World War II Honoree

Robert Maxwell Myres

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Seattle, Washington

Honored By

Carissa Harrison

Relationship

Granddaughter

ON APRIL 14TH, 1943 MY GRANDFATHER (MYRES, RM3C, USNR) AN AVIATION RADIOMAN 1/C AND THE TBF-1 PLANE THAT HE AND THREE OTHERS WERE FLYING IN OVER THE MOLOKAI STRAIGHTS WERE INVOLVED IN A CRASH LANDING AT SEA. THREE OF THE MEN, HAWK, Q.L, AOM3C, USNR AND NIKOLAUS, C.H., AOM3C, USNR MANAGED TO FREE THEMSELVES FROM THE RAPIDLY SINKING PLANE. THE PILOT ENSIGN MCEWEN, WHO WAS UNCONSCIOUS HAVING SUSTAINED SEVER HEAD AND SHOULDER INJURIES BECOME ENTANGLED IN THE SINKING PLANES TAIL DRAGGING HIM BELOW THE WATER. IN TOTAL DISREGARD OF HIS OWN SAFETY MY GRANDFATHER HELD ON TO MCEWEN'S BODY TO A DEPTH OF 40 FEET. UNABLE TO FREE MCEWEN HE WAS FORCED TO RETURN TO THE SURFACE TO AVOID DROWNING. HE THEN WENT TO THE AID OF HAWK, WHOSE LEGS WERE PARALYZED AND HELPED HIM KEEP AFLOAT UNTIL BEING RESCUED.