A budding reporter experienced a shocking air crash story but was unable to include a byline.

Kenneth E. Fox was born in Nevada in 1921. No information is available regarding his father. His mother later married Victor J. Petersen, a Pajaro Valley resident and relocated to Watsonville. Kenneth entered Watsonville High School in the late 1930s and while there, served on the school board, Red Cross council and was a sports reporter and business manager for school publications.

After Fox's graduation in 1939, he attended college for a year and the family left Watsonville. When Victor Peterson was transferred to Panama (about 1941), Ken's mother relocated to San Jose and he moved to Gilroy. While in Gilroy, he worked as a reporter for the Gilroy Dispatch newspaper.

On September 10, 1942 Kenneth Fox was inducted into the army in San Francisco and in 1943 entered the Aviation Cadet Program.

He was scheduled to complete his flight training in March 1944; however, that never occurred. While flying over George Field near Lawrenceville, Illinois, on February 10, 1944, the plane that Cadet Kenneth E. Fox was flying collided with another aircraft killing him and eight other airmen.

His remains were returned to San Jose for a funeral and burial at Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno, February 18, 1944.

USDVA; NARA2; WRP February 11, 1944 1:4; WRP February 17, 1944, 1:7; Photo-WHS)