Military Missions in the Klamath Basin

Listed here are men who died while conducting military maneuvers in the Klamath Basin or nearby areas. The list includes airmen based in Klamath Falls, as well as those based elsewhere whose missions brought them to Klamath. Very little is known about several of the incidents listed here.

• Ainsworth, A.W.
  August 3, 1945, near Dorris, California
• Allen, Donald
  August 3, 1945, near Dorris, California
• Bagwell, James
  June 3, 1944, Montague, California
• Baker, Richard A.
  July 9, 1944
  • Ensign Richard A. Baker died in the crash landing of a Navy bomber on the Klamath Marsh about 50 miles north of Klamath Falls. The plane developed engine trouble and came down in the marsh. Four others on the plane were injured in the crash, but survived.
• Casterot. Joseph P.
  July 3, 1944, Drews Reservoir, Lake County, Oregon
  • Casterot was one of three Navy airmen killed July 3, 1944, when their bomber crashed at Drews Reservoir west of Lakeview, Oregon. The bomber was operating out of the Naval Air Station in Klamath Falls.
• Cerkvenik, Wallace
  February 27, 1944, Klamath Falls
  • Navy pilot Cerkvenik died February 27, 1944, when his airplane collided with another plane in mid-air over the Naval Air Station in Klamath Falls. It was the first fatal flying accident at the Naval Air Station, which had been commissioned only two weeks earlier.
• Gahre, Louis
  February 27, 1944, Klamath Falls
  • Navy pilot Gahre died February 27, 1944, when his airplane collided with another plane in mid-air over the Naval Air Station in Klamath Falls. It was the first fatal flying accident at the Naval Air Station, which had been commissioned only two weeks earlier.
• Grohs, Edward J.
  November 24, 1944, Clear Lake, Modoc County, California
  • Grohs was one of four Navy airmen killed November 24, 1944, in the collision of two light bombers conducting exercises east of Clear Lake. The bombers were operating out of the Klamath Falls Naval Air Station.
• Hartwick, Richard L.
  November 24, 1944, Clear Lake, Modoc County, California
  • Hartwick was one of four Navy airmen killed November 24, 1944, in the collision of two light bombers conducting exercises east of Clear Lake. The bombers were operating out of the Klamath Falls Naval Air Station.
• Herget, David Otto
  December 4, 1944, Clear Lake, Modoc County, California
  • Herget was one of two airmen killed December 4, 1944, while on a training mission near Clear Lake.
• Johnson, Lewis
  May 14, 1944, Hart Mountain Gunnery Range
• Kahnke, Lawrence
  June 18, 1945, Goose Lake
• Kauffman, Benjamin L.
  November 24, 1944, Clear Lake, Modoc County, California
  • Kauffman was one of four Navy airmen killed November 24, 1944, in the collision of two light bombers conducting exercises east of Clear Lake. The bombers were operating out of the Klamath Falls Naval Air Station.
• Kern, Robert
  June 18, 1945, Goose Lake
• Klemgard, James
  June 13, 1944, Montague, California
• Loughary, Frank
  March 30, 1956, Miller Hill, Klamath County
  • Loughary died in the crash of a C-45 cargo plane on Miller Hill, about seven miles south of Klamath Falls, on March 30, 1956. He was among a five-person crew flying from McClellan Air Force Base in Sacramento to McNary Field in Salem. The crew was attempting to land the plane at the Klamath Falls Airport for refueling. Three members of the crew were killed, while two survived.
• Mason, Maris
  March 19, 1961, Klamath Falls
  • Mason was a crewman on an Air Force T-33 training jet when he was forced to eject from the plane. His parachute failed to open. The incident occurred March 19, 1961, with the plane coming down in the Stewart Lenox neighborhood of Klamath Falls. The jet was flying a mission from Larson Air Force Base in Moses Lake, Washington.
• Matsinger, Ray
  March 30, 1956, Miller Hill, Klamath County
  • Matsinger died in the crash of a C-45 cargo plane on Miller Hill, about seven miles south of Klamath Falls, on March 30, 1956. He was among a five-person crew flying from McClellan Air Force Base in Sacramento to McNary Field in Salem. The crew was attempting to land the plane at the Klamath Falls Airport for refueling. Three members of the crew were killed, while two survived.
• Morgan, Richard L.
  November 26, 1968, Klamath Falls
  • Morgan died November 26, 1968, in the crash of an Air Force F101 Voodoo fighter shortly after taking off from Kingsley Field.
• Peoples, Clarence
  April 27, 1960, Pacific Ocean
  • Peoples died while on a training mission in an F101 over the Pacific Ocean 60 miles west of Crescent City. The jet's pressurized canopy blew off at 30,000 feet, and Peoples ejected. His body was never found. The pilot safely landed the F-101. In April 1961 a building at Kingsley Field was named in honor of Peoples. The building remains in service as the avionics center.
• Pinz, Robert J.
  December 4, 1944, Clear Lake, Modoc County, California
  • Pinz was one of two airmen killed December 4, 1944, while on a training mission near Clear Lake.
• Pitts, William
  May 18, 1964, Klamath Falls
  • Pitts was pilot of an Air Force F101 Voodoo jet fighter that crashed May 18, 1964 at Kingsley Field. The plan was operating out of Hamilton Field, California, and was stopping at Kingsley Field to take on fuel.
• Simmons, Mabry
  March 30, 1956, Miller Hill, Klamath County
  • Simmons died in the crash of a C-45 cargo plane on Miller Hill, about seven miles south of Klamath Falls, on March 30, 1956. Simmons was among a five-person crew flying from McClellan Air Force Base in Sacramento to McNary Field in Salem. The crew was attempting to land the plane at the Klamath Falls Airport for refueling. Three members of the crew were killed, while two survived.
• Skidmore, Ralph W.
  November 24, 1944, Clear Lake, Modoc County, California
  • Skidmore was one of four Navy airmen killed November 24, 1944, in the collision of two light bombers conducting exercises east of Clear Lake. The bombers were operating out of the Klamath Falls Naval Air Station.
• Smith, Harold H.
  June 17, 1963, Klamath County
  • Smith was conducting an aircraft check flight in an F101B fighter jet based at Klamath Falls on June 17, 1963, when the plane developed mechanical problems at an altitude of 30,000 feet. Smith attempted to reach a lower altitude, but additional problems developed. Smith and another crewman ejected from the plane. According to an incident report, Smith's parachute did not deploy properly. The plane crashed about 22 miles north of Kingsley Field. Smith's body was found about three-fourths of a mile from the crash site.
• Swendson, Leonard
  June 30, 1945, Klamath Falls Naval Air Station
  • Lt. Leonard Swenson died in a fighter plane accident at the Klamath Falls Naval Air Station on June 30, 1945.
• Taylor, Stephen L.C.
  November 29, 1993, Devil's Garden Ranger District, Modoc County, California
  • Taylor died November 29, 1993, when his F-16 crashed east of Clear Lake on November 29, 1993.
• Tetrault, Louis
  August 14, 1945, Goose Lake
• Tolsma, John D.
  November 26, 1968, Klamath Falls
  • Tolsma died November 26, 1968, in the crash of an Air Force F101 Voodoo fighter shortly after taking off from Kingsley Field.
• Warnick, Stephen
  July 3, 1944, Drews Reservoir, Lake County, Oregon
  • Warnick was one of three Navy airmen killed July 3, 1944, when their bomber crashed at Drews Reservoir west of Lakeview, Oregon. The bomber was operating out of the Naval Air Station in Klamath Falls.
• Vecchio, Frank
  May 18, 1964, Klamath Falls
  • Vecchio was pilot of an Air Force F101 Voodoo jet fighter that crashed May 18, 1964 at Kingsley Field. The plan was operating out of Hamilton Field, California, and was stopping at Kingsley Field to take on fuel.
• Weinberg, Max Louis
  July 3, 1944, Drews Reservoir, Lake County, Oregon
  • Weinberg was one of three Navy airmen killed July 3, 1944, when their bomber crashed at Drews Reservoir west of Lakeview, Oregon. The bomber was operating out of the Naval Air Station in Klamath Falls.
• Worley, Clyde
  June 3, 1944, Montague, California