Robert Verne Hatfield

Robert Hatfield was born in Wibaux, Montana on 17 December 1917. He was one of the younger children of a farming family headed by Earl and Ethel Hatfield, and spent parts of his childhood in Montana and North Dakota. By 1930, Robert was living with his oldest brother Harold in Harford County, Maryland.

Robert went to school in Florida (where his parents moved in the 1920s) and in Alexandria, Virginia; he ultimately graduated from George Washington High School in 1937. He went on to attend the University of Maryland in College Park.

Robert joined the Marine Corps Reserve on 2 April 1936, while still in high school. Every week, he reported to the Alexandria City Armory for drills with Company E, 5th Reserve Battalion. In December of 1937, he was placed on inactive reserve status – possibly to accommodate his college class schedule – but remained on the rolls of the General Service Unit, Severn and Potomac District.

On 25 August 1941, Hatfield left the Marines and joined the Navy – he hoped to become a pilot. After ground school and elimination training, he was sent to Miami for more advanced flight school. Hatfield earned his wings and a commission on 29 July 1942 – and became a Marine once again, with the rank of second lieutenant.

A week later, Lieutenant Hatfield married Winifred Leigh Smith in Washington, DC. They had little time to enjoy life together, as Robert was soon transferred to California for duty with a Marine fighter squadron. By January 1943, he was on the rolls of VMF-211 – a veteran squadron made famous for their stand at Wake Island.

In August 1943, Hatfield deployed overseas for combat duty. His squadron arrived in the Russell Islands in October and began flying missions over Bougainville in preparation for an invasion.

On 3 November 1943, 1Lt. Hatfield and six other VMF-211 pilots took off for a patrol over Empress Augusta Bay. They were instructed to fly cover for Allied ships supporting the invasion of Cape Torokina, Bougainville.

Over Cape Moltke, the Marines spotted a large number of Japanese aircraft heading for the fleet. In the ensuing dogfight, VMF-211 claimed three Zeroes shot down – but Major George Moffat (F4U-1 17559) and Lieutenant Hatfield (F4U-1 17643) failed to return.

Search flights spotted some floating wreckage off Cape Moltke, but no trace of Hatfield or Moffat was ever found. Both Marines were declared dead on 4 November 1944.

Robert Hatfield was posthumously promoted to the rank of captain.

CENOTAPHS
Arlington National Cemetery
Manila American Cemetery & Memorial