Military Personnel Lives Lost

Introduction

The government's official ending date of the Korean War time period is January 31, 1955.  The year 1954 saw numerous stateside airplane crashes that resulted in the deaths of dozens of military personnel.  Those crashes appear on this page of the Korean War Educator in chronological order.  To add further information to this page, contact Lynnita@thekwe.org.

This page was made possible by a grant from
the Illinois Humanities Council.

Table of Contents

Stateside Plane Crashes

• January 21, 1954 - P2V Neptune (Hawaii)

• February 04, 1954 - TV-2 Shooting Star (Texas)

• February 26, 1954 - C-119 (Tennessee)

• March 05, 1954 - B-47 Stratojet (Arizona)

• March 17, 1954 - TF-86F Sabre (California)

• March 19, 1954 - B-26 (Virginia)

• March 19, 1954 - T-33A Shooting Star (Illinois)

• March 19, 1954 - C-119 (Maryland)

• March 19, 1954 - P-51 (Virginia)

• March 29, 1954 - B-36 (Washington)

• March 29, 1954 - TV-2 Shooting Star (Texas)

• March 29, 1954 - F-67 Hellcat (Texas)

• March 30, 1954 - C-119 (North Carolina)

• April 05, 1954 - T-33 (at sea, east coast)

• May 12, 1954 - T-33 (Arizona)

• May 23, 1954 - C-46 (Texas)

• June 3, 1954 - AD-6 (Skyraider (California)

• June 14, 1954 - F1-2 (West Virginia)

• June 28, 1954 - AD-5 (New Mexico)

• July 07, 1954 - TV-2 Shooting Star (Texas)

• September 05, 1954 - F-86H Sabre (Ohio)

• October 06, 1954 - RB-50G (California)

• October 06, 1954 - C-119 (North Carolina)

• November 06, 1954 - T-33A (Mississippi)

• November 08, 1954 - TV-2 Shooting Star (Texas)

• November 16, 1954 - T-33 (Alaska)

• November 16, 1954 - F-80 (Alaska)

• December 29, 1954 - C-119 (Alabama)

• December 30, 1954 - T-33A (Maryland)

January 21, 1954

A Navy P2V Neptune crashed on this date in the Waianae Mountain range of Oahu, Hawaii.  There were eight fatalities.  See more details here.

Fatalities:

Beczek, AD2 Joseph Daniel

Joseph was born October 02, 1930 in Cook County, Illinois, a son of John Victor Beczek (1900-?) and Frances Mary Waliczek Beczek (1907-1990).  His siblings were Mary Ann Beczek (Mrs. Robert S. Grzenia) (1934-2018) and Fred J. Beczek (1938-1999).  Joseph enlisted in the Navy on September 23, 1948.  He is buried in Resurrection Catholic Cemetery and Mausoleums, Justice, Illinois.

Brown, AT3 Richard "Dick" Newton

Dick was born June 03, 1932 in Pike County, Ohio, the son of Richard Martin Brown (1906-1987) and Hattie Hazel Scaggs Brown (1908-1995).  He was the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Newton Scaggs.  He attended and graduated from Waverly, Ohio High School, where he played on the school's football team.  His sister was Doris Brown (Mrs. Norborne Charles Ward) (1929-2012).Dick is buried in Evergreen Union Cemetery, Waverly.

Cooper, Ens. Wilbur Duvall

According to records, Wilbur Duvall Cooper, was born in Kansas on 7 September 1929, the son of Carl Theodore Cooper (1893-1978) and Pearl (Ogden) Cooper (1899-1981). Wilbur was one of eight children, with five brothers and two sisters. In 1930, his family was living in Belle Plaine, Sumner County, Kansas. Wilbur Cooper's father, Carl T. Cooper was a farmer. Between 1935 and 1940, the family moved to Salem, Sedwick County, Kansas where Wilbur's father operated a filling station, called "Cooper's Corner" (the building is there to this day). At first, the family lived in the basement. After some time, Carl built a house on top of the filling station and they lived there.

According to Wilbur Cooper's obituary, Wilbur was a 1947 graduate of Clearwater High School. After he graduated, he attended Southwestern College in Winfield before he entered pre-flight naval training in 1951. Wilbur graduated from pre-flight school at Pensacola, Florida. He went on to complete flight training at Corpus Christi, Texas and was then assigned to the USS Monterey to complete his pilot qualifications aboard an aircraft carrier.

Five of his siblings were Carl Theodore (1917-1984), Max Eugene (1918-2010), Lorraine Mae Cooper Kelley (1926-1991), Sgt. Charles Edward (1938-1966), and Herbert Eldon (1941-1993).  Sergeant Charles Cooper was killed in Vietnam.  Wilbur is buried in Belle Plaine Cemetery, Belle Plaine, Kansas.

Hanzo, Lt. (jg) Walter J. Jr. - pilot

Walter J. Hanzo Jr. was born March 16, 1928 in Verona, New Jersey, the son of Walter J. Hanzo Sr. and Anna Lee Hanzo. His paternal grand parents were Aldoph and Annie Hanzo.  Walter Hanzo's family moved to Miami when Walter Jr. was seven years old. The family were residents of Dade County, Florida in the 1940 Federal Census and in the 1945 Florida State Census. Walter attended Gesu School in Miami, Florida; Carlisle Military Academy in Bamberg, South Carolina; and The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina.

According to records, Walter Hanzo started his service in the US Navy on 3 June 1948. He was a Lt (jg) when he died.  Walter Hanzo Jr. was survived by his sister, Mary Agnes and his mother, Anna. Lieutenant Hanzo and another crash fatality, Paul M. Koehler, are buried together in the Chattanooga National Cemetery, Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Hazlett, Ens. Gerald Martin - copilot

Gerald Martin Hazlett was born August 21, 1930, in Walpole, Massachusetts, the son of Andrew Gerald Hazlett (1894-1972) and Bridget Christina Murphy Hazlett (1906-1995).  He graduated from Walpole High School. He was in his senior year at Boston University where he was majoring in physics when he was accepted into Naval Flight Training.  He was survived by his wife and a son, his parents, brother Richard S. Hazlett (1932-2010) and a sister.  Gerald is buried in Saint Francis Cemetery, Walpole, Massachusetts.

Koehler, AM2 Paul Martin

Paul was born August 20, 1930 in Nebraska, a son of Frank Otto Koehler (1898-1987) and Anna Alvina Hoefs Koehler (1900-1994).  He had a brother and a sister, Lucille Emma Koehler Taylor (1926-2011).  He is buried in Chattanooga National Cemetery, Chattanooga, Tennessee with Walter J. Hanzo.

Maksymon, AT2 Joseph Michael

Joseph was born November 14, 1928 in Rhode Island, the son of Mikel Maksymon (1891-1971) and Anna Maksymons (1895-1991).  He is buried in Saint Michael's Ukrainian Catholi Church Cemetery, Blackstone, Massachusetts.

Staples, ADC John Robert

John was from Belmont, Nova Scotia, Canada.  He is buried in Hillcrest Park Cemetery, Springfield, Massachusetts.  He was the plane's captain.

February 04, 1954

Lockheed TV-2 131877 crashed four miles southwest of Alice, Texas.  The pilot, a naval aviation student, was killed.  The aircraft was in a formation of four planes when it went out of control, crashed and burned.

Fatality

Griffith, Ens. Richard Hugh Griffith

Richard was born September 14, 1930, the son of Dr. William Hugh Griffith (1898-1967) and Carrie J. Moss Griffith (1900-1976) of Hollywood, California.  The family of three is buried in Forest Lawn Memorial, Glendale, California.

February 05, 1954

During a night training flight, Lockheed P-80A (TV-1) #33860 dived straight down, crashed and burned 20 miles southwest of Kingsville, Texas, and about 10 miles west of Sarita.  Killed was an naval aviation student.

Fatality

Weiner, 2Lt. Stanton Harold

2Lt. Stanton Harold Weiner (USMC).  Stanton was born December 31, 1930, a son of Reuben Weiner (1892-1949) and Libby Sax Weiner (1892-1986).  His siblings were Herbert Louis Weiner (1927-1981), Robert Clarence Weiner (1916-1988), and Burton Jules Weiner (1928-1992).  Lieutenant Weiner is buried in Rosehill Cemetery and Mausoleum, Chicago, Illinois.

February 26, 1954

This C-119 made two passes over the city of Huntingdon, Tennessee.  On the second pass the plane struck the roof of a house and crashed, killing the crew of four and badly burning two men on the ground.  Click on the link below to read more about this fatal accident. 

C-119 Airplane Crash

March 05, 1954

Boeing B-47 Stratojet 51-2416 crashed and burned in the desert near Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. 

Fatalities:

Crocker, MSgt. Arnold Bentt (crew chief), Corinth, Maine

Arnold Bentt Crocker was born April 14, 1920 in Maine, a son of Charles Kelly Crocker (1880-1957) and Estella May McCormack Crocker (1889-1954).  The Crockers were from Penobscot County, Maine.  He was married to Doris J. Crocker and they had two daughters, Marilyn Ruth (1947-1949) and a daughter born circa 1946.  Arnold was from a family of eight children, including: Gerald Charles (1919-1976), Harold Winfred (1911-1959), Leland T., Roland, and Myrtle D. Crocker.  Master Sergeant Crocker served in the 303 Bomb Wing during World War II.  He is buried in Fort Logan National Cemetery, Denver, Colorado.

Nadeau, Capt. Clifford E. (observer), Beldenville, Wisconsin

Clifford Nadeau was born July 19, 1918, a son of Jess Frank Nadeau (1890-1965) and Margaret Veronica Kish Nadeau (1889-1981).  His siblings were Ethel Veronica Nadeau Mulhausen (1911-2007), Zellery George Nadeau (1916-1970), and Cyril Jess Nadeau (1913-1994).  Captain Nadeau served in the 303 Bomb Wing during World War II and was the recipient of the Air Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters.  He is buried in Austin Memorial Park Cemetery, Austin, Texas.

Skidmore, Capt. Ralph D. (aircraft commander), Flagstaff, Arizona

Ralph D. Skidmore was born November 22, 1924 in Iowa City, Iowa, the son of William Ralph Skidmore (1895-1932) and Elta Dillard Skidmore (1891-1992).  He was married to Elizabeth Neil Massey in 1942 in Flagstaff, Arizona.  They had a daughter, Leslie Jan Skidmore.  Captain Skidmore's sister was Mary Gertrude Skidmore (Mrs. Bernard Eldon Brown) (1927-1996).  Captain Skidmore was a World War II veteran.  He is buried in Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, San Diego, California.

Smith, 1Lt. Dale C. (pilot), Alameda, California

Lieutenant Smith was born in 1927.  He and his wife, Elaine I. Smith (1926-2009), are buried in Chapel of the Chimes Columbarium and Mausoleum, Oakland, California.

March 17, 1954

Joseph A. Lynch Jr.

The first North American TF-86F Sabre 52-5016 crashed while performing a slow-roll on take-off at Edwards Air Force Base, California.  The test pilot died.  Crashed March 17, 1954, killing N.A.A. test pilot Joe Lynch when he took off without knowing he was inadvertently given a full fuel load and did a slow roll demo, in front of new pilot cadets, thinking he had a partial fuel load and not being heavy. He stalled during the roll and was unable to correct back to wings level condition.

Lynch, Joseph Arthur Jr. (test pilot)

Joseph Arthur Lynch Jr. was born November 24, 1920 in Columbus, Georgia, the son of Joseph Arthur Lynch Sr. and Georgia Flewellen Mitchell Lynch.  He was a decorated World War II pilot who received an Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster.  He is buried in Linwood Cemetery.

March 19, 1954

A B-26 exploded and crashed into a swampy area three miles northwest of Amelia, Virginia.  Four airmen were killed.

Hagenson, Eugene F.

Captain Hagenson was born May 03, 1919, a son of Gustave Harvey Hagenson (1888-1952) and Hazel Elizabeth Biery Hagenson (1893-1965).  He was the husband of Aline Cleo Bernstein Hagenson, and the father of LeeAnn, SherryLu and Jon Hagenson.  His siblings were Ernest W. (1914-1981), Paul E. (1929-2020), Helen Ugarph-Sorensen (1917-1999), Esther V. Peasley (1922-1996), and Lois Haring.  During World War II his plane was shot down over Germany and he was taken prisoner of war.  At the time of his death he was an Air Force instructor pilot.  He is buried in Westlawn Cemetery, Norridge, Illinois.

Maples, Hughie Martin Jr.

1Lt. Hughie Maples was born on October 09, 1929 in Wadesboro, North Carolina, the son of Hughie Martin Maples Sr. (1888-1977) and Esther Decker Willoughby Maples (1900-1986).  His sister was Gwendolyn Maples and his half sisters were Myrtle Louise Maples Dixon (1917-2009), an infant girl (1920-1920). Hughie Jr. graduated from State College, Raleigh, North Carolina, then entered the Air Force.  He was stationed at Vance Air Force Base awaiting transfer to the Pacific area when he died in the B-26 crash.  He is buried in Eastview Cemetery Wadesboro.

Schneider, Donald Philip "Don"

Donald Schneider was born December 20, 1931 in York, Pennsylvania, a son of George Bruno Schneider (1904-1987) and Ruth Louise Gartside (1904-1987).  His siblings were George Michael Schneider (1929-2016) and David L. Schneider.  Donald is buried in Holy Saviour Cemetery, Manchester Township, York County, Pennsylvania.

[The KWE is seeking the name of the fourth airman who lost his life in this crash.]

March 19, 1954

A T-33A Shooting Star (#52-9611) crashed near Thomasboro, Illinois on this date, killing its pilot, LTC Albert Lossen Lane Jr.  His fellow pilots called him "Jim" or "Jimmie". Lane was flying from Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland en route to Springfield when bad weather caused him to change course and decide to land via instrument at Chanute Air Force Base.  The plane circled Chanute once and was on its second pass when the aircraft crashed in a plowed cornfield on the John Raup farm one mile south and one-fourth mile east of Thomasboro.  The plane exploded on impact and the pilot was killed instantly.  Information about the crash can be found in the Champaign-Urbana Courier and News-Gazette newspapers, March 20, 1954 issues.

Fatality

Lane, Albert L. Jr.

Albert Jr., the only son of Col. Albert L. Lane Sr. and Freda Margaret Kelly Lane, was born May 23, 1920, in Iowa City, Iowa.  He had three sisters.  A graduate of Grant High School in Oregon, he entered West Point Military Academy in July of 1939.  He married Ann Grimes in February of 1943.  After graduating from the Air Command and Staff School at Maxwell Air Force Base he was sent to Europe during World War II where he served with the 453rd Bomb Group.  In February of 1944 his plane was shot down over Germany and he became a prisoner of war.  After his release he remained in the Air Force.  During the Korean War he was assigned to the War Plans Division, United States Air Force.  Albert "Jimmie" Lane and his wife Ann were parents of Chuck Lane, Ann Lane, and Albert "Ted" Lane III.   LTC Lane is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

March 19, 1954

USAF Fairchild C-119F-FA Flying Boxcar, 51-7993, c/n 10732, of the 774th Troop Carrier Squadron, Ardmore Air Force Base, Oklahoma, en route from Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, to Mitchell Air
Force Base, Long Island, New York, crashed into a rain-swept cornfield 19 miles south of Annapolis, Maryland, killing all 18 on board. It had departed Bolling Air Force Base, Washington, D.C., after refueling at 2212 hours. A watch found in the wreckage had stopped at 2229 hours. A spokesman at Bolling said that there were twelve passengers and six crewmen aboard. There were eleven Air Force personnel, five U.S. Navy, and one Marine on board.

Witnesses reported that the aircraft was on fire before the crash and appeared to have exploded. The plane grazed the edge of a wooded area just off Maryland Route 2 before it impacted. Twisted wreckage and bodies were strewn over a ten acre area. A heavy rain aided firemen in preventing the fire from getting out of hand. A detachment of sailors and Marines from the U. S. Naval Academy at Annapolis stood guard over the area as a group of investigators from Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, examined the wreckage for clues to the cause of the tragedy.

The fatalities included:

Crew Members

1. Coppedge, Capt. Gene T. (pilot) - born 1922, son of William T. Inman (1872-1968) and Mabel Alice Dotson Inman (1890-1967) of Pittsburg, Kansas.  His brother was Don Taylor Inman (1928-1986).  Gene is buried in Mount Olive Cemetery, Pittsburg.
    
2. Crabtree, SSgt. Ernest Vincent (engineer) - born September 17, 1923 in North Andover, Massachusetts, he was the husband of Mrs. Mattie Lou Crabtree and the son of Peter Crabtree (1897-1974) and Elizabeth Ada Gorton Crabtree (1903-1976) of Hawthorne, California.  Ernest served in the US Naval Reserves from April 24, 1944 to November 28, 1945, and the US Army from November 02, 1948 to September 18, 1952.  He is buried in Green Hills Memorial Park, San Petro, California.
    
3. Johnson, 1Lt. Henry T. (navigator) - He was the son of Krikor der Hovannesian (Johnson) 1876-1945) and Agavney A. Asadourian Johnson (1890-1979), South Portland, Maine.  His siblings were Leon Johnson, John D. Johnson (died 2007), Marion Johnson Serunian (1911-2000) and Josephine Florence Johnson Smith (1914-2010).  Henry is buried in Calvary Cemetery, South Portland, Maine.
    
4. Kemmerling, 1Lt. Roy Charles (pilot) - He was born December 17, 1926, a son of Charles W. Kemmerling (1901-1971) and Dora A. Herring Kemmerling (1903-1976) of Pine Grove, Pennsylvania.  Roy's sibligs were Parthenia (died 1923), Daniel, Harvey Sr., Robert, Eva Kemmerling Zimmerman, Ina Kemmerling Zerbe, Kurt Sr., Olive Kemmerling Charles and Doris Kemmerling Bohler.  Roy is buried in Saint Marks Browns Church Cemetery, Moyers, Pennsylvania.
    
5. Roloff, 2Lt. Richard L. (navigator) - Born January 25, 1930, he was from Iselin, New Jersey.  He is buried in Clover Leaf Memorial Park, Woodbridge, New Jersey.
    
6. Taylor, Airman 2c Jon Gordon (radio operator) - Born January 13, 1936, he was the son of Lenore B. Taylor Beck (Schultz) (1902-2011) and William C. Beck of Adrian, Michigan.  His siblings were Ronald Joel Taylor (1934-1989) and Robert Taylor.  Jon is buried in Indianfields Township Cemetery, Caro, Michigan.

Passengers

1. Baldassaro, Airman 3c Gerald Anthony - He was born July 17, 1933, the son of Gerald R. Baldassaro (1906-1989) and Olive O. Nobile Baldassaro (1909-1992) of Williamsett, Massachusetts.  His brother was Lawrence A. Baldassaro.  Gerald is buried in Calvary Cemetery, Holyoke, Massachusetts.
    
2. Hiller, SN Allen R. - Born July 15, 1933, he was the son of Harold Hale Hiller Sr. (1907-2002) and Bessie Mabel Loveless Hiller (1906-1981).  His brother was Harold Hale Hiller Jr.  Allen is buried in the First Reformed Church Cemetery, Pompton Plains, New Jersey.
    
3. Junghans, Frederick R. - Born April 03, 1932 in New York, he was the son of Frederic B. Junghans (died 1964) and Grace E. Junghans (died 1978).  Frederick is buried in Stanhope Union Cemetery, Morris County, New Jersey.
    
4. Lavers, SN Phillip Alden - born October 13, 1934.  He is buried in Greenlawn Cemetery, Salem, Massachusetts.
    
5. Snodgrass, Airman Wayne F. - Born March 21, 1934, he was a son of Howard Leymoin Snodgrass (1907-1987) and Alice Elizabeth Minnis Snodgrass (1905-1975) of Ohio.  His siblings were Seymour Thomas Snodgrass (1926-2007), Howard Leymoin Snodgrass (1929-2003), James Edward Snodgrass (1931-2009), Bernard Lee Snodgrass (1935-2006), Carolyn Mae Snodgrass Wright (1937-1980) and Raymond D. Snodgrass.  Wayne is buried in Saint John Cemetery Haven of Rest, Colliers, West Virginia.
    
6. Springer, Airman 2c Paul H. - Brooklyn, New York
    
7. Strauss, Airman 2c Robert M. - Born August 06, 1933 in Meriden, Connecticut, he was the son of Harold R. Strauss (1905-1984) and Marion T. Strauss (1904-2002).  Robert was an A/2C Musician in the Air Force.  He is buried in Walnut Grove Cemetery, Meriden.
    
8. Valente, Airman 3c Joseph A. - South Portland, Maine
9. ?
10. ?
11. ?
12. ?

March 19, 1954

First Lieutenant Robert Smith was killed when his P-51 Mustang aircraft crashed near the summit of towering Chestnut Ridge in the Burke’s Garden section of mountainous Tazewell County, Virginia in heavy cloud cover. The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter and light bomber used during World War II and other conflicts.

Lieutenant Smith was on a navigational training flight from Battle Creek, Michigan to Charlotte, North Carolina. The aircraft impacted the ridge at about 4,680 feet in a very dense rhododendron thicket. The plane had careened through the treetops for about 200 yards before finally crashing about 100 feet from the top of the ridge. Low cloud cover is especially common in late winter when fog sets in on the mountain tops. When last heard from, the pilot had made a routine radio report to Charleston, West Virginia. He failed to report at his next point, Pulaski, Virginia. The medical report seems to confirm that he was attempting to remain below the cloud cover but this would have been impossible on a southerly heading. The burned body of the pilot was found slumped in the cockpit wreckage. Lieutenant Smith had only been with the 172nd Squadron for six months but he was a veteran pilot who was a World War II flier and his loss was felt by all the squadron.

Fatality

Smith, Robert Brannan - Robert Brannan Smith was born February 23, 1922 in Lansing, Michigan, the son of Anthony A. Smith (1890-1971) and Hazel M. Brannan Smith (1891-1965).  He married Marjorie Helen Dunham on June 30, 1945 in Lansing.  They had no children.  He was in the insurance business with his father.  He is buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Lansing, Michigan.

March 29, 1954

A B-36 crashed shortly after takeoff from Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane County, Washington.  Seven airmen were killed and three others were injured.  Find information about this fatal crash here.

March 29, 1954

On a routine familiarization flight, TV-2 Shooting Star 131876 crashed near NAAS, Kingsville, Texas at 3 p.m. that day.  The training plane dived into the ground and burned two and a half miles southeast of the north field from which the planes operated at Kingsville Naval Auxiliary Air Station.  The pilot, a student in ATU-200 at the air station, was killed instantly.

Fatality

Hawkes, Ltjg Edward Albert - The son of Mrs. Mary L. Hawkes of Orchard Lake, Michigan, Edward was a 1952 graduate of Michigan State College.
 

March 29, 1954

An F-67 Hellcat propeller-type fighter plane crashed during landing approach to the south field at Kingsville Naval Auxiliary Air Station.  The pilot, a student in ATU-100 at the air station, was killed instantly.

Fatality

Meyer, 1Lt. James Riley - Born January 16, 1928, he was a son of William Andrew Meyer Sr. (1904-1977) and Helen Denise Riley.  His siblings were William Andrew Meyer Jr. (1927-2005), Thomas Edward Meyer (1929-1999), Ann Adele Meyer Dohrn (1934-2007), Cathleen Elizabeth Meyer (1939-2o2o) and Susan Meyer Moore.  James Riley, a World War II and Korean War veteran, is buried in Sacred Heart Cemetery, Burlington, Iowa.
 

March 30, 1954

When the engine of a C-119 began to burn, the pilot tried to make an emergency landing at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina.  It struck the top of an officers' barracks and skidded into the base mess hall.  Seven were killed and ten others were injured.  Find information about this fatal crash here.

March 30, 1954

F-86F Sabre 51-13306 crashed near Nouasseur Air Base in French Morocco on this date.  The pilot was killed.

Fatality

Plass, Frederick J. - Frederick was born December 28, 1925 in Oregon, a son of John Plass (1889-1963) and Lela Grace Lyda Plass (1896-1970).  His siblings were Irene Wyatt, Francis Plass, Mary Ellen Plass Knipe, Agnes Julianna Plass Krieger (1916-1991), Evelyn Marie Plass Van Dyke (1917-2004), Theresa Frances Plass Lardy (1919-2006) and Vernon Joseph Plass (1931-1996).  Frederick was a World War II veteran, Distinguished Flying Cross recipient, and the recipient of the Air Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters. He is buried in Mount Calvary Cemetery, Portland, Oregon.

April 1, 1954

A BT-13 crashed and burned in Los Varas canyon 15 miles northwest of Santa Barbara, California.

Fatalities:

Atkinson, Edward

Schmidt, Don

April 05, 1954

On this date a Lockheed T-33 (52-9664) from the Republic Aircraft plant at Farmingdale, New York was being flown to Langley Air Force Base, Virginia when contact was lost with the aircraft.  It is presumed, that the plane crashed into the sea. The pilot was killed.

Fatality

Councill, Col. William Haldane - Colonel Councill grew up in the Ingomar portion of McCandless Township, Pennsylvania. His parents were William and Bertha Councill. He was the brother of David Elihu, Ruth Etta, and Barbara Alice. William was a student at the Perry High School, where, as a member of the Aero Club, he helped fellow students build a glider.

He joined the U.S. Army Air Corps after graduation from Carnegie Tech in 1933. He spent two years in a pursuit squadron in Hawaii. (Source: The Pittsburgh Press, August 1, 1945) During World War II he served as a flight instructor and eventually flew 130 combat missions piloting Lockheed P-38 Lightnings in the South Pacific while serving with the 13th Air Force. (Source: Pittsburgh Post Gazette, May 25, 2014.)

While serving as commander of a fighter group on Guadalcanal, Col. Councill "was credited with leading a flight of four P-38s that killed between 200 and 300 Jap soldiers working on an airfield on Bougainville." (Source: The Pittsburgh Press, August 1, 1945.) On January 26, 1946, Col. Councill became the transcontinental non-stop record holder flying a modified Lockheed P-80A Shooting Star, S/N 44-85123, from Long Beach, California to LaGuardia, New York (2,457 miles) in 4 hours, 13 minutes, and 26 seconds. His aircraft, which is today displayed at Edwards Air Force Base, California, flew at an average speed of 600 mph. That record stood for eight years.

Colonel Councill served as the commander of the 86th Fighter-Bomber Wing at Neubiberg, Germany from June of 1949 until September of 1950. During the Korean War, Colonel Councill was the director of the Tactical Air Command at Langley Air Force Base, Hampton, Virginia. William Councill had earned the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal, the Pacific Theater of Operations Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal. William was the husband of Lillie Slay Councill and they had a daughter, Frances.

April 20, 1954

A C-119 transport plane hit a fog-obscured ridge on Mission Point (a 2,771 foot high mountain) while attempting to reach Burbank (California) Air Base on an instrument landing.  The plane was en route from Chandler-Williams Air Force Base at Chandler, Arizona to the Burbank Airport.  Seven onboard lost their life. The crash occurred 2.5 miles north of Granada, California.

Fatalities

Mauer, Lt. Harry (pilot) - A World War II and Korean War veteran, Mauer was born August 28, 1918, the son of Iona May Minnich Maurer Groff (1900-1988).  He is buried in Perkasie Mausoleum, Perkasie, Pennsylvania.

Vander Meyden, A/1c Hubert Abraham - Hubert was en route to visit his parents when he was killed in this crash.  He was born July 18, 1930 in Los Angeles, a son of Dirk Antonie (Dick) Vander Meyden Jr. (1900-1976) and Francina Antonia Vreeken Vander Meyden (1899-1988).  His siblings were John Cornelius (1918-2001) and Richard Vander Meyden.  Albert is buried in Salt Lake City Cemetery, Salt Lake City, Utah.

April 22, 1954

Flying Boxcar 52-5904 exploded in mid-air due to a mechanical failure.  The crash took place six miles north northwest of Beulaville, North Carolina.  Four airmen were onboard and two of them lost their lives.  The two survivors parachuted to safety.  The plane was participating in an Air Force training exercise in conjunction with the Army's atomic warfare exercise, Flash Burn, centering at Pope Air Force Base and Fort Bragg.  The plane was part of the 464th Troop Carrier Wing of Lawson Air Force Base.  The name for the Air Force's part of the exercise was Operation Tacair 54-7.

Fatalities

Poust, Maj. Charles E. - Charles was born March 05, 1921 and was married to Muriel E. Poust (1923-2013).  The couple is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

?

Survivors

Olsen, 2 Lt. Eldon D. (co-pilot)

Wilson, Capt. Irvin B. (navigator)

May 12, 1954

A Lockheed T-33A Shooting Star (52-9478) crashed eight miles west of Superior, Arizona, killing the pilot.

Fatality

Noble, Charles Robert - Born April 05, 1932, he was a son of Charles Leslie Noble (1907-1987) and Ruth Irene Daugherity Noble (1907-1987).  His siblings were Elizabeth L. "Betty" Noble Seymour (1928-2014) and a brother.  A member of the Air Force's AC3525 Student Squad, he is buried in Biggsville Cemetery, Biggsville, Illinois.

May 23, 1954

A C-46 troop transport of the Indiana Air National Guard crashed in heavy rain 12 miles south of Comfort, Texas, on the Warren Ingenhuett ranch.  The plane was en route from El Paso Municipal Airport to Kelly AFB in San Antonio before returning to Camp Atteberry in Indiana.  It was last heard from at the Kelly control tower at 9:07 p.m. Two crew members were killed and three others (the o-pilot, a passenger and the engineer) were injured.

Fatalities

Cross, Clifford Eugene - Born November 25, 1915 in Missouri, Staff Sergeant Cross was a son of Richard Cross and Martha Ellen Pitts Cross (Gibson) (1875-1969).  Clifford was married to Henrietta Earney ("Josie") Spradling Cross (1917-2002).  His siblings were sisters Nadine and Glenary, and brothers Raynal, Richard, Homer, Fate and Clyde.

Strean, Ralph Lester Jr. - Born July 08, 1919, he was a son of Ralph Lester Strean (1887-1940) and Maude D. Hopkins Strean (1887-1978).  He was married to Gladys Strean (later Herndon) (1925-2003) in 1942.  Lt. Colonel Strean's siblings were Verle H. Strean (1909-1929), Bernard Max Strean (1910-2002), James Lloyd Strean (1921-2003), Elsie Virginia Strean (1923-1929) and Donald R. Strean (1929-1991).  Lt. Colonel Strean is buried in Highland Memorial Park, Ocala, Florida.

Injured

Isley, Maj. William L. (co-pilot)

Kimberley, Capt. Leon W. (passenger)

Koepp, Airman 2C Armin (engineer)

June 03, 1954

AD-6 Skyraider 134490 failed to pull out of a dive and crashed in an uninhabited area 5 miles bearing 330 degrees from Armitage Field on one of the China Lake ranges in California.  The pilot was stationed at Moffett Field, California at the time of the accident.

Fatality

Ellis, LCdr. Kermit Quentin - Kermit was born August 18, 1921 in Lexington, Missouri, a son of Virgil John Ellis (1878-1956) and Maude Jane Burnett Ellis (1882-1965).  He attended Lexington High School and Wentworth Military Academy.  He joined the Navy in 1941 and in 1951-52 he attended the University of Missouri's navy training program.  He married Barbara J. Roquette (1925-1997) (later Barbara Stenfors) in 1943.  They were parents of two daughters, Barbara Kay Ellis and Christy Ann Ellis.  His siblings were David Burnley Ellis (1905-1958), Isaac Curtis Ellis (1909-1988), Edgar Joe Ellis (1907-1990), infant sister (1917-1917) and infant brother (1918- 1918).  Lieutenant Commander Ellis is buried in Machpelah Cemetery, Lexington, Missouri.

LCDR Kermit Q. Ellis had a distinguished career as a pilot in the United States Navy. In 1945, he was the pilot of a Curtiss SB2C Helldiver, also known as the A-25 Shrike, a carrier-based dive bomber assigned to the USS Essex. In April 1945, the Japanese battleship Yamato, the largest battleship in the world, and nine other Japanese warships, embarked from Japan for a suicide attack on Allied forces engaged in the battle of Okinawa. The Japanese force was attacked by U.S. carrier-borne aircraft in the East China Sea before it could reach Okinawa. On April 7, Ellis and his crewman Frank Guptill launched from the Essex. After attacking the Yamato's broadside, his plane took a hit in the left wing tank. As the plane burned, the two parachuted out with their life rafts as the plane crashed into the ocean. The next day, they were rescued by the submarine USS Tench. During the battle, the Yamato and five other Japanese warships were sunk, demonstrating U.S. air supremacy in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and the vulnerability of surface ships without air cover to aerial attack.

June 14, 1954

En route from Lockbourne Air Force Base in Ohio to Cherry Point, North Carolina, an F1-2 crashed after it was in the air only 18 minutes.  The plane went into a deep angle dive before it crashed and was blown to pieces in the area of Maple Meadow, West Virginia.

Fatality

Barnes, 2Lt. Pierre Tulloch II - Pierre was born June 18, 1930 in Los Angeles, California, the son of Pierre Tulloch Barnes Sr. and Paula Maxine Cody Sayre (1905-1983).  Lieutenant Barnes and his wife Angela (died 1996) were the parents of Pete Barnes, born ten days after the fatal plane crash.  Pete  is now Dr. Pete Barnes, a chiropractor in California.  Lieutenant Barnes is buried in Inglewood Park Cemetery, Inglewood, California.

June 28, 1954

AD-5 132438 crashed on a routine flight from Inyokern to Albuquerque, New Mexico.  The pilot, Lt. W.R. Chester parachuted out of aircraft 35 miles northwest of Albuquerque, but a second crew member lost his life.

Fatality

Davis, ADR2 Ward Dale - Ward was born March 02, 1929, a son of Edward Leeland "Lee" Davis (1899-1980) and Clara Christensen Davis (1902-1940).  His siblings were Raymond Lee Davis (1922-1948), Phyllis Mae Davis Munster (1923-2012), Melba Davis (1925-1926), and Betty Lou Carter.  His half-siblings were NaDean Davis (1948-1950) and Lyndon Kip Davis (1951-1999).  Ward Davis is buried in Ermen Cemetery, Osceola, Arkansas.

July 07, 1954

TV-2 Shooting Star 131730 caught fire and crashed near Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas.  The pilot was killed.

Fatality

Christian, Martin John II - Martin was born May 02, 1919 in Ohio, the son of Martin John Christian Sr.  He married Helen Hood Boone on March 04, 1944 and they were parents of two children.  Carol Boone Christian (Mrs. Edgar Hall Jr.) (1945-2018) and Martin J. Christian III.  Lieutenant Christian was a World War II and Korean War veteran.  He is buried in Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, San Diego, California.

August 25, 1954

An F-86H crashed near LaQuinta, California on this date.  There was one fatality.  See details by clicking this link.

Fatality

McConnell, Joseph Christopher Jr.

September 05, 1954

An F-86H Sabre broke apart when its pilot attempted to break a record at the Dayton Air Show.  The pilot was killed.  See details by clicking this link.

Fatality

Armstrong, Maj. John L. "Jack"

October 06, 1954

U.S. Air Force RB-50G Superfortress #47-154, five miles southeast of Willows, California went into a flat spin while on a flight from Biggs Air Force Base near El Paso, Texas.  Four crew members parachuted when the aircraft was less than 500 feet from the ground.  One did not survive his parachute descent.  One crewman survived the plane's impact into a rice field on the O'Brien Farm near Willows, being thrown from the rear gunner's compartment in the tail section. Thirteen of 17 crew members perished.

Fatalities:

Baca, A2C Daniel L.

Ford, MSgt. Charles M.

Foster, MSgt. Clarence E.

Hansen, MSgt. Howard J.

Herrick, Maj. Park Brown Jr, (pilot)

Myers, A2C William F.

Robinson, Capt. Otho (navigator)

Swisher, 1st Lt. John H. (co-pilot)

Townsend, MSgt. Junior

Vaughan, 1st Lt. John D. (2nd navigator)

Wirt, Maj. John M.

Wright, Capt. Keith B.

Wynne, A2C Eddie L.

 

October 6, 1954

A C-119 aircraft (52-5859) had engine failure and exploded shortly after takeoff at Ft. Bragg.  The plane crashed into a barracks construction project at the end of the runway.  On the plane were five airmen and seven Army passengers.  There were two fatalities.  Two civilian workers on the construction project were injured.

Fatalities

Fulton, 1Lt. Frank Newell - co-pilot from Lynn, Massachusetts.  Frank Fulton was born January 25, 1929, a son of Alvin Perry Fulton (1881-1951) and Gladys Sarah Stone Fulton (1888-1972).  During World War II he was stationed in the Air Force in England.  Prior to the C119 tragedy he had married Rhoda Robertson of Isle of Skye, Scotland and they had just moved to the USA to begin their married life.  His siblings were Hazel Stone Fulton Dana (1915-2001), Robert Oscar Fulton (1917-1990), and George Perry Fulton (1925-1998).  Frank Fulton is buried in Pine Grove Cemetery, Lynn, Massachusetts. 

Wyatt, 1Lt. William LeRoy - pilot from Sedgewick, Kansas.  William Wyatt was born July 18, 1918 in Chase County, Kansas, the son of W. Arthur Wyatt (1891-1963) and Gertrude J. Wyatt (1896-1979).  He was married to Helen Pauline Richardson Wyatt (1924-1998).  William is buried in Woodlawn Memorial Park, Grenada, Mississippi.

November 06, 1954

T-33A Shooting Star 51-8588 crashed 3.5 miles south southwest of Schlater, Mississippi.  The pilot was killed.

Fatality

Hamm, Perry S. -

November 08, 1954

TV-2 Shooting Star 136839 crashed near Sarita, Texas.  The pilot was killed.

November 16, 1954

On a training flight from Elmendorf Air Base in Alaska, the pilot of a T-33 checked in with ground controllers, then vanished near Point MacKenzie.  The pilot and navigator were never heard from again.

Fatalities

Pendleton, Lt. Roger - Born July 17, 1921 in Winchester, Massachusetts, he was a son of Fabius Ray Pendleton (born 1878) and Grace Anderson Pendleton (born 1878).  He married Patricia Edith Mitchell on July 09, 1947 in New Hampshire.  Roger enlisted in the Air Corps Aviation Cadet Reserves on January 08, 1943 in Boston.  He was the brother of Alden L. Pendleton (1914-1925) and another sibling.
 

Tietze, Capt. Lionel Norman - Born January 24, 1921 in Chicago, Illinois, he was the son of Karl (Charles) Gustav Eduard Tietze (1877-1935) and Johanna Cecelia Johnson Tietzxe-Andrew (1888-1986).  His siblings were Frederick Inglebret Tietze (1916-1989), Howard Everett Tietze (1918-1991) and Albert Oliver Tietze (1924-1998).

November 16, 1954

An F-80 Shooting Star crashed into a mud beach near Knik Arm from Point Woronzof ten miles from Anchorage.  Another pilot flying in the three-plane formation stated that he saw the plane go into a steep dive.  The planes were flying at 3,000 feet due to bad weather.  The missing plane was located two weeks after the crash, but only a few pieces of it could be found before it and the pilot sank in the mud.  Kulis Air National Guard Base was named after the lost pilot.

Fatality

Kulis, 1Lt. Albert - Born on August 22, 1922 in Brooklyn, New York, he was the son of Alphonse M. Kulis (1890-1976) and Teresa A. Kudzma Kulis (1900-1930).  Arriving in Alaska in 1946, Albert flew commercially for Alaska Airlines and then Cordova Airlines, and was a member of the Alaska National Guard.  His wife, Ruth Bernice Nelson Kulis, remained in Anchorage until 1958.  Born in 1924, she died November 23, 2001 in California.  The couple had three children: Robert, Gordon and Karen.  Karen Kulis Fitzgerald (1955-1999) was born in January 1955 after the Lieutenant's death.  Albert's sistre was Mildred Kulis DeShaw (1921-2013).

December 29, 1954

US Air Force's C-119G #53-8102 crashed 18.1 miles southeast of Huntsville, Alabama, on this date.  The plane had left Smyrna-Sewart Air Force Base in Tennessee and was en route to Mobile-Brookley Air Force Base, Alabama, when it crashed on Shin Hook Ridge, killing all four crew members and five of the seven passengers.  The two survivors were thrown clear when the rear clamshell doors opened during the accident sequence.  There were severe thunderstorms and tornadoes in the area.

Fatalities

Border, 1Lt. J.B., 3510 Combat Crew Training Squadron, Randolph AFB, TX

Foley, Airman 1c Lawrence J., Bronx, NY

Forguson, Capt. Leslie Darrell (pilot), Antioch, TN - Leslie was born April 3, 1919 in Trigg Furnace, Kentucky, the son of Roscoe Owen Forguson and Birdie Crass Forguson.  He married World War II Army veteran Rose Marion Merchant in 1941.  Leslie is buried in Riverside Memorial Park, Jacksonville, Florida.

Hall, 2Lt. Gerry M., 32nd Air Rescue Service, March AFB, CA

Hawkins, 2Lt. Charles D., Nashville, TN - Charles was born in 1931.  He is buried in Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens, Littleton, Colorado.

McKay, Airman 2c Leon M., 9th Radio Relay Squadron, Donelson AFB, SC

Miller, Airman 2c Richard W., Murfreesboro, TN

Shoemaker, Airman 3c Robert A., 9th Radio Relay Squadron, Donelson AFB, SC - Robert was born December 14, 1934.  He is buried in West Lawn Cemetery, Glidden, Iowa.

Troy, 2Lt. William T. Jr., Stamford, CT

Survivors

Johnson, Airman Robert, Cumberland City, TN - Walked several miles with a broken leg following the crash.

Kinnane, Airman 3c Michael P., Seekonk, MA - Fell in a field not far from the crash.  Scratches and bruises only.

December 30, 1954

T-33A #53-5207 crashed on this date near Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland.  While exiting the aircraft, the pilot was hit by the ejection seat.  He died at Bolling Field Air Force Base in Washington on January 05, 1955.

Fatality

Almond, Capt. Craven Poe - Born on March 07, 1918 in Albemarle, North Carolina, he was a son of Achillis Killis Almond (1895-1977) and Hettie Cornelia Lambert Almond (1898-1973).  He married Mary C. Amerine (1914-2009) and they were parents of Deborah Almond Taylor and Judith Almond Donovan.  In his marriage to Louise Thompson Almond (1923-3005), they had a son Craig Allen Almond (1945-1991).  Captain Almond served in the Army Air Corps during World War II.  His siblings were Clyde Edward Almond (1920-2014), Edith Almond (1923-1927), Tommy Almond, Billy V. Almond, Jimmy Almond, and Doris Almond Burleson.