John G. Piroutek, Captain, USAF (Fallen)
April 29, 1944 – March 17, 1976
Captain John G. Piroutek died in the crash of a USAF CH-53C helicopter, March 17, 1976, at Sembach AB, near Kaiserslautern, Germany. The CH-53C helicopter had been making a routine training flight around the Sembach AB. The helicopter had landed on a helipad on the base, then lifted off to an altitude of about 10 feet when it suddenly fell to the ground, rolled over, and burst into flames, instantly killing Capt. Piroutek and the three other crew members on board.
Capt. Piroutek served with the 21st SOS in Vietnam in 1971.