Robert F. Townes, Jr., Killed In Vietnam

REMEMBER THE FALLEN

ROBERT F. TOWNES, JR WAS NINTH TO DIE IN VIETNAM

 By Bob Lessard

 Historian Post 64 American Legion

 (Periodically, the Gazette will publish biographical sketches of Middleboro’s war casualties. This is intended to remember the sacrifices of all veterans and those who gave their lives to our country. A slogan worth repeating states: “ALL GAVE SOME, SOME GAVE ALL.”

 Nineteen-year-old Army Specialist 4th Class (E-4) Robert F. Townes, Jr., was reported Killed In Action by local newspapers during July, 1972. It was reported that he was the ninth youth from Middleboro to die in Viet Nam. According to information provided by the United States Army, Robert was killed on July 7 due to “hostile, died of wounds, ground casualty, misadventure.”

 Various news articles describe his death as being attributed as “to enemy artillery barrage during hostile military actions north of Saigon in the Republic of Viet Nam while on duty.” He was serving with Company A, Third Battalion, 21st Infantry Division when he lost his life on July 7, according to all reports.

 Robert was born in Brockton on August 2, 1952 and was the son of Robert F. and Mary (Doran) Townes of 99 ½ Pearl Street.  He was a resident of Middleboro during the previous eleven years. He had been active in Cub and Boy scouts as a youngster and also participated in Little League baseball.

 He was educated in the local school system until he left as a junior to enlist in the Army with his duty tour starting on October 17, 1971. He later earned his High School diploma through the military’s General Educational Development (G.E.D.) program.

 He also had been an altar boy at Sacred Heart church where he was a communicant. While in High School, Robert worked part time at Benny’s and at Hero’s Manufacturing in Middleboro.

 Paul Provencher, longtime resident and Middleboro’s retired Veterans Service Officer, was the last Middleboro person to see Bob Townes alive. He was a childhood friend of Robert Townes and participated in scouting programs with him.  Paul describes his early friendship with Robert Townes this way:

 “Bob Townes and I met in the late 1950’s in Cub Scout Pack 36, sponsored by the Sacred Heart Catholic Church. At age 11 we crossed over to Boy Scout Troop 3, sponsored by the same church. Since we didn’t hangout together very much outside of scouting, I don’t remember when we went our separate ways,” Paul reported.

 “At the end of September, 1971, I landed at Camron Bay, Viet Nam, on my way to an assignment to do impatient heroin rehabilitation in the war zone. Shortly after getting my temporary billets, I headed off to the chow line to get breakfast,” said Provencher.

 He then adds, “While in the chow line, I heard someone call my name. I looked over and it was Bob Townes trying to get my attention. I joined him for breakfast and learned that he was an infantryman assigned to that base.” (Paul never saw Townes again.) “By lunchtime, I was in the air flying to my ultimate assignment in Viet Nam.”

 “In June of 1972, I ended up being reassigned to the 25th Infantry Division in Hawaii. A week later, I was back in Middleboro on a 30 day leave,” revealed Provencher.

 “As I was visiting a friend in East Bridgewater a few days later, I read in the paper that Bob Townes had died several days earlier in Viet Nam.”

 Provencher then states, “I stopped at the home of his parents to offer my condolences. They looked at me strangely and then informed me that they were able to select someone stationed in Viet Nam to escort their son home and had requested me to bring Bob home.”

 “Since I was no longer in Viet Nam, the military assigned someone else to bring him home. I instead became part of Bob’s funeral detail,” Provencher said.

 A full military funeral was accorded Specialist 4th Class Robert F. Townes, Jr. Fahey Funeral Home on South Main Street handled all of the arrangements. Interment was at St Mary’s Cemetery.

 He was survived by his parents, a sister Patricia and grandparents Mr. and Mrs. Pastho Alconada and Mr. and Mrs. Edward Townes, all of Middleboro.

 Robert F. Townes, Jr. is remembered by his name engraved on the Viet Nam wall in Washington, D.C. on Panel 01W---Line 54. His name is also on the Central Casualty stone in Middleboro’s Veterans Memorial Park in the Viet Nam section. (published 1/8/18)