July 27, 1960 – North American F-100C #53-1740, assigned to the USAF Thunderbirds on 28 March 1960, crashes fifty miles from Nellis AFB, Nevada, killing Capt. John R. Crane during a solo proficiency flight. John Crane was born on August 21, 1926, in Las Vegas, NV. He served as narrator and information officer for the Thunderbirds and joined the group on occasions for shows.
USAF Captain Crane had served in WWII and Korea.
Note: This F-100C serial number is also listed as having been shot down by gunfire in March of 1969 in Southeast Asia. This was reported by Joe Baugher, a physicist and software engineer. (This has not been confirmed).
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Aviation/Anniversaries/July_27