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The 10 men who died in the crash of King-56, November 22, 1996

After King-56 crashed, cards, calls and letters of condolence poured in to the widows of the dead airmen. "These 10 men reached so many people in the community," says Gayle Schott, widow of King-56 pilot Bob Schott. Below are short profiles of the deceased Air Force reservists.

Lieutenant Colonel John William Keyes

Born: April 23, 1950

Unit: 939th Operations Group

Duty: Chief of Standardization/Evaluation

Date arrived at Portland unit: April 1, 1985

Civilian occupation: Professional pilot, full-time reservist

Family: Wife, Christine Noble; brother, Bill; sister, Barbara Keyes Thompson; aunt/godmother, Dorothy Marcil; uncle/godfather, George Keyes; sisters-in-law, Natalie Keyes and Deb Short; brother-in-law, Richard Short; cousins, George and Denise Marcil; nephews, Ryan and Andrew Short and Kyle Thompson.

Hometown: Troutdale, Ore.

Profile: He was an exceptional pilot who, during his Air Force career, flew B-52s, C-14 I s and C-130s. He deployed all over the world, most recently to Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Korea and Europe. In 1994, he served as operations officer for Southern Watch in Saudi Arabia. He was a 26 year veteran of the Mount Hood Ski Patrol. Most recently, he was rescue captain and assistant patrol chief at Mount Hood Meadows.

Captain Robert P. Schott

Born: January 17, 1960

Unit: 304th Rescue Squadron

Duty: HC-130 Aircraft Commander/Instructor Pilot

Date arrived at Portland unit: February 1, 1992

Civilian occupation: Full-time pilot

Family: Wife, Gayle; daughter, Tyler Michelle,9; son, Travis Robert ,7; stepson, Justin Russell, 18.

Hometown: West Linn, Ore.

Profile: He made family and flying his life. He was born in Portland and graduated with a degree in biology from Portland State University in 1984. He joined the Air Force and was assigned to Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. He was chosen for the elite 9th Special Operations Squadron, flying HC-130s in night missions, low-level flying and other special operations. He flew in both Desert Shield and Desert Storm in 1991. He was also an outdoorsman who enjoyed hiking and biking.

Captain Kirk A. Wellnitz

Born: January 30, 1964

Unit: 304th Rescue Squadron

Duty: HC- 130 Navigator

Date arrived at Portland unit: October 1, 1978

Civilian occupation: Commercial loan officer, U.S. Bank

Family: Wife, Laura; sons, Bryce, 6 and Tristan, 7 months; father, Robert; mother, Julie Moyer; stepfather, Ward Moyer (Colonel, USAFR, Ret.)

Hometown: Portland, Ore.

Profile: He graduated from high school in Gresham in 1982 and went to Oregon State University. Upon graduation, joined the Air Force and went to navigator training in Sacramento, Calif., where he met his wife. He recently deployed to Turkey as part of Provide Comfort II. He ran four miles every day . His wife, Laura, said, "He never wanted to be known as a hero, but to us he was."

Captain Brant G. Ferrarini

Born: August 28, 1964

Unit: 304th Rescue Squadron

Duty: HC- 130 Aircraft Commander

Date arrived at Portland unit: September 13,1993

Civilian occupation: Pilot with Horizon Air

Family: Wife, Tawni; son, Christian, 3; parents, Richard and Ann, Issaquah, Wash.; grandmother, Josephine; aunt, Carol.

Hometown: Tigard, Ore.

Profile: He was born in Carmel, Calif., and graduated from Issaquah High School in 1983. He received a degree from the University of Washington in 1988 and joined the Air Force Reserve in Chicago. He and his wife moved to Oregon about three years ago when he became a pilot for Horizon. He then joined the 304th Rescue Squadron, where he has served since.

Senior Master Sergeant Robert Roberts

Born: November 2, 1949

Unit: 939th Operations Group

Duty: Flight engineer superintendent

Date arrived at Portland unit: January 16, 1983

Civilian occupation: Police officer with the Portland Police Department

Family: Father, Robert W. Roberts, Gresham; sons, Matthew, 19, Seattle; Nicholas,17, and Andrew,15, Boring. Ore.; one grandson, Jeremiah.

Hometown: Milwaukie, Ore.

Profile: He was a second-generation police officer with 19 years on the force. Most recently, he was assigned to the Drugs and Vice Division. He traveled extensively with the Air Force Reserve, and deployed to Saudi Arabia two years ago. His son, Matthew, recently joined the Air Force.

Technical Sergeant David W. McAuley

Born: April 25, 1961

Unit: 304th Rescue Squadron

Duty: Aircraft Loadmaster Instructor

Date arrived at Portland unit: March 9, 1985

Civilian occupation: Property manager for CTL Management, Inc.

Family: Wife, Susan; daughter, Lyndsay, 8, son, Derek,5; parents, Bill and Judy, Northeast Portland; grandmother, Helen Olson, Forest Grove, Ore.

Hometown: Gresham, Ore.

Profile: He graduated from Reynolds High School in Gresham and earned a business degree from Portland State University. He managed several rental properties and enjoyed snow and water skiing. He also held a private pilot's license. SMSgt. Rich Duke, a load master supervisor, described him as "a sterling example of a top notch citizen soldier."

Staff Sergeant Jonathan R. Leonard

Born: April 11, 1949

Unit: 304th Rescue Squadron

Duty: Intelligence Operations Specialist

Date arrived at Portland unit: July 26, 1991

Civilian occupation: Mark Advertising (brochure business)

Family: Brother, David Leonard; companion, Pam Wood.

Hometown: Tigard, Ore.

Profile: He went on the King 56 training flight to San Diego rather than attend Saturday's Oregon/Oregon State Civil War football game in Eugene. He always wanted to work in the medical field and completed ophthalmic technician training at Portland Community College this year.

Staff Sergeant Marvin H. Forrest

Born: February 23, 1948

Unit: 304th Rescue Squadron

Duty: HC-130 aircraft mechanic

Date arrived at Portland unit: June 14, 1985

Civilian occupation: Air Reserve Technician

Family: Wife, Diane; mother, Dolores, Vancouver, Wash.; son, Todd, Wash; daughter, Erin, Mass.; daughter-in-law, Dawn Steigleman.

Hometown: Vancouver, Wash.

Profile: He was an avid car collector who served in the Air Force. He recently married his high school sweetheart. His son, Todd, is in the Navy, stationed at Whidbey Island Naval Air Station, Wash. His daughter-in-law, Dawn Steigleman, described him as "a very soft-spoken, sweet man; very good to his wife, his children and his grand-children."

Staff Sergeant James R. Johnson

Born: May 28, 1969

Unit: 304th Rescue Squadron

Duty: Aircraft Loadmaster

Date arrived at Portland unit: December 30,1987

Civilian occupation: UPS

Family: Wife, Nicole; daughter, Alex,8; mother, Judie; father, Jim Fly, San Diego, Calif.; brother, Josh; brother, Justin Fly, San Diego, Calif.; grandmother, Beula Futrell; stepfather, Larry Morris (SMSgt,304 RQS).

Hometown: Brush Prairie, Wash.

Profile: He deployed to Saudi Arabia in support of Operation Southern Watch. He was a champion softball player and a snow skier. SMSgt. Rich Duke, loadmaster supervisor, described him as "the heart of the loadmaster section."

Staff Sergeant Ronald E. Garner Jr.

Born: September 5, 1966

Unit: 304th Rescue Squadron

Duty: Maintenance Specialist

Date arrived at Portland unit: July 28,1993

Civilian occupation: Owner, Silver Eagle Computers (home computer business)

Family: Wife, Apinya; daughters, Amanda, 8, and Malisa,6; mother, Judy, Kansas; stepmother, Emily Jane Holman, and brother, Don Addington, Hermiston; sisters, Rhonda Schutte and Myra Luthan, St. Helens, Ore.; Mindy, Ohio; and Rhonda and Deanna, Kansas.

Hometown: Silverton, Ore.

Profile: He came to the Reserve from active-duty assignments in the East and Southwest. He ran a personal computer repair and sales company from his home. He also had worked as a maintenance man at a Woodburn, Ore., cemetery.