Roll of Honor
Incident
Sergeant Gerald Chirrick, Corporal Virgle Knight, and Special Deputy Ronald Terwilliger were killed in a helicopter crash while conducting a marijuana eradication operation. The helicopter crashed after striking power lines as it took off from the parking area of the Canton Creek Campground in the Umppqua National Forest. Sergeant Chirrick was a U.S. Army veteran of the Vietnam War. He had served with the Douglas County Sheriff's Office for 16 years and had previously served with the Reedsport Police Department.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, two sons, daughter, mother, and siblings.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-OR-5A3FF87C- Stewardship
- 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. Army. One record, 2 gates. Gerald 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.
Sergeant Chirrick gave the Douglas County Sheriff's Office 16 years.
Thank you for your service to the Roseburg community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Gerald G. Chirrick served in the U.S. Army (1965â1967) before joining law enforcement.
Sergeant Gerald G. Chirrick is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,759 officers honored here.
In OR, 66 of 197 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 33.5% of this state's fallen. That is 33.5 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Douglas County Sheriff's Office, 3 of 5 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 60% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Gerald G. Chirrick's cause is highlighted.
How Gerald G. Chirrick Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Gerald G. Chirrick is highlighted in Jul.
Incident Location
Military Service
Gerald G. Chirrick served in the U.S. Army (1965–1967) before joining law enforcement.
Visit Gerald G. Chirrick’s page on salute.nw →
His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.
Others Who Wore This Badge
4 officers from Douglas County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
