File:New England aviators 1914-1918; their portraits and their records (1919) (14576538569).jpg

English: First Lieutenant Robert Hewins Stiles, A.S., U.S.A., 13th Aero Squadron, Second pursuit Group. Killed in Action, September 16, 1918. He attended Harvard University, class of 1916. He was editor on the Harvard Crimson daily, ca 1914. Enlisted as PFC Aviation Sect, Signal Corps on Jun 1917. He was detailed to School of Military Aeronautics, M.I.T., Aug 20th. He sailed to France Oct 26, then was assigned to 3rd Aviation Instruction Center. Commissioned 1st lieutenant, Air Service, Military Aeronautics May 13, 1918. Assigned to 13th Aero Squadron, 2nd Pursuit Group, July 26th; Killed in Action over Metz, France, Sept. 16, 1918.

Identifier: NewEnglandaviatVol2Tick (find matches)
Title: New England aviators 1914-1918; their portraits and their records
Year: 1919 (1910s)
Authors: Ticknor, Caroline, 1866-1937, ed
Subjects: Biography Aeronautics World War, 1914-1918
Publisher: Boston, New York, Houghton Mifflin Company
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries

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Text Appearing Before Image:
ROBERT HEWINS STILES First Lieutenant, A.S., U.S.A., Thirteenth Aero Squadron, Second Pursuit Group. Killed in action, Sept. 16, 1918. Son of Walter F. and Annette L. (Hewins) Stiles; was born at Fitchburg, Mass., Nov. 15, 1894. He attended the public schools of Fitchburg and graduated in 1916 from Harvard College, where he was prominent in many associations. He was on the editorial board of the Crimson; its managing editor in 1915, and president of the board of editors in 1916. He was a member of the freshman baseball squad, and manager of the Varsity baseball team in 1916; also president of the freshman Mandolin and Banjo Club. After graduation he became commission sales agent for a well-known textile firm, and was doing a very successful business at the time of his enlistment. In the summer of 1916 he attended the Harvard Aviation School at Buffalo, N.Y., where he obtained an aviators license. In June,1917, he enlisted at Boston, Mass., for the Aviation Service; trained at the M.I.T. from Aug. 20,...given credit for bringing down a German plane during his first engagement. Lt. Stiles took part in the St. Mihiel drive, and on Sept. 16, 1918, was reported Missing in Action. It was later ascertained that he had been killed in action on that date, having been brought down by four or five German planes. He was shot through the chest and death was instantaneous on landing. He was buried near where he fell in a little cemetery beside some Germans, who had been killed in 1871. Later, he was reburied in the officers section of the cemetery at Thiaucourt. On the day of his death Lt. Stiles was the leader of a patrol of three, and when seven miles southwest of Metz they were attacked by a number of German planes. Two of the men were able to reach their own lines, but Lt. Stiles was last seen flying straight into Germany. Although only officially credited with one plane, it has been reported by other aviators that Stiles brought down several planes after his first one. He was cited...
Text Appearing After Image:
by Gen. Pershing, For exceptionally meritorious and conspicuous services with the 13th Squadron. Capt. Biddle, Commander of the 13th Squadron, wrote of him: Lieut. Stiles was one of my Flight Commanders, and I considered him one of the most valuable men in the Squadron, and the loss to all of his friends here who admired him so much for his courage and fine character cannot be measured. Capt. Biddle elsewhere wrote of this engagement: In three days, Sept. 13 to 15, the 13th Squadron shot down officially eight German machines, all single-seater fighting planes. In the mean-time, however, we ourselves lost six men, two of them being among my best pilots. Brother in Service — Walter F. Stiles, Jr., 1st Lieut., Q.M.C., A.E.F.

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