Remains of teen sailor who helped rescue downed WWII airmen identified

4 days ago 16

A Navy radioman whose patrol level crashed during World War II has been accounted for implicit 80 years aft his death, subject officials said Thursday.

U.S. Navy Aviation Radioman 2nd Class Robert L. Cyr, Jr. enlisted astatine 17 and flew patrols successful the Pacific, according to a news merchandise from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. While connected permission 1 twelvemonth aft his enlistment, helium told a section paper that helium had flown astir 112,000 miles connected patrol flights.

Cyr said that helium had flown implicit Southern Pacific combat areas, including the Battle of the Solomon Islands.

"Our regular occupation is to spot the enemy's position, people and pfrobable objective, and past get retired of determination if possible," Cyr told the paper, according to a clipping shared by the DPAA. Patrol members besides rescued different fliers who had been forced down, helium said, noting that "the natives are friendly" and would assistance fell U.S. troops from Japanese forces.

In 1944, Cyr was assigned to Navy Patrol Squadron 91, the DPAA said. On January 22, the 19-year-old and 8 different unit members were aboard a PBY-5 Catalina seaplane that crashed during takeoff adjacent the present-day Republic of Vanuatu, successful the South Pacific Ocean.

Three unit members survived the crash. Four were killed and their remains were recovered successful the days that followed. Two airmen, including Cyr, were not recovered, and helium was listed arsenic missing successful action.

Cyr's sanction was recorded connected the Tablets of the Missing astatine the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific successful Honolulu, Hawaii. A memorial wide was held, according to section papers. Cyr was survived by his parents and sister, according to the clippings.

Cyr's lawsuit remained stagnant for decades. In July 2022, researchers and divers from the underwater archaeology enactment Sealark Exploration located and explored the wreck tract connected the behalf of the DPAA. Further excavations by DPAA spouse Cosmos Archaeology were conducted successful 2024 and 2025. The 3 expeditions resulted successful documentation of the tract and the betterment of imaginable evidence, including imaginable quality remains, the DPAA said.

Those remains, arsenic good arsenic imaginable bony fragments recovered astatine the site, were studied by the DPAA. The materials underwent anthropological survey and mitochondrial DNA analysis. Material and circumstantial grounds was besides studied.

On November 5, 2025, the DPAA identified the remains arsenic Cyr's. His household precocious received a afloat briefing connected his identification, allowing the bureau to stock further details of the process.

Now that Cyr has been accounted for, a rosette volition beryllium placed adjacent to his sanction connected the Walls of the Missing. He volition person a burial with afloat subject honors successful Clearwater, Florida connected Saturday.

An online obituary for Cyr says his household is besides buried successful Clearwater. His parents and sister, arsenic good arsenic his nephews, died earlier helium could beryllium accounted for, but helium is survived by a niece and dozens of much extended relatives. According to the obituary, Cyr was awarded a fig of honors, including the Purple Heart, a Navy Presidential Unit Citation and the Navy Expeditionary Medal.

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