We give combinatorial proofs of $q$-Stirling identities using restricted growth words. This includes a poset theoretic proof of Carlitzs identity, a new proof of the $q$-Frobenius identity of Garsia and Remmel and of Ehrenborgs Hankel $q$-Stirling determinantal identity. We also develop a two parameter generalization to unify identities of Mercier and include a symmetric function version.
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