A P-38 Aircraft in the Bull Run Watershed in Oregon

The 1962 Discovery of a Lost P-38 Aircraft in the Bull Run Watershed: A Forgotten Crash Near Mount Hood

The Lost P-38 and its Pilot Lt. Alan C. Strader

A Lost P-38 Aircraft in the Bull Run Watershed – In July 1962, a decades-old mystery finally came to light deep in the forests near Mount Hood. For nearly 20 years, the wreckage of a World War II-era Lockheed P-38 Lightning remained hidden in the remote Bull Run watershed until a U.S. Forest Service employee discovered it. Inside, they found the remains of a young pilot who had vanished during a training flight in 1943—Second Lieutenant Alan Clay Strader.

A Promising Young Pilot

Alan C. Strader was just 20 years old when he died, just two years after graduating from high school. Born in Barnard, Missouri, and raised in Maryville, he completed his studies at Maryville High School before moving with his family to Glasgow, Montana. Drawn to aviation early, Strader enrolled in civilian flight training at the Etchart-Makle Flying School in Miles City, which laid the foundation for his military service.

On April 11, 1942, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Forces. He completed pilot training at Williams Field in Arizona and graduated on March 10, 1943. After receiving his commission as a second lieutenant, Strader was sent to McChord Field in Washington and transferred temporarily to Portland Army Air Base for training in the P-38 Lightning—a twin-engine fighter known for its speed, range, and combat strength.

As with many P-38s, Strader’s aircraft carried distinctive markings. His plane featured a bold image of a yellow horse on the nose and the nickname “Strawberry Roan.” These elements gave the aircraft personality and became key identifiers when investigators examined the wreckage in 1962.

The 1943 Disappearance

P-38 Aircraft in the Bull Run Watershed – On March 26, 1943, Strader took off from Portland on a routine gunnery training mission. Poor weather marked the day—rainfall and low visibility obscured the rugged terrain around Mount Hood. Clouds and mist likely blanketed the forests below.

No one received a distress call or visual confirmation of the aircraft. With no communication prior to the crash, evidence suggests that Strader experienced a controlled flight into terrain (CFIT). He likely lost his bearings and flew into the towering Douglas firs below.

Despite extensive search efforts, crews could not locate the aircraft or its pilot. For nearly two decades, the military classified Alan Strader as missing in action, and his fate remained unknown.

The Wreckage Found in the Bull Run Watershed

Then, on July 9, 1962, a U.S. Forest Service employee working in the Bull Run watershed about 4.5 miles north of Brightwood stumbled upon twisted wreckage buried beneath thick underbrush. Since the crash site lay within Portland’s protected watershed, public access was restricted, and the area stayed untouched.

Military investigators quickly arrived on scene. They confirmed the wreckage belonged to a Lockheed P-38 Lightning, and aircraft serial numbers led them to match the craft to Lt. Alan C. Strader.

Robert Strader, Alan’s younger brother in Spokane, helped confirm the identification. He contacted military officials and provided essential family documentation, which resolved the long-standing case.

Although the paint had faded, remnants of the yellow horse still clung faintly to the nose section—an enduring trace of the “Strawberry Roan.”

A Family’s Long Wait Ends

The discovery brought both sorrow and closure to the Strader family. For nearly two decades, his mother, Gladys Strader, lived in Colorado Springs without knowing what had happened to her son. Meanwhile, his brother Louis, also a pilot, completed his own Army Air Forces training in Mississippi. Robert, the youngest sibling, had just entered the Air Corps Cadet Program in Montana—following Alan’s path into service.

A Hero’s Long Journey Home

After 19 years, Lt. Alan C. Strader finally came home. His remains returned to Glasgow, Montana, where loved ones laid him to rest in Highlands Cemetery beside his father. The Bell Chapel hosted a memorial service, where friends and family gathered to honor his memory.

Although Lt. Strader’s military service was brief, his sacrifice still resonates. The last chapter of his story, uncovered decades later in the forested shadows of Mount Hood, reminds us that not all casualties occur in battle. Some are lost in training, in duty, and in the quiet places that time forgets—until they are remembered once more.

Sources

• The Oregonian, May 23, 1943 — Report on missing Army Air Forces plane near Mount Hood.
• The Oregonian, August 2, 1962 — “Wreckage of P-38 Found on Mount Hood.”
• The Oregonian, August 3, 1962 — Follow-up coverage of the crash discovery.
• The Oregon Journal, May 24, 1943 — “Army Plane Feared Down on Mount Hood.”
• The Oregon Journal, August 2, 1962 — “Climbers Locate Wreckage of Lost P-38.”
• The Oregon Journal, August 4, 1962 — Feature on the crash site and recovery.
• U.S. Army Air Forces accident records, 1943 (summary reports, secondary references).
• Grauer, Jack. Mount Hood: A Complete History. (Portland, OR: Self-published, various editions).

About the reconstructed images on this website.
Some images in this article may be reproductions based on historic photographs or newspaper articles that survive only in poor condition. These images have been digitally restored to improve clarity and, where necessary, reconstructed to represent the originals accurately. All reconstructions are guided by historical evidence and are intended to clarify-not reinterpret-the original scenes.