Tribute to Lt. J.G. Robert E. Sterling

Bealocwealm hafað fréone frecan forth
onsended?giedd sculon singan
gléomenn sorgiende on Meduselde
þæt he ma no wære,
his dryhtne dyrest and mæga deorost

'An evil death has set forth the noble warrior
A song shall sing sorrowing minstrels in Meduseld…"
'that he is no more,
to his lord dearest and of kinsmen most beloved'
— sung by Éowyn in The Two Towers

Grammaboodawg and Daughter of Nienna
Together pay Loving Tribute
to the memory of Lt.J.G. Robert Elmer Sterling
Gramma's Uncle and
a Guardian Angel
Who fell from the skies to his doom
Protecting the people and the nation that he loved

Grandma was widowed when Uncle Bob was 14. She raised 4 sons and 1 daughter alone since the beginning of the depression. She lost 2 of her 4 sons during WWII while the other two both served in the Marines. It helped Grandma when a fellow pilot who was with Bob during his last battle contacted her after the war and told her he saw Bob's plane dive through the enemy flack over and over, attacking the enemy ships. When the attack was broken off, he saw Bob pull out of his last dive and turn with the rest of the aircraft as they headed back to the American fleet. Bob's plane was shot up, yet he was still in control... but he and his navigator never made it back. It's unknown if the plane finally failed from multiple hits, if Bob succumbed to injuries, or if they ran out of fuel. It's sad, but we never knew what the navigator's name was. All we know is that he was from New Jersey. Their records were lost in a government office fire in St. Louis in the mid-1960s along with thousands of other military/veteran's records.

In 1997, I visited the abandoned, 100+ year old family farm in Ohio for the first time in over 25 years. I also visited the graves of my Uncles, Aunt, Grandparents, and Great Grandparents... generations of my Dad's family. But it was then I noticed there was no marker for Uncle Bob. I decided to contact the Government about getting the standard bronze marker for all veterans. I ran into some pretty strange roadblocks. They initially denied me in a September 3, 1998 letter responding to my May 11, 1998 request. Part of my problem of getting the marker was that the government wanted me to supply the paperwork that he'd been cremated or buried. They didn't read the attachments telling that he was lost at sea and his records were destroyed in the fire. After a couple more years of jousting, I got Uncle Bob's marker and had it mounted on his father's headstone in Ohio.

During one of our recent discussions on TORn, I mentioned that somewhere at one of Hawaii's War Memorials, there was a marker for Bob. As you'll see in Daughter of Nienna's incredible journey, she generously offered to go on a Quest in search for Uncle Bob because she lives near the Memorial I spoke about. Let's just say I'm staggered by what she discovered and how she's dedicated hours of research, journeying and creativity into bringing my Uncle to life more than I ever imagined. When I told my Mother and family that she not only found him but was creating this tribute for him, they were deeply moved. We'd always talked about him and he's always been considered one of the jewels of the family, but this has brought him closer to us than ever before.

We grew up knowing Bob's story; but since my visit to the farm (now being restored by our family after 30 years empty), he had become someone very real to me. I can't thank Daughter of Nienna enough for taking on the Quest of finding Uncle Bob's mark on the Memorial in Hawaii. Now I need to get to Ohio and get a picture of his veteran's plaque!

Even though I never knew Uncle Bob, I've noticed that in every picture I've seen of him... he's smiling. I'm told he was brilliant. Studies and challenges came easily to him. He was very tall... 6'4". I would think that it would have been quite a challenge for a pilot in such a confined warplane. He was also a consummate joker. His brothers and he were incredibly close and always did things together. I would have loved to hang out with him and hear stories that, I'm sure, would have me riveted for hours and hours. — Grammaboodawg

Photo Album of
Lt. J.G. Robert E. Sterling

Uncle Bob and my Dad as boys visiting the farm.

Grandma and Bob during his last stateside visit in 1942.

Dad and Mom shortly after their marriage in 1943.

A caricature of Bob by a friend.

Bob in his pilot's gear

Uncle Bob on the porch
with two little cousins at the farm in Ohio

The pictures of the young ladies with Uncle Bob on the porch are two little cousins and all were visiting my Great-Uncle Virgil's farm in Ohio. It's the family farm that was virtually abandoned after my Uncle passed away in the mid 1960s. It was built by our family in 1876 and didn't have electricity until the 1950s and no plumbing until my cousins returned and we all started to restore it in 1998. It's in the middle of nowhere in Amish country; and when you go down the nearly mile-long lane to get to the farm house, barn and outhouses... you feel like you've crossed over into another time, ancient, simple... probably a lot like entering Lorien, come to think of it. We visited that farm all the whole while I was a little girl. It was so special, and this town is where the cemetery is where Uncle Bob's plaque is :)

Top: Andy and Jimmy
Bottom: Bob and Dad (John)

Bob in the cockpit of Dauntless





Remember to read the tribute pages below
Bob's story is there!

Nú on théostrum licgeth Robert se léofa
hæ´letha holdost.
ne sceal hearpan sweg wigend weccean;
ne winfæ´t gylden guma sceal healdan,
ne god hafoc geond sæ´l swingan,
ne se swifta mearh burhstede beatan.
Bealocwealm hafað fréone frecan forth onsended
giedd sculon singan gléomenn sorgiende
on Meduselde thæt he ma no wære
his dryhtne dyrest and maga deorost.


Now dear Robert lies in darkness,
most loyal of fighters.
The sound of the harp shall not wake the warrior;
nor shall the man hold a golden wine-cup,
nor good hawk swing through the hall,
nor the swift horse stamp in the courtyard.
An evil death has set forth the noble warrior
A song shall sing sorrowing minstrels
in Meduseld that he is no more,
to his lord dearest and kinsmen most beloved.
— Lament for Théodred



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Quest for Lt. J.G. Robert Sterling
Part One




Searching for Robert – part A

"Lt. J.G. Robert Elmer Sterling; pilot in the Army Air Corps from Pontiac, Michigan. He was pronounced dead June 20th, 1944 (28 yo). Awarded: the Distinguished Service Cross and two Purple Hearts He was also credited for sinking one of the enemy ships single-handedly. His separation date (always a year and a day after they're lost) is June 21, 1945." — Gramma

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Tribute Wall

in smaller print on the same wall

Grant them o Lord eternal rest
Who sleep in unknown graves
<>
Our reliance is in the love of liberty
which God has planted in us
<>
This memorial is a sacred rendezvous
of a grateful people
with the immortal dead
<>
Time shall not dim
the glory of their deeds

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Center Podium Inscription

In the Gardens are recorded
the names of Americans who gave their lives
in service of their country and
whose earthy resting place is known only to God.

Gold Star indicates Medal of Honor award
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7-To Roberts Court - 236


Robert's section: Court #2 is located somewhere behind this Dedication wall . . . so I walked around it to search for it. you can see that there are a series of wall-courts running up behind it. The same thing is mirrored on the other side of the monument. Once I round it, as I figured, his court is that wall directly behind the Dedication wall.




To be continued… on Part Two

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Art Gallery Revised, Aloha & Mahalo, Websites Directory

Nienna: “ those who hearken to her learn pity, and endurance in hope . . . All those who wait in Mandos cry to her, for she brings strength to the spirit and turns sorrow to wisdom." — Valaquenta

Quest for Lt. J.G. Robert Sterling
Part Two




Robert Sterling, college age



Searching for Robert – part B

Sterling, Robert E. Lieutenant (JG), USNR, Michigan

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Quest for Lt. J.G. Robert Sterling
Part Three

Battle of the Marianas Mosaic Map

Lt. J.G. Robert Sterling (on the left) is pictured in his pilot's gear.

"My Uncle was based in Hawaii and absolutely loved it! My Mom says he mused about moving there after the war. His name is Lt. J.G. Robert Elmer Sterling: pilot in the Army Air Corps from Pontiac, Michigan. He was pronounced dead June 20th, 1944 (28 yo). He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and two Purple Hearts. He was also credited for sinking one of the enemy ships single-handedly." — Gramma

Distinguished Service Cross

References and Links related to Lt. J.G. Robert Sterling

Lt. J.G. Robert Sterling is pictured in the cockpit of his
Dauntless Torpedo Plane

(1.) "To penetrate the enemy's defenses and gain bases from which aircraft could strike at the Japanese Home Islands, the US undertook to seize the Mariana Islands in summer of 1944. For several months prior to the landings, fast carrier Task Forces and aircraft of the 7th Air Force conducted preliminary bombardments of the area."

(2.) On 15 June 1944, under cover of the air and naval bombardment of the fifth fleet, the 2nd and 4th Marine divisions of the V Amphibious corps landed on Saipan. The Japanese reaction was immediate and vigorous; their carrier Task Force steamed toward the Marianas to meet the American Amphibious effort. In the action that followed, the battle of the Philippine Sea on 19-20 June, Japanese carrier Aviation was substantially impaired as a major force in the war.

(3.) Meanwhile, the Marine's and the Army's 27th infantry division fought their way across the island (Saipan), against determined resistance. They then turned northward and seized the dominating heights of Mt. Topochau on 25th and 26th June. On the latter night an enemy attempt to break off his isolated position on Nafutan Point was decisively defeated. American Forces continued t press the attack against the mass of the enemy, slowly forcing him northward. Finally on the night of 6–7 July, the Japanese made a desperate last effort; their furious assault was repulsed and two days later the island was secure. — The remainder of the text found here.

Gramma's Account of Robert's Battle

References and Links related to Lt. J.G. Robert Sterling

References and Links related to Lt. J.G. Robert Sterling

My Uncle was a Navy pilot lost at sea near New Guinea after a battle against a Japanese fleet during World War II . . . The torpedo planes carried 2 people, the pilot and a navigator/gunner (sitting one behind the other).

His plane didn't return after the Battle of the Marianas (Marianas Turkey Shoot) although other pilots saw him pull out of the last dive and was returning with the others... but his plane was badly shot up and they were trying to return to the US Aircraft Carriers in the dark. Because of the threat of U-boats, the fleet didn't run any lights, so it was nearly impossible to find them... plus the commander was sailing AWAY from the battle rather than toward it to give the pilots a shorter distance to fly. They lost as many planes from running out of gas looking for the fleet as they did in the battle. Finally the second in command ordered lights be run and the fleet was turned toward the approaching planes. My Uncle and his navigator didn't make it." — Gramma (There are several articles and personal stories on this in the Links section)

Gramma's Account of Robert's Battle

Curtiss Helldiver in flight

References and Links related to Lt. J.G. Robert Sterling

References and Links related to Lt. J.G. Robert Sterling

"Uncle Bob and my Dad as boys visiting the farm"
— Gramma

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Quest for Lt. J.G. Robert Sterling
Part Four




Memorial Walk

Memorial Walk

44-Lost in Pacific Plaque -290







45-American Legion Plaque -289







46-Order of Eagles Plaque -293







47-WWII Vets Jap & US Plaque -292







48-Plaque All Services-294




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References and Links related to Lt. J.G. Robert Sterling

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Links of Relevance

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Battle Links related to Robert
and
Island Information, Maps

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Task Force 58
– New

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Planes & Pilots

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STORIES and ANECHDOTES of WWII
(On Topic)

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Award Links

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Aircraft Cariers

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Pacific War of WWII - General

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Other Battle Links related to the Marianas

Gramma's Account of Robert's Battle
In the Marianas Islands







Bob (on the left) in his pilot's gear.




Reference Links of Relevance to Robert

Uncle Bob was the eldest son of 5 children in Dad's family. He graduated from Michigan State College (now University) with a degree in engineering and was working for General Motors of Grand Rapids, Michigan when WWII broke out. He joined the U.S. Army Air Corps and was a Lieutenant JG Helldiver Pilot where he flew off the aircraft carriers Yorktown, Intrepid and Bunker Hill.

Helldivers were two-man torpedo attack planes with a pilot and a navigator/gunner. Bob's plane was lost at sea when returning from an attack on the Japanese fleet in the Battle of the Marianas (referred to as the Marianas Turkey Shoot) as a part of a combined American Fleet designated Task Force 58. It was one of the major attacks launched against the Japanese in the Pacific since the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and it was a turning point in the war. Of the 430 enemy aircraft involved in the battle, 35 were left operational with three carriers and two of their finest ships sunk. Of the hundreds of American planes launched, losses were 23 aircraft shot down and 6 aircrew lost operationally with 31 fatal injuries on the ships from enemy attacks.

Bob in the cockpit of his Dauntless Torpedo Plane

This battle took place on the night of June 19, 1944. Our planes had to travel over a great distance to engage the Japanese fleet. All the while our planes were flying towards the enemy, the U.S. commander (Admiral Spruance) ordered the fleet to travel "away" from the battle in fear of German U-boats... widening the distance for our planes' return late in the evening. This was one of many bad decisions the non-flyer commander made against the counsel of his flight-experienced Admirals; the most respected and experienced being Admiral Mitscher.

Reference Links of Relevance to Robert

Orders for ships at sea during wartime are to travel with no lights running so they won't be spotted by the enemy. Our air forces were in a brutal fight, diving at the enemy ships while flying through gunfire and avoiding enemy aircraft. When the battle was over, our planes (crippled and running low on fuel) tried to find their way back to their carriers in the dark; which were now a much greater distance away than when they had left. Admiral Mitscher finally convinced Spruance to turn the fleet and steam back toward the returning planes. Against orders and at great risk to themselves from enemy submarines and night-flying scout planes, Mitscher also convinced Spruance to light up the carriers as a beacon for our planes. After flying a total of 275-300 miles to engage the enemy and then return to the US fleet, the aircraft landed nearly out of fuel. Most of those lost never made it simply because they ran out of fuel and ditched. Some pilots were recovered the next day in an exhaustive search, but Bob and his navigator were never found.

A fellow pilot who was with Bob during that battle contacted my Grandmother after the war and told her he saw Bob's plane dive through the enemy flack over and over, attacking the enemy ships. When the attack was broken off, he saw Bob pull out of his last dive and turn with the rest of the aircraft as they headed back to the American fleet. Bob's plane was shot up, yet he was still in control... but he never made it back. It's unknown if the plane finally failed from multiple hits, if Bob succumbed to injuries, or if they ran out of fuel. A year and a day later, he was declared dead. Grandma received the Purple Heart posthumously for her son. He was cited as being responsible for sinking one of the enemy ships during that battle. It's sad, but we never knew what his navigator's name was. All we know is that he was from New Jersey. Their records were lost in a government office fire along with thousands of other military/veteran's records in the mid-1960s.

Reference Links of Relevance to Robert

Grandma was widowed when Uncle Bob was 14. She raised 4 sons and 1 daughter alone since the beginning of the depression. She lost 2 of her 4 sons during WWII while the other two both served as Marines. Bob went into the Army Air Corps, Dad and Uncle Jimmy went into the Marine Corps, and Uncle Andy died while awaiting orders from the Army.


In 1997, I visited the family farm in Ohio for the first time in over 25 years. I also visited the graves of my Uncles, Aunt, Grandparents, and Great Grandparents... generations of my Dad's family. But it was then I noticed there was no marker for Uncle Bob. We grew up knowing his story, but since my visit to the farm (abandoned for over 30 years and now being restored by our family) he has become someone very real to me.

Even though I never knew Uncle Bob, I've noticed that in every picture I've seen of him... he's smiling. I'm told he was brilliant. Studies and challenges came easily to him. He was very tall... 6'4". I would think that it would have been quite a challenge for a pilot in such a confined warplane. He was also a consummate joker. His brothers and he were incredibly close and always did things together. I would have loved to hang out with him and hear stories that, I'm sure, would have me riveted for hours and hours.

Grandma and Bob during his last stateside visit in 1942.

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