Remains of teen sailor who helped rescue downed WWII airmen identified
The remains of U.S. Navy Aviation Radioman 2nd Class Robert L. Cyr, Jr., a teenager who served in World War II and helped rescue downed airmen, have been identified more than 80 years after his plane crashed in the South Pacific. Cyr was 19 when his PBY-5 Catalina seaplane crashed near Vanuatu in 1944, and he was previously listed as missing in action. After extensive recovery efforts and DNA analysis, his remains were confirmed in 2025, and he will be buried with full military honors in Florida.
- ▪Robert L. Cyr, Jr. enlisted in the Navy at age 17 and flew patrol missions in the Pacific during World War II.
- ▪His PBY-5 Catalina seaplane crashed during takeoff near Vanuatu on January 22, 1944, killing several crew members, including Cyr, whose remains were not initially recovered.
- ▪In July 2022, Sealark Exploration located the crash site, leading to excavations by Cosmos Archaeology in 2024 and 2025 that recovered human remains and evidence.
- ▪The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency used anthropological study and mitochondrial DNA analysis to identify Cyr's remains on November 5, 2025.
- ▪Cyr will be buried with full military honors in Clearwater, Florida, and a rosette will be placed next to his name at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
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U.S. Remains of teen sailor who helped rescue downed WWII airmen identified 8 decades after crash By Kerry Breen Kerry Breen News Editor Kerry Breen is a news editor at CBSNews.com. A graduate of New York University's Arthur L. Carter School of Journalism, she previously worked at NBC News' TODAY Digital. She covers current events, breaking news and issues including substance use. Read Full Bio Kerry Breen Updated on: May 1, 2026 / 12:24 PM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google A Navy radioman whose patrol plane crashed during World War II has been accounted for over 80 years after his death, military officials said Thursday. U.S. Navy Aviation Radioman 2nd Class Robert L. Cyr, Jr.
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