Jarrett Robertson

Jarrett Jackson Robertson (September 3, 1940 – February 23, 1993) was a major general in the United States Army. He served two tours in the Vietnam War and earned several awards, including a Silver Star. Robertson served as the deputy commanding general of the 1st Armored Division and later of V Corps. He died in the crash of a Black Hawk helicopter near Wiesbaden, Germany, and has been memorialized across the United States through the dedications of structures that include a rappelling tower and a house.

Personal life and education Robertson was born on September 3, 1940, in Lincoln, Nebraska, and raised in Springfield, Missouri. Robertson's parents, Lonnie and Thelma Robertson, were notable radio entertainers in the Ozarks. He was also a member of the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. Robertson graduated from SMSU in 1963. The same year, he married Diana Pecka; they later had five daughters. In 1988, Robertson married Debra Whitman.

His first assignment was at Fort Carson, Colorado. In 1965, Robertson was assigned to Vietnam, where he was an advisor to the Army of the Republic of Vietnam. His leadership of these 400 soldiers earned him a Silver Star Medal. alt=A large red brick multi-story building sits behind a lake on a mostly clear day. Eisenhower Hall, home to the Combined Arms Research Library, where Robertson would have studied during his time at CGSC. After this tour in Vietnam, Robertson attended the United States Army Command and General Staff College (CGSC) at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. By 1974, Robertson was a major serving at Fort Leavenworth. Sometime later, he commanded the opposing force at the Fort Irwin National Training Center (NTC), a unit trained in Soviet military tactics to test other units' tactical abilities. During this time, he led the unit in its 14-day visit to the Fort Irwin NTC. In 1993, Robertson was appointed the deputy commanding general of V Corps, a position he held until his death the same year.

Awards and decorations Robertson received the following awards for his military service:

1st Row Awards Silver Star Medal with one bronze oak leaf clusterEfn|Some sources say Robertson received two Silver Star awards (i.e. one bronze oak leaf cluster), Returning from a meeting at the United States European Command headquarters in Stuttgart, the helicopter crashed while attempting to land at Wiesbaden Air Base. It hit a concrete apron near the air base's control tower and burst into flames. Four service members, including Robertson, died in the crash, and four others were hospitalized with burns.

Robertson was honored with a funeral at Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery. He was buried at Lutie Cemetery in Theodosia, Missouri. After an investigation by V Corps concluded on June 8, the crash was believed to have occurred because of a failed fuel control valve, causing the helicopter to use fuel from only the left tank, leaving the right tank nearly full and the helicopter imbalanced.

The investigation found other factors that may have influenced the shift in balance to the right side of the aircraft. Prior to the flight, military police in Stuttgart left the Black Hawk unattended for some time, allowing two German boys to steal a cold weather emergency kit from the helicopter. This led to a delay on the ground, causing the auxiliary power unit, which only uses the left fuel tank, to run longer and use approximately of fuel from the left tank. Additionally, most of the passengers were seated on the right side of the aircraft, further contributing to its imbalance. thumb alt=A tan brick two-story house in Queen Anne-style architecture is shown from the front side.The 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment dedicated a remodeled conference room to Robertson in July 1994.