History Resources

Inside the Vault: World War II Soldiers: Lt. Robert L. Stone

by Gilder Lehrman Staff

Lieutenant Robert Stone served as a bombardier in the 431st Bomb Squadron (Heavy), 7th United States Army Air Force during World War II. Bob was a nineteen-year-old college student when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. He left college to join the Army Air Forces and would fly 40 missions in the Pacific. His letters provide a detailed eyewitness account by one soldier in a way that cannot be captured in a textbook. Ryan Scheb, history educator at Cristo Rey New York High School and Avery Sobczak from Hamilton join us as we examine Lieutenant Stone’s letters to his family.

Click here to download the slides from the presentation. 

Classroom-ready resources for the documents presented

Use the timestamps below to jump to the topics you want to view

  • Training accident: 4:24–12:25
  • Flight log: 12:25–13:30 
  • A frightening mission over Iwo Jima: 13:20–20:57
  • Oral history: 20:58–34:37
  • The Battle of Iwo Jima: A family waits for news, 1945: 34:37– 45:15
  • 40th mission: 46:31–51:27