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James M. Carter
Incident
Border Patrol Inspector James Carter and Pilot Douglas Shute were killed in an airplane crash approximately 25 miles northwest of Langtry, Texas, while tracking suspected illegal aliens on the Carson Ranch. Inspector Carter and his partner were conducting a "sign-cutting" operation, a term used to describe locating and following footprints or other physical evidence left by a person traversing an area. They had discovered several sets of footprints when Pilot Shute landed the Piper Super Cub nearby and picked up Inspector Carter to assist as an observer as his partner remained on horseback. At about 10:00 am Pilot Shute reported by radio that the subjects had been located and directed Inspector Carter's partner on a course to intercept them. The plane was then seen making a banking turn to the left and resuming level flight at a 100-foot altitude. Moments later the plane went into a steep climb before stalling at 450 feet. The plane then rapidly descended and struck the ground in vertically, the engine being driven back into the cockpit. Inspector Carter and Pilot Shute were both killed upon impact. Inspector Carter was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran of WWII. He was survived by his wife and two children. He is buried in the Richland Springs Cemetery in San Saba, Texas.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and two children.
In Our Keeping
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- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Marine Corps. One record, 2 gates. James is one person.
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Tributes
I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Border Patrol Inspector Carter gave the United States Department of Justice 1 year.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
James M. Carter served in the U.S. Marine Corps before joining law enforcement.
The Sacrifice · Accident
United States Department of Justice - Immigration and Naturalization Service - United States Border Patrol has lost 68 officers; 46 of them lost to accidents.
James is one of 453 officers lost to accidents in DC, 31.9% of the 1,419 remembered there.
James is one of 8,276 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,552 remembered there.
James is one of 10,096 officers lost to accidents worldwide, 29.6% of the 34,103 remembered here.
34,103 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.
Time
In 1956, 3 officers at United States Department of Justice - Immigration and Naturalization Service - United States Border Patrol were lost to accidents, the 2nd heaviest of 28 years on record. The heaviest was 1974, with 4.
In 1956, 4 officers in DC were lost to accidents, the 39th heaviest of 125 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 14.
In 1956, 60 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 73rd heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.
In 1956, 74 officers worldwide were lost to accidents, the 68th heaviest of 200 years on record. The heaviest was 1930, with 131.
Who
James was 35. Of the 45 lost to accidents at United States Department of Justice - Immigration and Naturalization Service - United States Border Patrol whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 40; the middle age was 36. James had served 1.1 years; the middle length of service was 5 years.
James was 35. Of the 425 lost to accidents in DC whose age is recorded, half were between 30 and 46; the middle age was 38. James had served 1.1 years; the middle length of service was 7 years.
James was 35. Of the 7,718 lost to accidents in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 46; the middle age was 36. James had served 1.1 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.
James was 35. Of the 9,452 lost to accidents worldwide whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 45; the middle age was 36. James had served 1.1 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.
When
June holds 13% of these deaths at United States Department of Justice - Immigration and Naturalization Service - United States Border Patrol; October holds the most, 21.7%. Wednesdays: 13%.
June holds 7.3% of these deaths in DC; July holds the most, 10.6%. Wednesdays: 14.1%.
June holds 7.9% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.4%. Wednesdays: 14.5%.
June holds 7.9% of these deaths worldwide; August holds the most, 9.3%. Wednesdays: 14.6%.
How
Accident deaths account for 67.6% of all 68 deaths at United States Department of Justice - Immigration and Naturalization Service - United States Border Patrol, the most common cause.
Accident deaths account for 31.9% of all 1,419 deaths in DC, the 2nd most common cause.
Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.
Accident deaths account for 29.6% of all 34,103 deaths worldwide, the 2nd most common cause.
His people
United States Department of Justice - Immigration and Naturalization Service - United States Border Patrol has 68 officers remembered here, James among them.
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George E. Pringle
Dec 28, 1940
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Robert James Heibler
Sep 7, 1941
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Ralph W. Ramsey
Feb 26, 1942
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Garvis Feild Harrell
Apr 24, 1944
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Earl F. Fleckiger
Jun 23, 1945
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Ned D. Henderson
Nov 18, 1945
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Anthony L. Oneto
Mar 11, 1947
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Michael T. Box
Aug 29, 1950
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Richard David Clarke
Dec 18, 1950
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Edwin H. Wheeler
Jul 6, 1952
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William Franklin Buckelew
Jul 23, 1954
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Donald Kee
Jul 23, 1954
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James Martin Kirchner
Nov 15, 1954
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James M. Carter
Jun 6, 1956
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Douglas Carter Shute
Jun 6, 1956
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John A. Rector
Oct 16, 1956
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Archie L. Jennings
Apr 16, 1960
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Kenneth Leroy Carl
Jun 18, 1961
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Richard A. Lugo
May 14, 1967
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George F. Azrak
Jun 17, 1967
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Theodore L. Newton, Jr.
Jun 17, 1967
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Elgar B. Holliday
Oct 18, 1967
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Ralph L. Anderson
Oct 25, 1968
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James G. Burns
Dec 8, 1968
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Henley M. Goode, Jr.
Oct 11, 1969
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John S. Blue
Oct 4, 1973
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Friedrich Karl
Oct 4, 1973
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Edwin Curtis Dennis
Feb 4, 1974
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Lee L. Bounds
Mar 29, 1974
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Glenn A. Phillips
Jul 8, 1974
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Oscar Trevino Torres
Nov 30, 1974
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Jose Paz Gamez, Jr.
Apr 21, 1978
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Weldon Smith
Oct 19, 1979
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Victor Contreras Ochoa
Mar 11, 1983
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Thomas Kent Byrd
Nov 21, 1983
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Manuel Salcido, Jr.
Jan 2, 1985
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Lester Lee Haynie
Jun 14, 1985
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Norman Ray Salinas
Aug 4, 1986
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John Robert McCravey
Feb 23, 1987
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Josiah Blaine Mahar
Sep 23, 1988
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David Franklin Roberson
Jul 14, 1989
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Keith Connelly
Sep 6, 1989
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John Donald Keenan
Nov 27, 1989
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Louis Deitrich Stahl
Jun 13, 1992
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Jose Angel Nava
Jan 7, 1995
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Luis A. Santiago
Mar 28, 1995
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Xavier Guadalupe Magdaleno
May 10, 1995
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Lawrence B. Pierce, Jr.
Aug 17, 1995
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Jefferson L. Barr
Jan 19, 1996
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Aurelio Esparz Valencia
Jan 26, 1996
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Michael Wayne Barnes
Dec 12, 1996
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Miguel Javier Maldonado
Mar 10, 1997
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Stephen Clay Starch
Jun 14, 1997
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Alexander Sanderlieb Kirpnick
Jun 3, 1998
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Susan Lynn Rodriguez
Jul 7, 1998
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Ricardo Guillermo Salinas
Jul 7, 1998
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Thomas J. Williams
Oct 20, 1998
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Jesus A. de la Ossa
Oct 20, 1998
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Walter Scott Panchison
Oct 23, 1998
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Rene B. Garza
Jan 20, 1999
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Stephen Michael Sullivan
Mar 27, 1999
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John Charles Gigax
Nov 7, 1999
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Daniel Miles James, Jr.
Mar 3, 2001
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Jason Christopher Panides
Apr 4, 2001
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Eloy Hernandez
Jan 16, 2002
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Roberto Javier Duran
May 6, 2002
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Catherine Mary Hill
Oct 25, 2002
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Trena Renee McLaughlin
Sep 14, 2009
Where
Military Service
James M. Carter served in the U.S. Marine Corps before joining law enforcement.
Visit James M. Carter’s page on salute.nw →
His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.
Where the Name Is Cut
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 17-E
What is kept
Photographs, film, sound and papers — what survived a life.
Also Remembered
Others Who Wore This Badge
67 officers from United States Department of Justice - Immigration and Naturalization Service - United States Border Patrol are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
