items and his blood chit, a
fiber document with an American flag printed on it and a dec laration that
whoever helps Zukowski back to safety would be rewarded, Thomas Zukowski
said.
The family used the St. Christopher medal returned to help them explain to
his mother, Stella, what had happened. Stella Zukowski suffers from
Alzheimer's disease.
"We showed her the St. Christopher medal and we let my mother touch it,"
Thomas Zukowski said. "She started to cry. We think she understands."
Thomas Zukowski said he hoped they were right.
She took Bob's death 27 years ago very hard," Thomas Zukowski said. "I'm
sorry she couldn't be here."
Thomas Zukowski said his brother was wearing the wristwatch at the time of
the crash. The major had purchased his watch along with one for his father
and each of his three brothers, Thomas, Raymond and Michael, while on leave
one day. Each watch had the man's name engraved on it.
"We all still have the watches he gave us before he left," Thomas Zukowski
said. The major was buried with his.
The family decided to keep one of the dog tags, the St. Christopher medal
and the major's blood chit.
The other items collected from the crash site were fondly placed in the grey
and silver casket Friday morning before it was taken to Resurrection
Cemetery, Thomas Zukowski said.
Many of the family gathered for the private services were nieces and nephews
who vaguely remembered their uncle or never knew him.
But Thomas' son, Greg Zukowski, 26, who was born after his uncle died said
the burial was good for the whole family.
"I never met him," Greg Zukowski said. "So it's hard to connect with him.
But we're looking for closure for the family. It's hard having something
always in the back of your head."
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