On December 11, 1974, a date that would be etched in the memory of the Kodiak community, 25-year-old Alaska State Trooper Frank Rodman was lost in the cold waters of the North Pacific. He was on a commercial flight, a Kodiak Western Airlines Grumman Goose seaplane, that tragically went down near Cape Chiniak, just off Kodiak Island. The aircraft was only minutes from its scheduled landing in Kodiak when it inexplicably crashed into Chiniak Bay.
Traveling with Trooper Rodman were fellow Trooper Larry Carr, age 23, and three other individuals: Robert Hall, Alex Inga, Sr., and the pilot, Larry Carr. The purpose of their flight was somber; they were transporting the body of a drowning victim back to their district headquarters.
The day of the crash was met with a swift response as search and rescue operations were launched in a desperate attempt to locate the downed aircraft and its five occupants. Despite their efforts, the vast and unforgiving waters of Chiniak Bay offered no trace of the Grumman Goose or those aboard. After several days of intensive searching yielded no results, the difficult decision was made to suspend the operation. The wreckage of the plane was never found, and the exact cause of the crash remains undetermined due to the lack of evidence. Of the five people on the flight, only two bodies were ever recovered, leaving the families of Frank Rodman, Larry Carr, and the others with no closure.
Frank Rodman had served with the Alaska State Troopers for a brief two months but had a longer history of service in law enforcement, having previously worked for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and the Kodiak Police Department. His dedication to his community was evident in his career choices. He was survived by his wife, daughter, two stepsons, his mother, and a sister, who were left to grapple with the sudden and tragic loss. The case remains a painful memory for the community and a stark reminder of the dangers faced by those who serve in the remote and often hazardous conditions of Alaska. The disappearance of Trooper Rodman and the others aboard the ill-fated flight is a story of service and sacrifice that ended in an unsolved mystery, leaving a void in the lives of their loved ones and the community they served.Last Seen: Dec 11, 1974
