Trenwith S. Basford
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Special Agent

Trenwith S. Basford

Accident
End of Watch August 25, 1977
Age 60
Tour of Duty 35 yrs
Gender Male

Incident

Special Agent Trenwith Kirkland and Special Agent Trenwith Basford were killed when the float plane they were flying in crashed into Dewey Lake near Chisholm, Minnesota. They were returning to Twin Lakes after assisting other agents in Duluth. The plane was being piloted by Agent Basford.

Survivors

Special Agent Basford had been with the agency for 35 years and was survived by his wife and two sons.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

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Tributes

35 years. You could have gone home.
Special Agent Basford gave the United States Department of Justice 35 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Special Agent Basford.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Type Federal Agency
Location Washington, DC
Platform Identity usdjfbifed.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 25, 1977
Tour of Duty 35 yrs
Age 60
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

Trenwith is one of 8,276 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,102 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1977, 64 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 66th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Trenwith was 60. 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. Trenwith had served 35 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

August holds 9.4% of these deaths in the United States, more than any other month. Thursdays: 14%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

United States Department of Justice - Federal Bureau of Investigation has 89 officers remembered here, Trenwith among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Special Agent Trenwith S. Basford

United States Department of Justice - Federal Bureau of Investigation · End of Watch August 25, 1977

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 27-W

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