Steve Barto
1Lt. Steve Barto served as a pilot with VMSB-133, a Marine dive-bomber squadron.
He died in a training accident near Johnston Island on 17 November 1943.
Branch
Marine Corps Regular
Service Number O-21182
Current Status
Remains Not Recovered
Pursuit Category
The DPAA has not publicized this information.
Capsule History
Pre-War Life
Birth
19 January 1918
at Clune, PA
as Steve Thomas Barto, Jr.
Parents
Steve & Elizabeth Barto
Education
Indiana High School ’36
PA State Teacher’s College at Indiana ’41
Occupation / Employer
Student Teacher
Indiana High School
Service Life
Entered Service
15 March 1942 (enlisted)
31 March 1943 (commission)
Home Of Record
Kent, PA
Next Of Kin
Father, Mr. Steve Barto Sr.
Military Specialty
Pilot
Primary Unit
VMSB-133
Campaigns Served
—
Individual Decorations
—
Additional Service Details
On date of loss, was piloting SBD-4 #10502
Loss And Burial
Circumstances Of Loss
On the afternoon of 17 November 1943, pilots from VMSB-133 were engaged in a routine training flight. One Dauntless, flown by 1Lt. Steve Barto and PFC Harvey E. Arnold, made a practice dive on a target approximately five miles from Johnston Island. The plane failed to recover from the dive, and plowed straight into the sea. Other planes from the flight circled the area until crash boats and rescue aircraft arrived.
Searchers found wreckage from the downed Dauntless, but saw no sign of Barto or Arnold. Neither Marine was seen to escape the plane, and both were presumed killed in the accident. Neither man’s body was recovered from the scene.
Burial Information or Disposition
Lost in plane crash at sea.
This is sad but fantastic. A lot of information has been verified. Thank you for bringing closure to this family.