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 connected to the field lost their lives.  At the bottom of this page are some links relating to the names on the memorial.      

     Click on images to enlarge.

     Links to most 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 L. Adams – April 22, 1944
10.      Ensign James P. Gannon – May 14, 1944
11.      Lt. (Jg.) James E. Corroon – May 18, 1944
12.      Ensign Gerald Vivian Brosteaux – July 13, 1944
13.      Ensign Robert Sherman Kirk – August 12, 1944 
14.      Ensign James C. Graham – August 23, 1944
15.      Ensign Charles R. Davis – September 4, 1944
16.      Ensign Arthur Joseph Stockus – September 12, 1944
17.      Ensign Robert L. Skinner – September 22, 1944
18.      Ensign Frank Thomas Roman – September 22, 1944
19.      Ensign George Kenneth Kraus – October 19, 1944
20.      Ensign Merle H. Longnecker – October 19, 1944
21.      AMM/3C Robert C. Horvath – 1944
22.      Ensign Norman F. Day – October 26, 1944
23.      Ensign Maynard F. Lednum – December 3, 1944
24.      Ensign John S. Ketchum – December 5, 1944
25.      Ensign Robert I. Lane – December 18, 1944
26.      Lt. (Jg.) Bruce S. Little – January 4, 1945
27.      Ensign William J. Monagle – 1945
28.      Ensign Robert E. Swenson – January 20, 1945
29.      Ensign John Malcolm Roe – February 1, 1945
30.      Ensign Robert L. Herren – February 1, 1945
31.      Ensign Jack R. Gross – February 3, 1945
32.      Ensign Pierce H. Beach – February 10, 1945
33.      Ensign Thomas William McSteen – February 25, 1945
34.      Lt. (Jg.) William E. Stakely – March 9, 1945
35.      Lt. (Jg.) Howard G. Boren – March 9, 1945
36.      Lt. (Jg.) Kenneth B. McQuady – March 2, 1945
37.      Ensign Vincent A. Frankwitz – April 3, 1945
38.      Ensign Robert M. Kirk – April 7, 1945
39.      Ensign Joseph F. Koll – May 8, 1945
40.      Ensign James Fitzgerald – possibly May 15, 1945
41.      Lieutenant David W. Allen – May 29, 1945
42.      Ensign George R. Miller – May 31, 1945
43.      Ensign John J. Zayak – June 3, 1945
44.      Lt. (Jg.) George A. MacBride – June 29, 1945
45.      Lieutenant J. A. Guice – October 11, 1945
46.      Ensign Shannon R. Caulk – November 3, 1945
47.      Ensign James F. Wagner – November 3, 1945
48.      Ensign Kenneth W. Barnes – December 13, 1945
49.      AOM3/C Charles O. Henninger – December 13, 1945
50.      Ensign Clinton G. Thornton – March 8, 1946
51.      Ensign Coy A. Stephenson, Jr. – April 22, 1946
52.      ARM2/c Walter J. Edwards – April 22, 1946
53.      Lt. (Jg.) John E. Rodgers – April 29, 1946
54.      Arm2/C Albert E. Theriault – April 29, 1946
55.      Commander Joseph W. Runyan – August 11, 1946
56.      Lieutenant Alfred G. Elpern – September 4, 1947
57.      Lieut. Cmdr. Minuard F. Jennings – November 18, 1947
58.      Lieut. Commander Marshall J. Lyttle – November 18, 1947
59.      ET1/C John J. Young – December 27, 1957
60.      Lt. (Jg.) Paul John Marback – May 27, 1958
61.      Airman Everett Bradbury – 1959
62.      Lt. (jg.) Alexander D. Harry, Jr., – July 28, 1965