Donald E. Smith
Agency patch
Trooper

Donald E. Smith

Oregon State Police — Salem, OR
Accident
End of Watch July 11, 1983
Tour of Duty 11 yrs
The Vigil Panel 127 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Trooper Smith and Deputy Joseph Omlin of the Curry County Sheriff's Office were killed in an aircraft accident while on a marijuana observation flight in a remote wilderness area in southern Oregon. Trooper Smith had been with the agency for 11 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.
Trooper Smith gave the Oregon State Police 11 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Oregon. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Trooper Smith.

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

Agency

Department Oregon State Police
Type State Police
Location Salem, Marion County, OR
Platform Identity osp.or.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 11, 1983
Tour of Duty 11 yrs
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

Donald 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
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1983, 74 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 36th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Donald had served 11 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

July holds 9.3% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Mondays: 13.4%.

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

Oregon State Police has 31 officers remembered here, Donald among them.

Trooper Donald E. Smith

Oregon State Police · End of Watch July 11, 1983

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 6-W

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