Many lighthouse personnel crossed the bar due to natural causes of sickness or age. However, some lighthouse personnel gave their lives for their country and service due to accidents, drownings, and even murder. Listed below is a Memorial to these courageous members of the Lighthouse Service who lost their lives during their service and the time and manner in which their passing occurred. The Society will be adding to this list as other personnel are found who gave their lives in such a manner.
FIRST NAME | LAST NAME | TITLE | LIGHTHOUSE | DATE | ACTION |
Walter | Abbott | Seaman | Tender White Alder | December 7, 1968 | Drowned |
Michael | Agnew | Electricians Mate | Tender White Alder | December 7, 1968 | Drowned |
Thayer J. | Allen | Keeper | Point Arguello | November 30, 1941 | Electric Shock |
Nathaniel | Alley | Keeper | Lubec Channel ME | March 7, 1934 | Died from Coal Stove Fumes |
John | Andersen | Keeper | Kanahena HI | October 1910 | Fell off Cliff |
Joseph | Andreu | Keeper | Saint Augustine FL | January 1860 | Fell from Lighthouse |
Joseph | Antoine | Keeper | Minots Ledge MA | April 17, 1851 | Drowned |
Joshua | Appleby | Keeper | Sand Key FL | October 1846 | Killed in Hurricane |
Samuel | Armour | Keeper | New Haven Outer Breakwater | January 10, 1907 | Drowned |
Bernard A. | Ashley | Assistant Keeper | Ano Nuevo CA | April 9, 1883 | Drowned |
Donald | Ashley Jr. | USCG | Detour Reef MI | March 30, 1971 | Drowned |
Orville | Babcock | Chief Engineer | 5th and 6th Districts | June 2, 1884 | Drowned |
Richard T. | Barry | Assistant Keeper | Sanibel FL | June 22, 1919 | Murdered |
Henry W. | Baum | Assistant Keeper | Ano Nuevo CA | April 9, 1883 | Drowned |
Felix | Bearman | Crewman | Tender Manzanita | March 22, 1916 | Drowned |
Raymond F. | Bliven | Keeper | Stamford Harbor CT | August 15, 1931 | Drowned |
Harry W. | Bosworth | Keeper | Point Arguello CA | March 29, 1937 | Drowned |
Andrew | Bourissau | Keeper | Skillagalee MI | October 19, 1901 | Drowned |
Charles K. | Bowen | Keeper | Half Moon Shoal TX | September 8, 1900 | Killed in Hurricane |
Calvin | Bozman | Keeper | Hooper Strait MD | September 5, 1918 | Drowned |
George | Brennan | Keeper | Great Beds NJ | April 24, 1883 | Drowned |
Isaac | Bridges | Keeper | Granite Island MI | 1872 | Drowned |
Chester | Brinkworth | Assistant Keeper | Crabtree Ledge ME | October 3, 1916 | Drowned |
Leon | Brinkworth | Temporary assistant | Crabtree Ledge ME | October 3, 1916 | Drowned |
Samuel | Brown Jr. | Chief Warrant Officer | Tender White Alder | December 7, 1968 | Drowned |
John | Burgess | Assistant Keeper | Faulkner’s Island CT | October 25, 1898 | Drowned |
Charles B. | Burton | Coast Guard | Toledo Harbor OH | September 24, 1952 | Drowned |
Charles | Butler | Engineer | LV-082 | November 10, 1913 | Drowned |
Frank | Campisano | Seaman | Tender White Alder | December 7, 1968 | Drowned |
Cornelius | Canty | Keeper | Timbalier Bay Lighthouse | February 9, 1898 | Murdered |
Vangel | Constantine | Seaman | LV-073 | September 15, 1944 | Lightship Sunk in Hurricane Drowned |
Thomas | Carroll | Assistant Keeper | Race Rocks NY | January 14, 1886 | Drowned |
Aaron | Carter | Assistant Keeper | Cape Florida FL | July 23, 1836 | Black Keeper Killed in Indian attack |
Maurice | Cason | Fireman | Tender White Alder | December 7, 1968 | Drowned |
Stanley G. | Castello | Coast Guard | St. George Reef CA | April 5, 1951 | Drowned |
Edwin | Clements | Assistant Keeper | Smith Island WA | December 29, 1939 | Drowned |
Henry W. | Colburn | Keeper | Ano Nuevo CA | April 9, 1883 | Drowned |
Charles T. | Collins | Engineman | Anacapa Island CA | March 19, 1951 | Drowned |
John | Colofen | Assistant Keeper | Latimer Reef NY | January 25, 1932 | Drowned |
Jack | Colvin | Assistant Keeper | Scotch Cap AK | April 1, 1946 | Killed in tsunami |
John | Cooper Jr. | Quartermaster | Tender White Alder | December 7, 1968 | Drowned |
Gatha F. | Cottee | Keeper | Hooper Strait | December 21, 1947 | Boat explosion |
Forrest | Cowan | Assistant Keeper | Cape Flattery WA | February 18, 1911 | Drowned |
William | Crockett | Assistant Keeper | Tangier Sound VA | February 11, 1914 | Drowned |
John | Currie | Assistant Keeper | Eldred Rock AK | March 26, 1910 | Drowned |
Clinton | Dalzell | Assistant Keeper | Egg Rock ME | March 2, 1935 | Drowned |
Roger W. | Duke | OIC | Anacapa Island CA | March 19, 1951 | Drowned |
John A. | Dunbar | Machinist | Tender Amaranth | December 18, 1912 | Killed in Buoy Gas Explosion |
Richard | Duncan | Seaman | Tender White Alder | December 7, 1968 | Drowned |
Dewey | Dykstra | Assistant Keeper | Scotch Cap AK | April 1, 1946 | Killed in tsunami |
Walter | Eberle | Assistant Keeper | Whale Rock RI | September 21, 1938 | Killed in hurricane |
Nathan W. | Edson | Keeper | Turtle Island OH | February 1869 | Froze to death |
William L. | Emerson | Assistant Keeper | Sand Island AL | January 17, 1919 | Drowned by Car-Ferry |
John | Enquist | Keeper | Destruction Island WA | August 7, 1911 | Hit in head by derrick |
William | Erickson | Assistant Keeper | St. George Reef CA | October 17, 1893 | Disappeared in station's sailboat |
John | Farley | Assistant Keeper | Cape Ann MA | October 20, 1891 | Drowned |
Edward | Finck | Assistant Keeper | East Shoal TX | September 16, 1875 | Killed in hurricane |
John | Fortes | Seaman | LV-117 | May 31, 1934 | Drowned |
Richard B. | Fredey | Assistant Keeper | Boston MA | November 21, 1952 | Drowned |
Larry | Fregia | Seaman Apprentice | Tender White Alder | December 7, 1968 | Drowned |
S. R. | Fullerton | Keeper | Round Island MS | November 1, 1911 | Drowned |
George | Genery | Keeper | Grand Island MI | June 1908 | Disappeared |
Ernest | George | Seaman | LV-117 | May 31, 1934 | Drowned |
Roy | Gill | 2nd Assistant Keeper | Split Rock MN | October 2, 1910 | Drowned |
Joseph | Gordon | Seaman | LV-073 | September 15, 1944 | Lightship Sunk in Hurricane Drowned |
Walter | Grobben | 2nd Assistant Keeper | Skillagalee MI | October 19, 1901 | Drowned |
Robert | Gullickson | Seaman | LV-103 | May 7, 1958 | Drowned |
Mills | Gunderson | Keeper | Stage Harbor MA | 1918 | Suicide |
Ramon | Gutierrez | Seaman Apprentice | Tender White Alder | December 7, 1968 | Drowned |
Arthur | Hagan | Seaman | Tender Madrono | March 25, 1922 | Drowned |
Donald C. | Hale | Coast Guard | St. George Reef CA | January 30, 1965 | Drowned |
Jacob | Hall | Assistant Keeper | West Shoal TX | September 16,1875 | Killed in Hurricane |
Jack | Hammett | Seaman | LV-073 | September 15, 1944 | Lightship Sunk in Hurricane Drowned |
Andrew | Hansen | Assistant Keeper | Sand Island AL | 1906 | Drowned in Hurricane |
Hans | Hanson | Seaman | LV-AA | June 10, 1827 | Drowned |
Thomas | Harrison | Keeper | West Rigglets LA | Nov 1862 | Killed on duty during Civil War |
Reuben A. | Hart | Keeper | Manitou Island MI | May 19, 1882 | Drowned |
John S. | Hicks | Keeper | West Shoal TX | September 16, 1875 | Killed in hurricane |
Richard | Higgins | Keeper | Winter Harbor ME | November 2, 1868 | Drowned |
Samuel | Holbrook | Assistant Keeper | Libby Island ME | June 16, 1918 | Drowned |
Allen | Hull | Seaman | LV-073 | September 15, 1944 | Lightship Sunk in Hurricane Drowned |
Eugene | Ingalls | Keeper | Petit Manan ME | December 29, 1916 | Drowned |
Roger | Jacks | Seaman | Tender White Alder | December 7, 1968 | Drowned |
Karl A. | Jackson | Keeper | Oswego NY | December 4, 1942 | Drowned |
William | Jakicic | Seaman | LV-111 | February 21,1955 | Drowned |
William | Jensen | Seaman | LV-082 | November 10, 1913 | Drowned |
Julius | Johanson | Assistant Keeper | Rose Island RI | February 1917 | Drowned |
A. J. | Johnson | Keeper | Volusia Bar FL | 1938 | Murdered |
Alexander L. | Johnson | Assistant Keeper | Los Angeles Harbor CA | March 18, 1933 | Killed starting motorboat |
Charles | Johnson | Keeper | Horn Island MS | September 27, 1906 | Drowned in hurricane |
Frank | Johnson | Machinest | LV-006 | February 5, 1918 | Drowned |
Kate | Johnson | Assistant Keeper | Horn Island MS | September 27, 1906 | Drowned in hurricane |
Cyril J. | Jones | Assistant Keeper | Spectacle Reef MI | 1959 | Drowned |
Thomas | Jones | Assistant Keeper | Tillamook Rock OR | 1911 | Fell from station derrick |
Albert | Joost | Keeper | Southampton Shoal CA | December 25, 1935 | Died in Fire |
Frederick | Jordan | Keeper | Penfield Reef CT | December 22, 1916 | Drowned |
Arthur | Joy | Seaman | LV-006 | February 5, 1918 | Drowned |
Henry | Joy | Mate | LV-006 | February 5, 1918 | Drowned |
John | Klosky | Machinists Mate | LV-073 | September 15, 1944 | Lightship Sunk in Hurricane Drowned |
K. | Knutsen | Seaman | Tender Poinsettia | December 27, 1928 | Killed in explosion and fire |
William P. | Larson | Assistant Keeper | Racine Reef WI | September 4, 1918 | Drowned |
Charles | Layton | Keeper | Point Pinos CA | 1855 | Shot |
Andrew | Leahy | Mate | LV-082 | November 10, 1913 | Drowned |
Cornelius | Leahy | Assistant Engineer | LV-082 | November 10, 1913 | Drowned |
George | Lehman | Assistant Keeper | Parris Island SC | June 13, 1903 | Fell from Scaffolding |
William T. | Lewis | Keeper | South Fox Island MI | June 1885 | Fell |
Raymond | Linton | Keeper | Cape San Blas FL | 1932 | Suicide |
Henry | Long | Keeper | Cape Fear NC | October 16, 1806 | Accidentally Shot |
Steven | Lundquist | Seaman | Tender White Alder | December 7, 1968 | Drowned |
Peter | Mackey | Cook | LV-082 | November 10, 1913 | Drowned |
Cornelius | Maher | Assistant Keeper | Cockspur Island GA | 1853 | Drowned |
Ernest W. | Marler | Assistant Keeper | Cape San Blas FL | March 16, 1938 | Murdered |
James C. | Marshall | Assistant Keeper | Spectacle Reef MI | April 15, 1883 | Drowned |
Thomas | Marshall | Keeper | Waugoshance MI | May 28, 1886 | Drowned |
William A. | Maxwell | USCG | Stannard Rock MI | June 18, 1961 | Killed in explosion and fire |
Thomas H. | Mayne | Keeper | East Shoal TX | September 16,1875 | Killed in hurricane |
Joseph | McCabe | Keeper | Deer Island MA | February 19, 1916 | Drowned |
Charles J. | McDougal | District Inspector | Cape Mendocino CA | March 28, 1881 | Drowned |
John | McHarry | Keeper | Mission Point Old MI | August 1, 1881 | Drowned |
John | McKenna | Keeper | Lime Point CA | December 22, 1902 | Drowned |
Herman Chandler | McNall | Assistant Keeper | Colcheter Reef VT | May 21, 1879 | Drowned |
Peter | Michalak | Seaman | LV-073 | September 15, 1944 | Lightship Sunk in Hurricane Drowned |
Alfredo | Monteiro | Cook | LV-117 | May 31, 1934 | Drowned |
Lucien F. | Morden | Assistant Keeper | Squaw Island MI | December 14, 1900 | Drowned |
Joseph | Morin | Yeoman | Tender White Alder | December 7, 1968 | Drowned |
Charles | Morrison | Commissaryman | Tender White Alder | December 7, 1968 | Drowned |
Edward | Morrison | Assistant Keeper | Grand Island MI | June 1908 | Murdered |
John | Mortimer | Seaman Apprentice | LV-101 | May 18,1955 | Drowned |
George | Murdock | Keeper | Roundout Creek NY | 1857 | Drowned |
Paul | Ness | Assistant Keeper | Scotch Cap AK | April 1, 1946 | Killed in tsunami |
Marnal | Newman | Assistant Keeper | Saddleback Ledge ME | January 11, 1908 | Drowned |
Nils | Nilson | Assistant Keeper | Southwest Ledge CT | January 1908 | Suicide |
Louis | Norvell | Keeper | Head of Passes LA | 1891 | Drowned |
Jack L. | O'Berry | Coast Guard | Matinicus Rock ME | September 9, 1949 | Drowned |
Walton | O’Quinn Jr. | Engineman | Tender White Alder | December 7, 1968 | Drowned |
Frederick | Osborne | Keeper | Saint Simons Island GA | March 3, 1880 | Shot and killed by Assistant Keeper |
John | Ostman | Keeper | Southwest Ledge CT | November 30, 1942 | Fall |
Charles E. | Palmquist | Keeper | Shark Fin Shoal MD | December 21, 1947 | Boat explosion |
Robert P. | Paquette | Coast Guard | Mount Desert Rock ME | May 13, 1973 | Drowned |
Willis R. | Parker | Coast Guard | Sombrero Key FL | August 26, 1959 | Drowned |
Frank | Parsons | Assistant Keeper | Eastern Point MA | September 9, 1922 | Fell while painting tower |
Leonard | Peckering | Assistant Keeper | Scotch Cap AK | April 1, 1946 | Killed in tsunami |
Peder H. | Pedersen | Assistant Keeper | Pilot Island WI | December 11, 1898 | Drowned |
William | Perry | Engineer | LV-117 | May 31, 1934 | Drowned |
Charles | Petersen | Keeper | Kewaunee Pierhead MI | November 3, 1901 | Drowned |
Gus | Petersen | Seaman | Manzanita | March 28, 1881 | Drowned |
Anthony | Pettit | Assistant Keeper | Scotch Cap AK | April 1, 1946 | Killed in tsunami |
Carmalite | Philbert | Keeper | Choctaw Point AL | 1852 | Died in Fire |
E. | Phillips | Seaman | LV-006 | February 5, 1918 | Drowned |
Neil R. | Pichette | Coast Guard | Mount Desert Rock | May 13, 1973 | Drowned |
James | Pine Jr. | Assistant Keeper | Jupiter Inlet FL | February 22, 1921 | Murdered |
Isaac | Pinna | First Cook | LV-117 | May 31, 1934 | Drowned |
Arthur E. | Pledger | Coast Guard | Butler Flats MA | April 7, 1962 | Drowned |
Frederick W. | Priabe | Coast Guard | Great Captain Island CT | November 30, 1945 | Drowned |
Charles J. | Price | Keeper | Mamajuda Range MI | July 5, 1920 | Drowned |
William | Raether | Keeper | Waukegan IL | December 18, 1907 | Drowned |
Americo J. | Rametti | Coast Guard | Great Captain Island CT | November 30, 1945 | Drowned |
Ole Anton | Rasmussen | 2nd Assistant Keeper | Cape Flattery WA | September 18, 1934 | Drowned |
Robert | Ray | Keeper | Bergen Point NJ | February 15, 1902 | Drowned |
Henry | Ray Jr. | Assistant Keeper | Mount Desert Rock ME | May 11, 1920 | Drowned |
Frank O. | Reed | Coast Guard | Cape St. Elias AK | March 27, 1964 | Drowned |
Charles | Respess | Keeper | Windmill Point VA | March 5, 1915 | Drowned |
John M. | Reynolds | Keeper | Sand Island AL | January 17, 1919 | Drowned |
Justin | Richmond | Oiler | LV-117 | May 31, 1934 | Drowned |
Edward E. | Riles | Coast Guard | Fowey Rocks FL | December 19, 1942 | Drowned |
Matthew | Rodriques | Seaman | LV-117 | May 31, 1934 | Drowned |
Edward L. | Rollingson | Keeper | Point Au Fer LA | August 8, 1916 | Drowned |
John | Rollinson | Engineman | Tender White Alder | December 7, 1968 | Drowned |
Alexander | Rose | Keeper | Stony Point NY | 1856 | Accident ruptured a blood vessel |
William | Rose | Cook | LV-006 | February 5, 1918 | Drowned |
Jerold | Sanger | Keeper | Bullet’s Bayou MS | March 6, 1895 | Murdered |
Robert | Saunders | Temporary Keeper | Boston MA | November 14, 1718 | Drowned |
Herbert | Scott | Keeper | Mary Island AK | January 1, 1921 | Died in Storm |
J. Edgar | Sevvigny | Captain | LV-073 | September 15, 1944 | Lightship Sunk in Hurricane Drowned |
Edward | Sexton | Assistant Keeper | Split Rock MN | October 2, 1910 | Drowned |
James E. | Shaw | Keeper | West Point WA | December 3, 1913 | Drowned |
King | Sheridan | Assistant Keeper | Frankfort Pierhead MI | August 1902 | Drowned by Car-Ferry |
Aaron | Sheridan | Keeper | South Manitou Island MI | March 15, 1878 | Drowned |
Julia | Sheridan | Assistant Keeper | South Manitou Island MI | March 15, 1878 | Drowned |
Peter | Shook | Keeper | Port Sanilac MI | March 31, 1849 | Drowned |
John | Silander | Assistant Keeper | Eldred Rock AK | March 26, 1910 | Drowned |
Charles | Smith | Mate | LV-037 | April 22, 1874 | Drowned |
James D. | Smith | Assistant Keeper | Galveston South Jetty TX | June 21, 1929 | Fell while painting tower |
Julius | Smith | Keeper | Point Defer LA | August 29, 1831 | Drowned |
Thomas E. | Somogyi | Coast Guard | Fort Wadsworth NY | November 19, 1958 | Died after altercation at station. |
David D. | Spaulding | Assistant Keeper | Spectacle Reef MI | November 10, 1896 | Drowned |
Vernon H. | Stanton | Assistant Keeper | Romer Shoal NJ | June 16, 1916 | Drowned |
Lawrence | Starratt | Machinists Mate | LV-073 | September 15, 1944 | Lightship Sunk in Hurricane Drowned |
Edward | Steckling | Chief Machinists Mate | LV-073 | September 15, 1944 | Lightship Sunk in Hurricane Drowned |
Frederick | Stelter | Watertender | LV-073 | September 15, 1944 | Lightship Sunk in Hurricane Drowned |
John J. | Stimac | Seaman | LV-073 | September 15, 1944 | Lightship Sunk in Hurricane Drowned |
Richard | Talbot | Cook | LV-073 | September 15, 1944 | Lightship Sunk in Hurricane Drowned |
Richard N. | Teeter | OIC | San Luis Obispo CA | September 25, 1949 | Station vehicle plunged down a 60-foot embankment |
Mary | Terry | Keeper | Sand Point Escanaba MI | March 4, 1886 | Died in Fire |
Donald G. | Thorne | USCG | Anacapa Island CA | June 5, 1948 | Fell from Cargo Net |
Alexander | Toomey | Assistant Keeper | Makapu’u Point HI | April 10, 1925 | Died from burns in IOV lamp explosion |
Gustavus | Umberham | Keeper | Algoma, MI | February 3, 1913 | Drowned |
Thomas | Van Pelt | Seaman | LV-AA | June 10, 1827 | Drowned |
Clement | Van Ripper | Keeper | Beaver Island Harbor MI | Aug 1872 | Drowned |
William | Vitt | Chief Engineman | Tender White Alder | December 7, 1968 | Drowned |
John | Wallwork | Assistant Keeper | Orient Point NY | May 23, 1924 | Drowned |
Horace O. | Welch | Keeper | Halfmoon Reef TX | December 14, 1934 | Drowned |
John | Wellington | Assistant Keeper | Smith Island WA | January 1880 | Drowned |
John | Whalton | Captain | LV-AA | 1837 | Killed in Indian Raid |
William | Wheatley | Assistant Keeper | Granite Island MI | April 30, 1898 | Drowned |
Joseph H. | Whitmore | Assistant Keeper | Crabtree Ledge | March 18, 1917 | Drowned |
Frank | Willets | Cook | LV-037 | April 22, 1874 | Drowned |
Hugh | Williams | Captain | LV-082 | November 10, 1913 | Drowned |
Joseph | Wilson | Keeper | Minots Ledge MA | April 17, 1851 | Drowned |
Almon | Wixon | Seaman | LV-006 | February 5, 1918 | Drowned |
Guy | Wood | Boatswains Mate | Tender White Alder | December 7, 1968 | Drowned |
George | Worthylake | Keeper | Boston MA | November 3, 1718 | Drowned |
George | Young | Keeper | San Bruno CA | November 19, 1902 | Drowned |