Robert Stethem

Robert Dean Stethem (November 17, 1961 – June 15, 1985) was a United States Navy Seabee diver who was murdered by Hezbollah members during the hijacking of the commercial airliner he was aboard, TWA Flight 847. At the time of his death, his Navy rating was Steelworker Second Class (SW2). He was posthumously promoted to Master Chief Constructionman (CUCM). but grew up in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and Waldorf, Maryland. He was one of four children. His father, Richard Stethem, retired from the Navy as a Senior Chief after 20 years, continuing to work for it as a civilian afterwards. His mother Patricia served with the Navy before raising her family, continuing to serve in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces afterwards. His brother, Chief Boatswain's Mate Kenneth Stethem, was a Navy SEAL and brother Diver First Class Patrick Stethem served in Underwater Construction Team One for 10 years – the same unit in which Robert served. Stethem had one sister, Sheryl Sierralta.

Navy career

In the Navy, Stethem was a Seabee Steelworker assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 62 in Gulfport, Mississippi. He served multiple tours on Diego Garcia and Guam. Later, Stethem became a 2nd Class Navy Diver and was assigned to the Navy's Underwater Construction Team One in Little Creek, Virginia. In 2019, Greek police arrested a 65-year-old Lebanese man who was accused of involvement in the hijacking, but he was released after police determined it was a case of mistaken identity.

Awards and decorations

U.S. Navy enlisted diver insignia Bronze Star Medal Purple HeartPrisoner of War MedalNavy Good Conduct MedalNational Defense Service Medal

Stethem was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star. near other American victims of international terrorism.

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

On April 24, 2015, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus presented the Prisoner of War medal to Stethem's parents.

Honors

The following are named after Stethem: The Robert D. Stethem Memorial Sports Complex, Waldorf, Maryland The Robert D. Stethem Educational Center, a vocational school in Pomfret, Maryland Robert D. Stethem Barracks, Training Support Center Hampton Roads, Virginia Beach, Virginia Stethem Memorial Navy Lodge, Naval Construction Battalion Center, Gulfport, Mississippi Headquarters building and a street on the base, Port Hueneme Naval Construction Training Center, near Oxnard, California USS Stethem (DDG-63), an Aegis Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, commissioned 1995

In popular culture

A scene from the movie The Delta Force depicts a U.S. Navy diver being beaten, tortured, and murdered by gunshot, with his body being dumped onto the tarmac, albeit taking place in Algiers instead of Beirut. This scene is based on Stethem.

Stethem was portrayed by Steven Eckholdt in the 1988 television movie The Taking of Flight 847: The Uli Derickson Story.