Who was Robert Stethem?

Driving down rural Piney Church Road in Waldorf there is small sign that indicates a ball field called Robert Stethem Park.

Those new to Charles County wail want to know that one of the first victims in the modern terrorism attacks was Robert Stethem.

The year was 1985 and Robert was a 23 year old Navy enlisted man, a diver, who was returning to his home in Charles County from an assignment in the Middle East when commercial jetliner TWA 847 was hijacked in Athens, Greece by terrorists (Shi’ites with the Hizballah group).

When the plane was at the Beirut airport in Lebanon, Petty Officer Stethem was singled out because he was in the US military. After many hours of being cruelly beaten, tortured, and finally killed by the terrorists, they threw his body from the plane in a final disgraceful, cowardly act. The wounds were so terrible that his body had to be identified by its fingerprints.

Throughout the ordeal, Robert Stethem did not yield, and instead encouraged his fellow passengers to endure by his example. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star for heroism and bravery. He is buried at Arlington Cemetery.

Robert graduated in 1980 from Thomas Stone High School and also attended classes at the vocational tech center. He stands as an outstanding example, especially to our youth and students, of courage and bravery. America needs more like him. Thank you Robert.

Sincerely,

Mark Crawford

Bryantown