Hijacked divers to get POW medals

Six Navy divers held captive in 1985 by jihadists for 17 days in Beirut, Lebanon, will be awarded the Prisoner of War Medal in a late April ceremony in Washington, D.C. All six are to be recognized for their sacrifice during the hijacking of Trans-World Airlines Flight 847. Steelworker 2nd Class Robert D. Stethem, who was murdered by the hijackers and thrown onto the airport tarmac, will posthumously receive the award. The divers were from the Little Creek, Va.-based Underwater Construction Team 1, who were flying home June 14, 1985, after finishing a project in Greece. The award “just kind of slipped through the cracks” over the years," said retired Capt. Bobbie Scholley, who heads the Navy Diver Foundation. The five surviving sailors who will attend: Engineering Aid 1st Class Stuart Dahl; Construction Electrician 1st Class Tony Watson; Equipment Operator 1st Class Jeffrey Ingalls; SW2 Class Kenneth Bowen; and CE2 Clinton Suggs. Stethem’s parents and brothers are also expected to attend. (Source: Navy Times 03/28/15) Gulf Coast Shipbuilding & Maritime Note: U.S. Navy diving is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. The Panama City, Fla., naval dive and salvage command oversees most all diving, training and certification for the Navy.