Charlestown Auxiliary Naval Airfield Memorial

Charlestown Auxiliary Naval Airfield Memorial

Charlestown, Rhode Island

    Charlestown Naval Auxiliary Field began operations in September of 1943.  Ensign George H. W. Bush trained there in 1944.  The field was decommissioned January 30, 1974, and is today known as Ninigret Park.   

     During its years of operation, 62 airmen lost their lives in accidents at the field.  At the bottom of this page are some links relating to the names on the memorial.      

     Click on images to enlarge.

Memorial to the 62 men who lost their lives at Charlestown Auxiliary Field, Charlestown, R.I.

Memorial to the 62 men who lost their lives at Charlestown Auxiliary Field, Charlestown, R.I.

Names of those on the memorial. CLICK TO ENLARGE

Names of those on the memorial.
CLICK TO ENLARGE

Sign for Charlestown Auxiliary Landing Field Charlestown, R.I.

Sign for Charlestown Auxiliary Landing Field
Charlestown, R.I.

     Links to some of the names on the memorial that tell their story: 

  1.      Ensign William Haley Brown – September 14, 1943
  2.      Ensign Thomas James Schmidt – September 27, 1943
  3.      Ensign Curtis Leroy Johnson – December 23, 1943
  4.      Ensign James G. Canning – February 16, 1944
  5.      Ensign Herbert Leslie Woods – March 16, 1944
  6.      Ensign Edward R. Sladek – April 1, 1944
  7.      Ensign Stephen Luther Smith – April 17, 1944
  8.      Lieut. Robert Charles Stimson – April 17, 1944
  9.      Ensign James P. Gannon – May 14, 1944
  10.      Ensign Gerald Vivian Brosteaux – July 13, 1944
  11.      Ensign Arthur Joseph Stockus – September 12, 1944
  12.      Ensign Robert L. Skinner – September 22, 1944
  13.      Ensign Frank Thomas Romain – September 22, 1944
  14.      Ensign George Kenneth Kraus – October 19, 1944
  15.      Ensign Merle H. Longnecker – October 19, 1944
  16.      Ensign Norman F. Day – October 26, 1944
  17.      Ensign Maynard F. Lednum – December 3, 1944
  18.      Ensign Robert I. Lane – December 18, 1944
  19.      Lt. (Jg.) Bruce S. Little – January 4, 1945
  20.      Ensign John Malcolm Roe – February 1, 1945
  21.      Ensign Robert L. Herrin – February 1, 1945
  22.      Ensign Jack R. Gross – February 3, 1945
  23.      Ensign Pierce H. Beach – February 10, 1945
  24.      Ensign Thomas William McSteen – February 25, 1945
  25.      Lt. (Jg.) William E. Stakely – March 9, 1945
  26.      Lt. (Jg.) Howard G. Boren – March 9, 1945
  27.      Lt. (Jg.) Kenneth B. McQuady – March 2, 1945
  28.      Ensign Vincent A. Frankwitz – April 3, 1945
  29.      Ensign Joseph F. Koll – May 8, 1945
  30.      Lieutenant David W. Allen – May 29, 1945
  31.      Ensign George R. Miller – May 31, 1945
  32.      Ensign John J. Zayak – June 3, 1945
  33.      Lt. (Jg.) George A. MacBride – June 29, 1945
  34.      Lieutenant J. A. Guice – October 11, 1945
  35.      Ensign Shannon R. Caulk – November 3, 1945
  36.      Ensign James F. Wagner – November 3, 1945
  37.      Ensign Kenneth W. Barnes – December 13, 1945
  38.      AOM3/C Charles O. Henninger – December 13, 1945
  39.      Ensign Clinton G. Thornton – March 8, 1946
  40.      Ensign Coy A. Stephenson, Jr. – April 22, 1946
  41.      ARM2/c Walter J. Edwards – April 22, 1946
  42.      Commander Joseph W. Runyan – August 11, 1946
  43.      Lieutenant Alfred G. Elpern – September 4, 1947
  44.      Lieut. Commander Minuard F. Jennings – November 18, 1947
  45.      Lieut. Commander Marshall J. Lyttle – November 18, 1947
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