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The Mt. Adams Sun, Bingen, WA., September 4, 1952, page 1

NAVY VETERAN KILLED SATURDAY IN MIDNIGHT CRASH AT TROUT LAKE
Death Spares Driver And Girl Passenger

George Gene Waldkirch, 22-year old Navy veteran, died at 1:20 a.m. Sunday morning of injuries received in a car wreck fifteen minutes before midnight. The accident happened at the V-intersection where Trout Lake's main street joins the Mt. Adams highway.
With Waldkirch was Jack Skiles, 22, W.S., the driver of the car and Miss Mondillia Cox, 16, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Mabry Cox of White Salmon. Skiles suffered shock and had cuts. He was released from the hospital on Monday. Miss Cox sustained bruises, shock and required three stitches in her head and several in her knees.

Skidmarks

According to officers, Skiles was traveling extremely fast. Before the car left the road it left skid marks for 193 feet 8 in., 40 feet of which were broadside. Even after stepping off a 14" thick telephone pole and knocking the butt end nearly 50 feet into the field, Skiles' Oldsmobile 88 rolled two and a half times over two stumps, each two or three feet high.
The crash was witnessed by Mr. and Mrs. Ivan Elmer from an intersection near the Grange Hall. Although the survivors claimed they were blinded by the lights of an approaching car, Mr. and Mrs. Elmer recall no other car. The crash was heard in the dance hall. In a few minutes the field was crowded with dancers trying to help.
Telephone contact with White Salmon was cut off by the demolished pole so that neither an ambulance or doctor could be summoned. The injured were transported to Hood River in Rex Wilson's and Robert Knoll's station wagons.

"My God, No!"

Miss Cox, tired after finishing her afternoon and evening shift as a waitress at Triplett's Café, was catnapping before arriving at the dance. She woke just before the crash, saw what was about to happen and remembered screaming "O my God! No" before she blacked out.
Miss Cox was seated between the two boys with Waldkirch on her right. The seating arrangement evidently protected her and Skiles from taking the full impact of the crash and saved their lives.
George Gene Waldkirch was born in White Salmon, April 3, 1930. Last April 14, he was discharged with a rate of MM/3 after four years in the Navy.
Gene is survived by his father, George Waldkirch of Portland; his mother, Mrs. J.M. Holden; a brother, Ronnie stationed with the Navy at Newport, R.I.; two half brothers, Johnny Joe and Timmy Jay; a sister Tanya; and his grandmother, Mrs. O.K. Haley.
Services will be held at Gardner's Funeral Home in White Salmon at 2 p.m. Friday, September 5.

The Enterprise, White Salmon, WA., September 4, 1952, page 1

ONE DEAD IN CAR ACCIDENT EARLY SUNDAY MORN

George Gene Waldkirch Jr., 22, United States Navy veteran of Korean fighting, who got out of the Navy on April 14th after four years of service, was killed at 12:45 a.m. Sunday morning in a crash of a car at Trout Lake.
"Gene" Waldkirch, a passenger in the car of Benjamin Jack Skiles, whose home address is Bingen, was killed when the car skidded for 193 feet before hitting a telephone pole and then plunged and rolled over tree stumps at the intersection of the old Trout Lake highway and highway 8D.
Skiles, driving his own car, had evidently tried to make the turn going into Trout Lake where a dance was in progress and failed to make the turn. The car, a 1949 Oldsmobile 88 was completely demolished. Another passenger, Miss Mondilla Cox was cut about the face and suffered severe shock as did Skiles.
Waldkirch was the son of Mrs. Mary Lucille Holden, White Salmon and George Gene Waldkirch Sr. of Portland. He was born on April 3, 1930 in White Salmon. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy after attending White Salmon schools.
After hitting the telephone pole the Skiles car rolled and plunged over tree stumps for 63 feet according to information from the State Patrol who investigated the accident. Skiles at first told officers he was traveling 50 to 55 miles per hour, later on Monday he changed this to 60 miles per hour. Ivan Elmer, Trout Lake was an eye witness to the crash.
Prompt action of the Trout Lake fire department put out a small fire started at the crash scene.