End of Watch October 4, 1973
Age 38
Tour of Duty 12 yrs
The Vigil Panel 112 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Senior Patrol Agent John Blue and Pilot Fritz Karl were killed in an airplane crash near Tacna, Arizona, shortly after takeoff. The two agents were on a patrol in the area and had stopped at an airport near Tacna to make ground contact with other agents. Shortly after takeoff the landing gear of the plane struck a 52-foot high power line, causing it to flip over and crash onto I-8. Agent Blue had served with the United States Border Patrol for 12 years.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Senior Patrol Agent Blue gave the United States Department of Justice 12 years.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Senior Patrol Agent Blue.

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

Agency

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

Service Record

End of Watch October 4, 1973
Tour of Duty 12 yrs
Age 38
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

John is one of 8,275 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,117 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 1973, 90 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 13th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John was 38. 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. John had served 12 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

October holds 9.1% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. 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 - Immigration and Naturalization Service - United States Border Patrol has 68 officers remembered here, John among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Senior Patrol Agent John S. Blue

United States Department of Justice - Immigration and Naturalization Service - United States Border Patrol · End of Watch October 4, 1973

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 60-E

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