Lucky Bag Yearbook

From the 1958 Lucky Bag:

KEITH LEONARD RASMUSSEN

Keith came to Navy from behind a butcher’s block in the northland of Minnesota. Although no one has ever heard of Arco, he insists there is really such a place out there in the woods someplace. While at Navy, Ras was an active member of his company steeplechase and battalion lacrosse teams. He had no favorite subject and often said that he could always be a butcher. Keith will long be remembered for his easy-going manner, best illustrated by his favorite pastime of accumulating many hours prone in the pad or reading a good book. As for the service, he looks forward to at least thirty years.

Loss

Keith was lost on October 19, 1971 when the E-2B Hawkeye plane he was aboard collided with another plane and crashed into the Sea of Japan.

From the Desert Sun on October 20, 1971 and via the California Digital Newspaper Connection:

A collision between two Navy planes on a routine training mission over the Sea of Japan apparently killed all five crewmen aboard one of the craft, according to a spokesman here. The Navy spokesman said the collision occurred Monday night [October 19, 1971] when the two planes, both in landing patterns approaching the aircraft carrier Midway, collided in midair.

All five crewmen aboard an E-2B Hawkeye radar plane apparently went down with the craft, the Navy said Tuesday. No wreckage of the craft was sighted, but the Navy said it was continuing the search and the cause if the collision was under investigation.

The Navy said the pilot of the other plane involved, an A-7 Corsair, attempted to reach the Marine Corps air station at Iwakuni, Japan, 130 miles away, but was forced to eject 4 1/2 miles short of the runway. The pilot, identified as Lt. (J.G.) William C. Hoyt, 25, based at Lemoore Naval Air Station, Calif., was rescued by a Marine helicopter and treated for minor injuries before being returned to the Midway.

The dead crewmen were identified by the Navy as Lt. Cmdr. Keith L. Rasmussen, 35; Lt. Det. H. Von Pritschyns, 26: and Lt. Ned J. Tucker, 32, all of Colorado, Calif; Lt. Ellery B. Pearlman, 28, San Diego; and PO 2. C. Roger E. Poe, Whitehaven. Tenn. All were attached to carrier Early Warning Squadron 115 at the North Island Naval Air Station in San Diego.

Other Information

From researcher Kathy Franz:

Keith graduated in 1954 from Ivanhoe High School, Minnesota.

In May, 1964, Keith presented Commander F. C. Forsberg with mementos of his command of Patrol Squadron (VP) 1, Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington.

In January 1970 he served aboard the anti-submarine carrier USS Yorktown in the Northern Atlantic.

Survived by his wife, the former Donna J. McMurray, two daughters, mother Neoma, brother Larry, and sister Kathryn. His father was Walter.

Keith has a memory marker in Minnesota.

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Paul Klinedinst ‘58 and James Wood ‘58 were also members of 24th Company.