John Edward Echterling Jr. was born on October 10, 1946, in Lancaster, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. He was the son of John E. Echterling and Ruth G. Echterling. He was the husband of Carolyn M. Echterling. He graduated from Haverford High School and Pennsylvania Military College. He enlisted in the service in August 1969. He served in the Communications Platoon, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, as a First Lieutenant and Battalion Communications Officer during the Vietnam War era.

On August 18, 1971, a U.S. Army CH-47A Chinook (tail number 66-19023) transporting troops from Ludwigsburg to the Grafenwöhr training area crashed near Pegnitz, Germany, when a decommissioned rotor blade was mistakenly reinstalled and failed mid-flight. The aircraft broke apart in the air, killing all 37 aboard, including 33 soldiers and 4 crew members, marking the deadliest peacetime U.S. military accident in
West Germany since World War II.

1Lt Echterling was among the passengers on board and now rests at Saint Joseph's New Roman Catholic Cemetery, Bausman, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, USA.

Source of information: www.chinook-helicopter.com, www.findagrave.com