Researching a Missing Naval Relative Leads to Identification of a Fallen Aviator

Driven by a deep sense of duty and connection, one man's search for answers uncovered a long-lost chapter of heroism - one that would have a major impact on another family.

Back in 2018, Matt Robins, KBR technical advisor, began his search for a family member - a naval aircrewman during World War II - who was declared missing in action when he failed to return from a mission over northern Taiwan (known then as Formosa). As a U.S. Naval Academy graduate and naval aviator, Robins was committed to honoring the legacy and service of his relative. While diving into years of research, Robins could never have predicted where his findings would lead.

Through the Freedom of Information Act and assistance of private researchers, Robins obtained case files from the U.S. Army Graves Registration Service documenting unidentified human remains believed to be American aviators recovered from Taiwan and later buried as Unknowns in Hawaii. Robins attempted to identify them using records available at public institutions, including the National Archives and the United States Naval Academy.

"The first of these case files that I began researching-designated Unknown X-136-documented the recovery of remains believed to be a U.S. Navy fighter pilot shot down over Taiwan in October 1944," Robins said. "This file contained numerous intriguing details, including the date (October 13, 1944), location (Toko Seaplane Base), circumstances (shot down by anti-aircraft fire), and, perhaps most importantly, a statement that the unknown aviator was 'believed to be an Annapolis graduate.'"

The Annapolis detail greatly reduced the number of possible candidates-during World War II, only four U.S. Naval Academy graduates were lost over Formosa. The details reminded Robins of a passage from a book he had recently read. Pulling it from the shelf, he confirmed the passage-how on October 13, 1944, while attacking a seaplane base on Formosa, an F6F Hellcat from CVG-11 was shot down by anti-aircraft fire. The pilot was listed as Commander Frederick Rutherford Schrader, USNA Class of 1935. Schrader was commanding officer of Carrier Air Group 11 aboard USS Hornet (CV-12).

Robins provided his research to the Defense POW Accounting Agency (DPAA), and with the support of the Schrader family, a formal identification of Cmdr. Schrader's remains was made in August 2022, followed by a formal military burial ceremony in Hawaii in April 2023.

As a carrier-based naval flight officer, Robins served in an E-2C Hawkeye squadron attached to Carrier Air Wing Eleven (CVW 11), which traces its lineage back to CVG-11, Schrader's last command. Researching his own family eventually led Robins to an article about ongoing efforts to identify World War II MIAs, and the approximately 8,000 sets of unidentified remains believed to be American service members buried in national cemeteries around the globe. A lack of forensic analysis has prevented these servicemembers' remains from being identified and returned to their families.

Robins' father and maternal grandfather both served as carrier-based naval aviators, and both had connections to Schrader-his grandfather during World War II (including Formosa, where Schrader was lost), and his father during Vietnam. Ironically, both served aboard USS Hornet.

While Robins has still not been able to find his missing relative, he played a major role in identifying the remains of an unknown aviator - a testament to the solemn vow our military servicemembers take to bring home our heroes.

Robins has a speaking role in the documentary Sundown to Eleven, which follows the epic journey of WWII veteran Richard "Dick" Miralles-the last surviving member of the U.S. Navy's Air Group Eleven-as he sets out on a deeply personal mission: to uncover the fate of a fallen comrade lost over the Pacific in 1944. You can watch the trailer here: Sundown to Eleven (2025) Documentary | Official Trailer