Staff Sergeant Gene Edward Lillard was born in Maryville, Tennessee, on July 23, 1929, to parents, Reverend Horace Lillard and Nixie Young Lillard. He was a member of Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, 5th Air Force. On December 27, 1952, he was a passenger on a C-47D Skymaster (DC-3), operated by the Royal Helena Air Force. As it took off from Chinhae Air Base (K-10), South Korea it crashed near Haengom-ni killing all 14 aboard.
Gene E. Lillard
- Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Born: 23 July 1929
- Died: 27 December 1952
- County: Blount
- Hometown: Maryville
- Service Branch: Air Force
- Division/Assignment: 5th Air Force
- Theater: Not listed
- Conflict: Korean War
- Battles: Not listed
- Awards: Korean Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Presidential Unit Citation, and Republic of Korea War Service Medal
- Burial/Memorial Location: Clover Hill Cemetery, Blount County, TN
- Location In Memorial: Pillar XX, Top Panel
- Sponsored by: Contact us to sponsor Gene E. Lillard