Dennis Michael Barton

Dennis Michael Barton grew up in Des Moines and graduated from North Des Moines High School in the class of 1954. He attended the Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls for one year before moving on to the University of Iowa in Iowa City. While at the U of I Barton joined the Navy Reserves before graduating in 1959 with a Liberal Arts degree. In June 1960 Barton reported to Jacksonville Naval Air Station where he completed his basic training and flight school. There he married his wife in Jacksonville, FL. He worked as a flight instructor at the Pensacola Naval Air Station before being assigned to the USS <i>Roosevelt</i> and then the USS <i>Forrestal</i>. While on the <i>Forrestal</i> LT Barton was off the coast of Brazil, Africa, the Philippines, and Vietnam. On July 29, 1967 while operating off the coast of Vietnam a rocket accidently fired from a F-4 Phantom parked on the flight deck of the <i>Forrestal</i>. The detonation started a series of explosions that engulfed the aircraft carrier in flames. In total 134 sailors lost their lives during the accident. LT Barton was in the cockpit of an adjacent aircraft. It is believed he was killed in the initial explosion. He was 32 years old at the time of his death. His body was returned to the United States and buried in a group grave at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.