Robert Dean Stethem (Steet-hum) was a Navy Second Class Petty Officer who served as a Seabee, Steelworker Second Class (SW2) and as a Navy Diver (DV). Stethem joined the US Navy on May 4, 1981, continuing the long and proud family history of Naval service. Both of his parents and his brothers also served in the Navy. SW2 Stethem was assigned to Underwater Construction Team One in Little Creek, VA when he was given a temporary assignment to Nea Makri, Greece in June 1985.

Following the completion of his assignment in Greece in 1985, Stethem was set to return home along with a group of his fellow sailors. Stethem and his colleagues boarded TWA Flight 847 which was hijacked by members of the Lebanese terrorist group, Hezbollah, who demanded the release of 766 Lebanese and Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.  The Hezbollah terrorists identified him and his colleagues as a Navy Sailor and tried to use them as leverage in their demands. 

Stethem volunteered himself to the terrorists knowing that his colleagues had spouses and children depending on them at home. Stethem endured hours of mental abuse and physical torture as the terrorists beat him and ultimately killed him when their demands were not met. During the ordeal, SW2 Stethem refused to buckle to the vicious attacks on him and despite his injuries to save his fellow sailors and the passengers of TWA Flight 847.

As Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON), Rick D. West, stated:

“The resilience and courage that Petty Officer Stethem showed while facing a horrific situation that led to his untimely death was the utmost example of our core values of Honor, Courage and Commitment that we as Sailors must live by every day…”

Stethem was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart in 1985 and the Bronze Star in 1986. He was laid to rest in the Arlington National Cemetery.

On August 24th 2010, 25 years after he was killed, Robert Dean Stethem was frocked to the honorary rank of Master Chief Petty Officer in a ceremony onboard the USS Stethem (DDG 63) in Yokosuka, Japan. 

"STEADFAST AND COURAGEOUS" 

Construction of the Stethem began on May 18, 1993 with the ship’s keel being laid down at the Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Litton Industries in Pascagoula, Mississippi. She was launched on June 17, 1994 and was christened the USS Stethem on July 16, 1994 by Patricia L Stethem, the mother of Robert D Stethem. 

The USS Stethem was then officially commissioned for service on October 21,1985.

On February 15th, 1996 the USS Stethem successfully completed her Post Delivery Test and Trials and was thus cleared for combat operations. The USS Stethem was homeported at United States Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan until the summer 2019 when its crew performed a change of homeport and is now homeported in Naval Base San Diego. The Destroyer continuously honors Robert’s sacrifice, adopting the motto “Steadfast and Courageous” to highlight the valor and resolve he demonstrated that fateful day.

"Our ship's namesake comes from Robert Dean Stetehem. But on the ship he's family. And on the ship he goes by "Robbie". Everything we do, we do it for Robbie; to make Robbie proud!" - PO2 Fabienne Augustin, crewmember of the USS Stethem (2016). 

Today, Robert Dean Stethem’s heroism is commemorated and remembered not only onboard his namesake vessel but in the namesake of our Sea Cadet Battalion. R. D. Stethem’s Life and heroic sacrifice illustrated precisely, and in full measure, the values of Honor, Courage and Commitment which this Battalion strives to bring out in our Sea Cadets. Our Battalion aims to honor the memory of R. D. Stethem who gave the last full measure of devotion to the service of our nation.