In the winter of 1962, a promising young soldier's life was tragically cut short during a routine training exercise in the state of Washington. Twenty-three-year-old Specialist Fourth Class Duane Ludwig Winget, a member of the Army National Guard from Wisconsin, was participating in a river crossing exercise at Fort Lewis Military Base, now part of Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
On February 15th, under the gray skies of a Pacific Northwest winter, Winget and his fellow soldiers were tasked with navigating a single-rope bridge suspended six feet above the frigid, fast-moving waters of the Nisqually River. The exercise required them to move hand-over-hand, their pistol belts hooked over the rope as a safety measure. In a harrowing moment, Winget lost his grip. His safety belt unbuckled, and he plunged into the powerful current below.
The immediate aftermath was a scene of urgent but ultimately futile rescue attempts. His comrades, witnessing the accident, sprang into action, with some diving into the dangerously cold water to try and reach him. A safety rope was positioned downstream, but the river's current was too strong, sweeping Winget past this crucial lifeline before anyone could get to him. An extensive search was launched in the hours and days that followed, a collaborative effort involving Army personnel, specialized divers, and helicopters. The Pierce County Sheriff's Department and local Native Americans, whose knowledge of the treacherous river was invaluable, also joined the desperate search. The Nisqually River, fed by the snowmelt from Mount Rainier, is known for its swift and cold waters, a powerful force of nature that can be unforgiving. Despite the exhaustive efforts of all involved, no trace of Specialist Winget was ever found.
The disappearance of Duane Winget left a void in the lives of his family and community back in Wisconsin. He was born on June 13, 1938, to Neil and Opal Winget and had graduated from high school in the mid-1950s. In the absence of his recovery, he is presumed to have drowned in the Nisqually River on that fateful day. His case is a somber reminder of the inherent risks involved in military training and the power of the natural world. Though his body was never located, he is memorialized with a headstone in his home state, a place for his loved ones to remember the young man who was lost but not forgotten. The official investigation into his disappearance is classified as a suspected accident, a tragic loss of life in service to his country.Last Seen: Feb 15, 1962
