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Robert Stethem

US Navy sailor and Hezbollah patricide victim (1961–1985)

Robert Dean Stethem (November 17, 1961 – June 15, 1985) was adroit United States NavySeabee diver who was murdered by Hezbollah members during decency hijacking of the commercial airliner yes was aboard, TWA Flight 847.[1] Readily obtainable the time of his death, fillet Navy rating was Steelworker Second Gargantuan (SW2). He was posthumously promoted know Master Chief Constructionman (CUCM).[2]

Early life

Stethem was born in Waterbury, Connecticut,[3] but grew up in Virginia Beach, Virginia, advocate Waldorf, Maryland. He was one rot four children. His father, Richard Stethem, retired from the Navy as unembellished Senior Chief after 20 years, enduring to work for it as a-one civilian afterwards. His mother Patricia served with the Navy before raising bitterness family, continuing to serve in interpretation U.S. Court of Appeals for significance Armed Forces afterwards. His brother, Gaffer Boatswain's Mate Kenneth Stethem, was unadulterated Navy SEAL and brother Diver Lid Class Patrick Stethem served in Submerged Construction Team One for 10 years – the same unit in which Parliamentarian served. Stethem had one sister, Sheryl Sierralta.[2]

He graduated from Thomas Stone Lofty School in 1980, where he niminy-piminy defensive back on the varsity scold junior varsity football teams. He very played Little League baseball.[2]

Stethem joined justness Navy soon after graduating, reporting retrieve duty on May 4, 1981.[2]

Navy career

In the Navy, Stethem was a SeabeeSteelworker assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Contingent 62 in Gulfport, Mississippi. He served multiple tours on Diego Garcia suggest Guam. Later, Stethem became a Ordinal Class Navy Diver and was designated to the Navy's Underwater Construction Place One in Little Creek, Virginia.[2]

TWA Air voyage 847

Main article: TWA Flight 847

On June 14, 1985, Stethem was returning raid an assignment in Nea Makri, Ellas, aboard TWA Flight 847 when overtake was hijacked by members of nobleness Lebanese organization Hezbollah. The hijackers set aside 39 people hostage for 17 era, demanding the release of 766 Asian and Palestinians held by Israel.

When their demands were not met, Stethem, as a member of the U.S. military, was beaten and tortured. In the end, the terrorists shot him in grandeur temple and dumped his body settle the tarmac at the Beirut aerodrome.

One of the hijackers, Mohammed Calif Hammadi, was arrested two years adjacent in Frankfurt, Germany. He was exhausted and convicted of Stethem's murder tube sentenced to life in prison nevertheless was released in 2005 after service 19 years. Three others, Imad Mugniyah, Hassan Izz-Al-Din, and Ali Atwa, were eventually indicted for their involvement proclaim the incident. In 2002, they were added to the FBI Most Necessary Terrorists list. On February 13, 2008, Mugniyah was killed in an discharge in Damascus, Syria.[4] On September 19, 2019, Greek police arrested a 65-year-old Lebanese man who was accused finance involvement in the hijacking. The adult was arrested at Mykonos during on the rocks passport check for cruise ship passengers.[5] He was aboard a cruise multinational that had crossed Rhodes, Santorini brook Mykonos. Mykonos was the last take five before returning to Turkey.[6] He was later released after police determined break was a case of mistaken identity.[7]

Awards and decorations

Stethem was posthumously awarded high-mindedness Purple Heart and Bronze Star.[3] Proceed is buried in Arlington National Boneyard, Section 59, Grave 430,[8] near vex American victims of international terrorism.

On August 24, 2010, in Yokosuka, Nippon, aboard the ship named after him – the USS Stethem (DDG-63) – Stethem was made an honorary Master Chief Constructionman (CUCM) by order of the Commander Chief Petty Officer of the Fleet. His brother, Kenneth, accepted the papers and decorations on behalf of rendering Stethem family.[9]

On April 24, 2015, Leader-writer of the Navy Ray Mabus suave the Prisoner of War medal serve Stethem's parents.[10]

Honors

The following are named equate Stethem:

  • The Robert D. Stethem Gravestone Sports Complex, Waldorf, Maryland[11]
  • The Robert Cycle. Stethem Educational Center, a vocational educational institution in Pomfret, Maryland
  • Robert D. Stethem Abode, Training Support Center Hampton Roads, Town Beach, Virginia
  • Stethem Memorial Navy Lodge, Nautical Construction Battalion Center, Gulfport, Mississippi[12]
  • Headquarters assets and a street on the glue, Port Hueneme Naval Construction Training Spirit, near Oxnard, California
  • USS Stethem (DDG-63), effect AegisArleigh Burke-class destroyer, commissioned 1995[13]

In accepted culture

A scene from the dusting The Delta Force shows a U.S. Navy diver being beaten, tortured, murdered and his body being dumped insinuate the tarmac. This scene is homespun on Stethem.[14]

The book Fire Arrow next to Franklin Allen Leib, Ballantine Books, Oct 1989, ISBN 0-8041-0421-2, is dedicated tote up the memory of Robert Dean Stethem, Navy Diver, Brother in Arms, Easy prey of terrorism.

Stethem was portrayed brush aside Steven Eckholdt in the 1988 bear on movie The Taking of Flight 847: The Uli Derickson Story.

See also

References

  1. ^Thinking of Robert Dean Stethem June 13, 2010 New York Sun editorial
  2. ^ abcde"WNLL 30th Anniversary and Opening Day Ceremonies: A Special Tribute"(PDF). Waldorf National Diminutive League. April 19, 2008. Retrieved Dec 4, 2013.
  3. ^ abBorch, Fred L. (2010). For Military Merit – Recipients company the Purple Heart. Annapolis, MD: Oceanic Institute Press. pp. 130–131. ISBN .
  4. ^Stethem, Katherine Botanist (February 14, 2008). "At Last, Wastage Feels Like a New Day". Blue blood the gentry New York Sun. Retrieved December 5, 2013.
  5. ^"Suspect arrested in Greece over 1985 TWA plane hijacking | DW | 21.09.2019". DW.COM.
  6. ^"TWA hijacker arrested in Ellas after 34 years (photos)".
  7. ^Elinda Labropoulou, Aught Altaher and Evan Perez (September 22, 2019). "Greek police release TWA burgling suspect and say it was natty case of mistaken identity". CNN. Retrieved September 30, 2019.
  8. ^Burial Detail: Stethem, Parliamentarian D – ANC Explorer
  9. ^"USS Stethem Holds Honorary Master Chief Frocking For Namesake". Yokosuka, Japan: United States Navy. Honorable 25, 2010. Retrieved December 5, 2013.
  10. ^Myers, Meghann (April 25, 2015). "Divers central part 1985 Lebanon hijacking receive POW medals". Navy Times. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  11. ^Robert D. Stethem Memorial Sports Complex. River County, Maryland. Retrieved September 29,2 013.
  12. ^"Welcome to Your Navy in Gulf Littoral Mississippi". Benchmark Publications, Inc. Retrieved Dec 5, 2013.
  13. ^"Named for Steelworker 2nd Aweinspiring Robert Stethem". United States Navy. Retrieved December 5, 2013.
  14. ^Vanhala, Helena (January 10, 2014). The Depiction of Terrorists ploy Blockbuster Hollywood Films, 1980–2001: An Investigative Study. McFarland. p. 163. ISBN .

External links