Post-War Deaths - Navy From 1954 through 2023

1954

• Archibald, Robert George (chief mechanic) - Crew member of Navy P2V-5 Neptune when it disappeared while on a listening mission on January 04, 1954.  MIA.
   
• Beasley, Lt. Jesse (pilot) - Crew member of Navy P2V-5 Neptune when it disappeared while on a listening mission on January 04, 1954.  MIA.
   
• Berger, Bruce David (radioman) - Crew member of Navy P2V-5 Neptune when it disappeared while on a listening mission on January 04, 1954.  MIA.
   
• Claussen, Rex Allen (radioman) - Crew member of Navy P2V-5 Neptune when it disappeared while on a listening mission on January 04, 1954.  MIA.
   
• Danson, SN Henry A. - Died of "other causes" on May 06, 1954.
   
• Hand, James Frank (mechanic) - Crew member of Navy P2V-5 Neptune when it disappeared while on a listening mission on January 04, 1954.  MIA.
   
• LeDuc, DC3 Raymond B. - Died of "other causes" on February 20, 1954.
   
• Morelli, Paul Dominick (navigator) - Crew member of Navy P2V-5 Neptune when it disappeared while on a listening mission on January 04, 1954.  MIA.
   
• Mulford, Stanley Burt (navigator) - Crew member of Navy P2V-5 Neptune when it disappeared while on a listening mission on January 04, 1954.  Body recovered.
   
• Prael, Fredric Traynor (co-pilot) - Crew member of Navy P2V-5 Neptune when it disappeared while on a listening mission on January 04, 1954.  MIA.
   
• Rensink, Lloyd Bernard (radarman) - Crew member of Navy P2V-5 Neptune when it disappeared while on a listening mission on January 04, 1954.  Body recovered.
   
• Scott, A2 John Joseph Jr. - died September 16, 1954 of "other causes".
   
• Spickelmier, Gordon (ordnanceman) - Crew member of Navy P2V-5 Neptune when it disappeared while on a listening mission on January 04, 1954.  MIA.  Spickelmier was unaware that his wife of 11 years, Margie, was pregnant with their daughter, Rosie (Rosie Spickelmier Capehart).

1956

• Deane, Lt. James Brayton Jr. (pilot) - Lieutenant Deane and his P4M-1Q Mercator went missing in August of 1956.  He was a pilot in the Navy's VQ-1 Air Reconnaissance Squadron.  He had been married to his wife Beverly for only three months.  Born May 26, 1932, he was the son of James Brayton Deane Sr. (1904-1982) and Edna S. Shepard Deane (1905-1982).
   
• Webert, Lawrence Duane "Bud" - Seaman Webert fell overboard from the USS Hornet in the Pacific Ocean on October 09, 1956.  Born October 05, 1932, he was a son of Hamilton Jacob and Dorothy Lambert Webert.  Lost at sea.

1959

• Abdo, AD2 Bobby J. - On April 9, 1959, SG-10, a crew of ten, was returning from a mission when their aircraft crashed into the extinct volcano, Halla-san mountain on Cheju-do island in Korea.  The plane crashed 50 feet from the top of the crater rim, killing all crew members.  According to "Patrol Squadron 50 Aircraft Accident Report, April 1959" authored by Bob "Count" Noble, the crash was caused by pilot error in not increasing altitude to avoid the mountain.
   
• Congleton, ALC Binkley - See Abdo.
   
• George, ADC Garth W. - See Abdo
   
• Kennedy, AT2 Gordon P. - See Abdo
   
• McDaniel, AO3 James H. - See Abdo
   
• Nelson, Lt. Floyd G. - See Abdo
   
• Peterie, AT3 Duane L. - See Abdo
   
• Pleasent, AE2 Earl J. - See Abdo
   
• Sullivan, Ltjg James L. - See Abdo
   
• Traylor, Ltjg Audrice R. - See Abdo

1968

• Hodges, SN Duane D. - Seaman Hodges was killed by North Korean gunfire on January 23, 1968, when the enemy boarded the USS Pueblo off the Korean mainland.

1969

• Balderman, ADR2 Louis Francis - One of 31 crew members of a US Navy EC121 who were killed when their electronic reconnaissance aircraft (Deep Sea 129) was shot down 90 miles off the coast of Korea.  While flying a patrol mission over the Sea of Japan, a US Navy EC-121M of VQ-1 (BuNo 135749) was attacked and shot down by two North Korean MiG-17 Fresco fighters.  Balderman was born May 29, 1943, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Duffy Balderman.  He was a mechanic.
   
• Chartier, AT1 Stephen Curtis - Same as Balderman.  Born June 03, 1944 in Los Angeles County, California, he was a s on of Curtis Reynolds Chartier (1914-1971) and Winifred Alice Kyser Chartier (later Ulman) (1916-1989).  His brother was Gregory Alan Chartier (1950-1991).  Stephen was the husband of Phyllis Chartier.  He was an EW operator on this flight.
   
• Colgin, AT1 Bernie Joel - Same as Chartier.  Bernie was born May 15, 1933, in Mexia, Texas, son of Gaston L. "Buck" Colgin (1905-1996) and Eunice E. Colgin (1910-1988).
   
• Connors, ADR1 Ballard Franklin Jr. - Same as Colgin.  Born December 21, 1942, he was a son of Ballard Franklin Connors Sr. (1919-2009) and Gladys M. Ratliff Connors (1925-2015).  His siblings were Garnett Connors Centers, Denzil Connors, Robert Conners, and Gregory Conners.  Ballard was a flight engineer.
   
• DuCharme, CT3 Gary Ray - Same as Connors.  Born July 08, 1945 in Delavan, Wisconsin, he was a son of Raymond Wallace DuCharme 91922-2005) and Beverly J. DuCharme (1924-1983).  His brother was Patrick K. DuCharme.  Gary was also survived by a wife and two-year old son.  He was a manual Morse collection operator.  He was also a Vietnam veteran.
   
• Dzema, LT John N. - Same as DuCharme. - Born March 2, 1931, Edwardsville, Pennsylvania, son of Mrs. Andrew Gall of Edwardsville.  His half sister was Mary Ann Volkeln. Member of U.S. Navy Fleet Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron One (VQ-1). Atsugi, Japan EC-121 Super Constellation airplane with a crew of 31 shot down by two North Korean MiGs over the Sea of Japan just South east of Chongjin. Of the 31 crew members only two bodies were recovered. Amateur radio operator W3PJZ Lieutenant Dzema was a member of the crew of an EC-121 surveillance aircraft, serving with the U.S. Navy. On April 15, 1969, while on a surveillance mission over the Sea of Japan in support of the Korean truce, his aircraft was shot down. All 31 crewmen were reported missing. He was presumed dead on May 2, 1969. Lieutenant Dzema was awarded the Purple Heart, the National Defense Service Medal and the Korean Defense Service Medal.  He was an evaluator on the EC-121 crew.
   
• Gleason, LT Dennis Baird - Same as Dzema.  Born November 18, 1943, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, he was the son of Henry Baird Gleason (1913-2007) and Dorothy Mann Gleason (1912-2002).  Dennis graduated from Oklahoma State in 1965.  He was an evaluator on the plane.
   
• Graham, ATN3 Gene Kenneth - Same as Gleason.  Born October 04, 1948, in Northville, Michigan, he was the son of Kenneth Lyle Graham (1917-1997) and Florence Irene Graham (1927-1988).  His sister was Diane Graham Lybarger.  Gene was a radio operator.
   
• Greiner, AEC LaVerne Albert - Same as Graham.  Born August 08, 1937, in Clear Creek Township, Iowa, a son of Michael L. Greiner (1899-1968) and Irene Margaret Sieren Greiner (1906-1968).  His siblings were Virginia Regina Greiner Weber (1928-2019), Keith Albert Greiner (1930-1984), Edward William Greiner (1931-1983), Darlene Alma Greiner Yates (1933-2001), Dennis John Greiner (1941-2002), Lawrence Dean Greiner (1949-1968), Herbert Greiner, LeRoy Greiner, Mike Greiner, Kathleen Greiner, Ronald Greiner, Mary Ann Greiner Carson, and Betty Jean Greiner Hassle.  LaVerne was a flight engineer.
   
• Horrigan, ATR2 Dennis J. - Same as Greiner.  Born February 02, 1946 he was the EW Operator.
   
• Kincaid, ATN2 Richard Henry - Same as Horrigan.  Born March 15, 1947, he was a crew leader.
   
• Lynch, SSgt. Hugh M. - Same as Kincaid.  Born October 09, 1942, this Marine was a Korean and Russian linguist.
   
• McNamara, ADRC Marshall H.  Same as Lynch.  Born in 1934, he was a flight engineer.
   
• McNeil, ATR2 Timothy Harlan - Same as McNamara.  Born May 30, 1944, he was a radio operator.
   
• Miller, CT3 John Alexander III - Same as McNeil. Born June 04, 1944, he was a manual Morse collection operator.
   
• Overstreet, LTCDR James H. - Same as Miller.  Born April 10, 1935, he was the pilot.
   
• Perrottet, LT Peter Philip - Same as Overstreet.  Born January 16, 1942.  He was the copilot.
   
• Potts, CT1 John Howard - Same as Perrottet. - " John’s first enlistment was in the USAF, and he received his initial training in Korean at Yale University courtesy of the Air Force. After reenlisting in the Navy John did tours in Okinawa (Joint Sobe Processing Center) and Naval Communications Station Philippines (San Miguel). During the latter tour, John spent considerable time in Da Nang, earning 10 Air Medals. He had recently been reassigned to Kamiseya when the shootdown occurred." [Source: https://stationhypo.com]
   
• Prindle, AMS3 Richard Thomas - Same as Potts.  He was the plane captain.
   
• Randall, CTC Frederick Arthur - Same as Prindle.  Born September 11, 1939, he was a Russian linguist and manual Morse operator.
   
• Ribar, LT (JG) Joseph Richard - Same as Randall.  Born August 28, 1941, he was a copilot.  His body was recovered.
   
• Roach, AT1 James Leroy - Same as Ribar.  Born May 04, 1937, he was a radar operator.
   
• Singer, LT John H. - Same as Roach.  Born February 09, 1943, he was a senior evaluator.
   
• Smith, CTC Richard Earl - Same as Singer.  He was a linguist.
   
• Sundby, CT3 Phillip D. - Same as Smith.  He was a Chinese linguist.
   
• Sweeney, AT1 Richard E. - Same as Sundby.  Born in 1938, he was an EW operator.  His body was one of two that were recovered.
   
• Sykora, LT (JG) Robert J. - Same as Sweeney.  Born December 31, 1942, he was a navigator.
   
• Taylor, LT Robert F. - Same as Sykora. Born December 27, 1938, he was a communication evaluator.
   
• Tesmer, CT2 Stephen Joseph - Same as Taylor.  Born July 6, 1946, he was the son of Dale and Mabel Kathleen Steffens Tesmer.  He was a secure teletype communicator.
   
• Wilkerson, LT (JG) Norman Elbert - Same as Tesmer.  Born March 30, 1943, he was a navigator.
   
• Willis, ATN3 David Monroe - Same as Wilkerson.  Born December 22, 1946,in Los Angeles County, California, son of Roy Arthur and Margie Louise Everroad Willis. He was a radio operator.
   
• Ballinger, CDR Robert M. - UN Command Armistice Affairs Division.  Commander Ballinger was killed on November 20, 1974 in an explosion of a boobytrap in a North Korean tunnel dug under the DMZ into South Korea.

1980

• Fiedler, Craig Eugene - 3/31/1980.  Craig was from Fairfield, Iowa.

1981

• Bryant, George William III - 4/11/1981.  George was from Goldvein, Virginia.
   
• Murhead, John - 8/29/1981.  John was from Hopatcong, New Jersey.

1983

• Irlbeck, Ralph Herman Ray - 3/11/1983.  Ralph was from Amarillo, Texas.

1984

• MacFarlane, Robert James Jr. - 7/16/1984.  Robert was from Oceanside, California.
   
• Sperling, David Michael - 7/16/1984.  David was from Pensacola, Florida.

1989

• Fejeran, Jimmie Loran Salas - 3/20/1989.  Jimmie was from American Canyon, California.

1997

• D'Eredita, Maj. Danny A. - F/A-18D "Hornet" of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (All Weather)-21, Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, crashed into the Yellow Sea 60 miles southwest of Korea. CAPT Mark R. Nickles and MAJ Danny A. D'Eredita were killed. 9 February 1997.
   
• Nickles, Capt. Mark R.  - F/A-18D "Hornet" of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (All Weather)-21, Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, crashed into the Yellow Sea 60 miles southwest of Korea. CAPT Mark R. Nickles and MAJ Danny A. D'Eredita were killed. 9 February 1997.

2003

• Passoth, Ian Il ji - Born February 13, 1984 in Seoul, Korea, Ian was adopted by Richard and Ginny Passoth of Denver.  After graduating from East High School in 2002, he joined the US Navy.  Seaman Apprentice Passoth fell 50 feet from an observation tower near Chinhae Naval Base on September 02, 2003.  He had served in the Persian Gulf.  Besides his parents, he was survived by a sister, Calley Passoth.  He was buried in Fort Logan National Cemetery, Denver.

2016

• McLaughlin, James "Jimmy" - Petty Officer 3C McLaughlin fell more than 120 feet down an elevator shaft at the Hotel International in Changwon, South Korea, on May 22, 2016.  He was in Korea for joint exercises with the Undersea Rescue Command out of Naval Air Station, North Island, California.  He was a Navy corpsman.