Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army Air Forces
Robert R. Stith entered the U.S. Army Air Forces from the state of Oklahoma to serve during World War II. At the time of his disappearance, he was assigned to Headquarters Squadron, V Bomber Command at Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
On 26 March 1943, SSG Stith was a crew member on the B-17 Flying Fortress #41-24384, "Pluto." Also on board was the Commanding General of V Bomber Command, Brigadier General Howard K. Ramey. The mission of the aircraft was to carry out a scheduled 7-hour reconnaissance flight of Merauke and Horn Island.
The last communication ever heard from the aircraft was a message from the radio operator twenty minutes after takeoff. An extensive air search was conducted but no sign was ever found of the aircraft, or the twelve men on board. All on board the aircraft were officially declared dead on 19 November 1945.
The status of the remains of the crew and passengers is Body Lost at Sea (Specifically; Near Torres Strait Island):
Pilot Brig. Gen. Howard K. Ramey, O-10874
Co-Pilot Lt. Col. Harold N. Chaffin, O-22469
Crew Capt. James R. Griffin, O-389636
Crew 1st Lt. William Lief, O-726002
Crew M/Sgt James D. Collier Jr. , 6920942
Crew T/Sgt Ortis L. Quaal, 6149056
Crew S/Sgt Robert R. Stith, 18004634
Crew S/Sgt Harry A. Johnson, 12031847
Crew Sgt Marvin Berkowitz, 6979447
Crew Pfc George T. Hopfield, 6668063
Passenger Capt. Stanley A. Loewenberg, O-0282379 NY
Passenger Lt. Comm. Ferdinand D. Mannoccir II, 131324 USN
There were 2 passengers on the aircraft: CPT Lowenberg was an Intelligence Officer assigned to Headquarters Squadron, V Bomber Command and Navy LCDR Mannoccir was an Air Combat Intelligence Officer with the Southwest Pacific Force and also served as Liaison Officer with the 5th Naval Air Force. LCDR Mannoccir's participation in the reconnaissance flight was not specifically required by his duties. However, LCDR Mannoccir made it his habit to supplement his usual sources of information by personal examination of enemy territory and operations from the air, regardless of the hazards involved. He was classified as an 'Observer' on the flight.
● Date Missing In Action: 26 March 1943
● Official Date of Death for USAAF Personnel: 19 November 1945
● Date of Death for LCDR Ferdinand D. Mannoccir II: 27 March 1944
Staff Sergeant Robert R. Stith was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart.
A cenotaph exists for Staff Sergeant Robert R. Stith at Nowata Memorial Cemetery, Nowata, Nowata County, Oklahoma. Find A Grave Memorial# 21256276. The date on the Stone is the date the crew of the missing aircraft were proclaimed officially dead.
Information compiled by Charles A. Lewis
Robert R. Stith entered the U.S. Army Air Forces from the state of Oklahoma to serve during World War II. At the time of his disappearance, he was assigned to Headquarters Squadron, V Bomber Command at Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
On 26 March 1943, SSG Stith was a crew member on the B-17 Flying Fortress #41-24384, "Pluto." Also on board was the Commanding General of V Bomber Command, Brigadier General Howard K. Ramey. The mission of the aircraft was to carry out a scheduled 7-hour reconnaissance flight of Merauke and Horn Island.
The last communication ever heard from the aircraft was a message from the radio operator twenty minutes after takeoff. An extensive air search was conducted but no sign was ever found of the aircraft, or the twelve men on board. All on board the aircraft were officially declared dead on 19 November 1945.
The status of the remains of the crew and passengers is Body Lost at Sea (Specifically; Near Torres Strait Island):
Pilot Brig. Gen. Howard K. Ramey, O-10874
Co-Pilot Lt. Col. Harold N. Chaffin, O-22469
Crew Capt. James R. Griffin, O-389636
Crew 1st Lt. William Lief, O-726002
Crew M/Sgt James D. Collier Jr. , 6920942
Crew T/Sgt Ortis L. Quaal, 6149056
Crew S/Sgt Robert R. Stith, 18004634
Crew S/Sgt Harry A. Johnson, 12031847
Crew Sgt Marvin Berkowitz, 6979447
Crew Pfc George T. Hopfield, 6668063
Passenger Capt. Stanley A. Loewenberg, O-0282379 NY
Passenger Lt. Comm. Ferdinand D. Mannoccir II, 131324 USN
There were 2 passengers on the aircraft: CPT Lowenberg was an Intelligence Officer assigned to Headquarters Squadron, V Bomber Command and Navy LCDR Mannoccir was an Air Combat Intelligence Officer with the Southwest Pacific Force and also served as Liaison Officer with the 5th Naval Air Force. LCDR Mannoccir's participation in the reconnaissance flight was not specifically required by his duties. However, LCDR Mannoccir made it his habit to supplement his usual sources of information by personal examination of enemy territory and operations from the air, regardless of the hazards involved. He was classified as an 'Observer' on the flight.
● Date Missing In Action: 26 March 1943
● Official Date of Death for USAAF Personnel: 19 November 1945
● Date of Death for LCDR Ferdinand D. Mannoccir II: 27 March 1944
Staff Sergeant Robert R. Stith was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart.
A cenotaph exists for Staff Sergeant Robert R. Stith at Nowata Memorial Cemetery, Nowata, Nowata County, Oklahoma. Find A Grave Memorial# 21256276. The date on the Stone is the date the crew of the missing aircraft were proclaimed officially dead.
Information compiled by Charles A. Lewis
Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army Air Forces
Robert R. Stith entered the U.S. Army Air Forces from the state of Oklahoma to serve during World War II. At the time of his disappearance, he was assigned to Headquarters Squadron, V Bomber Command at Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
On 26 March 1943, SSG Stith was a crew member on the B-17 Flying Fortress #41-24384, "Pluto." Also on board was the Commanding General of V Bomber Command, Brigadier General Howard K. Ramey. The mission of the aircraft was to carry out a scheduled 7-hour reconnaissance flight of Merauke and Horn Island.
The last communication ever heard from the aircraft was a message from the radio operator twenty minutes after takeoff. An extensive air search was conducted but no sign was ever found of the aircraft, or the twelve men on board. All on board the aircraft were officially declared dead on 19 November 1945.
The status of the remains of the crew and passengers is Body Lost at Sea (Specifically; Near Torres Strait Island):
Pilot Brig. Gen. Howard K. Ramey, O-10874
Co-Pilot Lt. Col. Harold N. Chaffin, O-22469
Crew Capt. James R. Griffin, O-389636
Crew 1st Lt. William Lief, O-726002
Crew M/Sgt James D. Collier Jr. , 6920942
Crew T/Sgt Ortis L. Quaal, 6149056
Crew S/Sgt Robert R. Stith, 18004634
Crew S/Sgt Harry A. Johnson, 12031847
Crew Sgt Marvin Berkowitz, 6979447
Crew Pfc George T. Hopfield, 6668063
Passenger Capt. Stanley A. Loewenberg, O-0282379 NY
Passenger Lt. Comm. Ferdinand D. Mannoccir II, 131324 USN
There were 2 passengers on the aircraft: CPT Lowenberg was an Intelligence Officer assigned to Headquarters Squadron, V Bomber Command and Navy LCDR Mannoccir was an Air Combat Intelligence Officer with the Southwest Pacific Force and also served as Liaison Officer with the 5th Naval Air Force. LCDR Mannoccir's participation in the reconnaissance flight was not specifically required by his duties. However, LCDR Mannoccir made it his habit to supplement his usual sources of information by personal examination of enemy territory and operations from the air, regardless of the hazards involved. He was classified as an 'Observer' on the flight.
● Date Missing In Action: 26 March 1943
● Official Date of Death for USAAF Personnel: 19 November 1945
● Date of Death for LCDR Ferdinand D. Mannoccir II: 27 March 1944
Staff Sergeant Robert R. Stith was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart.
A cenotaph exists for Staff Sergeant Robert R. Stith at Nowata Memorial Cemetery, Nowata, Nowata County, Oklahoma. Find A Grave Memorial# 21256276. The date on the Stone is the date the crew of the missing aircraft were proclaimed officially dead.
Information compiled by Charles A. Lewis
Robert R. Stith entered the U.S. Army Air Forces from the state of Oklahoma to serve during World War II. At the time of his disappearance, he was assigned to Headquarters Squadron, V Bomber Command at Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
On 26 March 1943, SSG Stith was a crew member on the B-17 Flying Fortress #41-24384, "Pluto." Also on board was the Commanding General of V Bomber Command, Brigadier General Howard K. Ramey. The mission of the aircraft was to carry out a scheduled 7-hour reconnaissance flight of Merauke and Horn Island.
The last communication ever heard from the aircraft was a message from the radio operator twenty minutes after takeoff. An extensive air search was conducted but no sign was ever found of the aircraft, or the twelve men on board. All on board the aircraft were officially declared dead on 19 November 1945.
The status of the remains of the crew and passengers is Body Lost at Sea (Specifically; Near Torres Strait Island):
Pilot Brig. Gen. Howard K. Ramey, O-10874
Co-Pilot Lt. Col. Harold N. Chaffin, O-22469
Crew Capt. James R. Griffin, O-389636
Crew 1st Lt. William Lief, O-726002
Crew M/Sgt James D. Collier Jr. , 6920942
Crew T/Sgt Ortis L. Quaal, 6149056
Crew S/Sgt Robert R. Stith, 18004634
Crew S/Sgt Harry A. Johnson, 12031847
Crew Sgt Marvin Berkowitz, 6979447
Crew Pfc George T. Hopfield, 6668063
Passenger Capt. Stanley A. Loewenberg, O-0282379 NY
Passenger Lt. Comm. Ferdinand D. Mannoccir II, 131324 USN
There were 2 passengers on the aircraft: CPT Lowenberg was an Intelligence Officer assigned to Headquarters Squadron, V Bomber Command and Navy LCDR Mannoccir was an Air Combat Intelligence Officer with the Southwest Pacific Force and also served as Liaison Officer with the 5th Naval Air Force. LCDR Mannoccir's participation in the reconnaissance flight was not specifically required by his duties. However, LCDR Mannoccir made it his habit to supplement his usual sources of information by personal examination of enemy territory and operations from the air, regardless of the hazards involved. He was classified as an 'Observer' on the flight.
● Date Missing In Action: 26 March 1943
● Official Date of Death for USAAF Personnel: 19 November 1945
● Date of Death for LCDR Ferdinand D. Mannoccir II: 27 March 1944
Staff Sergeant Robert R. Stith was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart.
A cenotaph exists for Staff Sergeant Robert R. Stith at Nowata Memorial Cemetery, Nowata, Nowata County, Oklahoma. Find A Grave Memorial# 21256276. The date on the Stone is the date the crew of the missing aircraft were proclaimed officially dead.
Information compiled by Charles A. Lewis
Gravesite Details
The names of the crew and passengers are listed on the Tablets of the Missing at The Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Manila, Philippines.
