Libby Dam ceremony memorializes those who died on the job

A memorial bearing the names of a dozen men who died during the construction of Libby Dam was unveiled Saturday morning during the 50th anniversary ceremony.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Seattle District Commander Col. Kathryn Sanborn and Libby Dam Natural Resource Manager Tana Wilson performed the unveiling while Montana historian Rich Aarstad read the names of those who perished while working there.

The Corps published a pamphlet, “The Legacy of the Libby Dam Builders,” which chronicles the men who died and also dispels myths on whether anyone was buried in the dam.

Here is a list of those men and the year they died:

John Clyde Howe - 1967

The 25-year-old U.S. Marines veteran and former police officer was employed by Libby Dam Builders. He died while transporting a maintenance fan when a massive equipment failure caused some destruction. He was survived by two daughters.

Fred H. Ingraham - 1968

The U.S. Air Force veteran who served in World War II was getting ready to set the outrigger when the boom hit an electrical line. One other person was injured in the accident. The 39-year-old was survived by five children.

Bill M. Marlow - 1968

Marlow was a 25-year-old father of a 5-year-old daughter when he was struck by a loader machine while working on the Flathead Tunnel. Marlow was taken to the hospital in Whitefish, accompanied by his brother, who also worked on the dam. Marlo died of his injuries Nov. 6 in the hospital.

Charles C. Willems - 1969

The 38-year-old was working on the Elk Mountain Tunnel for Walsh Grove Co. when he was struck in the head by a high pressure hose. He was survived by his wife, Faith, and three children.

Merle S. Wallis - 1969

Wallis, 53, and several other men were stationed on the ground when a bucket contains tons of concrete was poured on top of them. Wallis died almost instantly and several others were badly injured. He was survived by two daughters and six grandchildren.

Norris Theodore Halvorson - 1970

Halvorson, a 61-year-old carpenter working his way to retirement, fell off a ladder while working on the dam. It is thought the reason he fell had to do with his known heart condition. His death is the only one labeled as natural causes and not as an industrial accident.

He was survived by five children and two grandchildren. 

Ray E. Willis - 1970

Willis, who was employed as a general foreman by Columbia Basin Steel Co., was working on a trestle when he was hit and run over by a dinky train carrying concrete. He was survived by three children.

Kenneth A. Hermanson - 1972

A 49-year-old painter on the first day of his new job, Hermanson was painting guidelines inside the pen stock. He was suspended 95 feet above the water when his safety line broke and he fell into the cold water. A “hardhat diver” was called in from Seattle to retrieve his remains in water 150 feet.

Bill Peterson - 1973

A 10-year U.S. Air Force veteran, former police officer and Justice of the Peace.

Frank Skranak - 1973

Peterson and Skranak died in the same incident. Peterson, a safety engineer, was driving a truck when a large construction vehicle, driven by Skranak, lost control of its brakes. Peterson died almost immediately in the crash while Skranak survived for months in the hospital before dying on Nov. 11.

Donald C. Lambert - 1973

The 62-year-old mechanic-welder was fatally injured when the front gate of a 651 scraper slid down an incline and pinned him down. He was survived by seven children.

Tom Surman - 1973

Surman, 51, served in World War II with the Ninth Armored Division, and was also a police officer before going to work at Stewart-Erickson. He was working as a carpenter on a bridge north of the dam in the rock gut. A crane tipped over onto its side, dragging cables which struck Surman.

In regards to the myth of someone being buried in the structure, the Corps explains the historical basis.

The Hoover Dam in Nevada (1931-36) and the Fort Peck Dam in Montana (1933-40) had time overlaps in their construction.

Hoover Dam saw 96 fatalities during its build while a massive construction failure in the right abutment at Fort Peck killed eight people and injured 35. Six of those who perished were never recovered and remain in the dam.

    Visitors were treated to a stroll across the top of Libby Dam during Saturday's celebration of the 50th anniversary of the completion of Libby Dam. (Paul Sievers/The Western News)
  

    A downstream view from Libby Dam's Treaty Tower Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, during the 50th anniversary ceremony. (Scott Shindledecker/The Western News)
  

    Libby historian and author Jeff Gruber speaks to some attendees at Libby Dam Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, during the 50th anniversary ceremony. (Scott Shindledecker/The Western News)
  

    Inside Libby Dam's Treaty Tower looking down. (Paul Sievers/The Western News)
  

    Libby's Big Sky Bows and Blowhards performed the National Anthem, America the Beautiful and Stars and Stripes Forever at Libby Dam Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, during the 50th anniversary ceremony. (Scott Shindledecker/The Western News)
  

    The granite, 90-ton, 27-by-30-foot Treaty Tower sculpture created by Albert Wein. (Paul Sievers/The Western News)
  

    A portion of the crowd that was gathered Saturday to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the construction of Libby Dam. (Paul Sievers/The Western News)
  

    Historian and author Rich Aastad speaks to some young attendees at Libby Dam Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, during the 50th anniversary ceremony. (Scott Shindledecker/The Western News)