Paul Koehler of Beemer Dies in Navy Plane Crash

A Beemer man, Paul Koehler, 23, son of Mr & Mrs Frank O Koehler, was one of eight navy men who died Jan 22 when their P2V Neptune patrol plane crashed into a mountain five miles northwest of Pear Harbor, Hawaii at Barbers Point.

Mr. & Mrs. Koehler were notified Saturday of their son's death. No further details have been received. The plane was returning from patrol duty in the Western Pacific at the time of the accident. Koehler was a metalsmith and his rank was was Aviation Structural Mechanic 2c. He would have finished four years of service in the navy and would have received his discharge next August.

A graduate of Wisner high school, Paul also attended a Lutheran school at Winfield Kan. He was an outstanding athlete. His parents reside on a farm two miles northeast of West Point.

In a recent letter to his parents, Paul told of looking forward to his return to the States. He mentioned a shopping excursion during which he bought table cloths for his mother and a camera for himself.

Paul Martin Koehler