1. Robert Dean Stethem 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.
13 Facts About Robert Stethem
1. 2.
Robert Stethem was posthumously promoted to Master Chief Constructionman.
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Robert Stethem graduated from Thomas Stone High School in 1980, where he played defensive back on the varsity and junior varsity football teams.
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Robert Stethem joined the Navy soon after graduating, reporting for duty on May 4,1981.
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Robert Stethem served multiple tours on Diego Garcia and Guam.
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Later, Robert Stethem became a 2nd Class Navy Diver and was assigned to the Navy's Underwater Construction Team One in Little Creek, Virginia.
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On June 14,1985, Robert Stethem was returning from an assignment in Nea Makri, Greece, aboard TWA Flight 847 when it was hijacked by members of the Lebanese organization Hezbollah.
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Robert Stethem was tried and convicted of Stethem's murder and sentenced to life in prison but was released in 2005 after serving 19 years.
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Robert Stethem was aboard a cruise ship that had crossed Rhodes, Santorini and Mykonos.
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Robert Stethem was later released after police determined it was a case of mistaken identity.
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Robert Stethem was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star.
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Robert Stethem is buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Section 59, Grave 430, near other American victims of international terrorism.
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Robert Stethem was portrayed by Steven Eckholdt in the 1988 television movie The Taking of Flight 847: The Uli Derickson Story.