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Alvin Leroy Foss
Agency patch
Officer

Alvin Leroy Foss

California Highway Patrol — Sacramento, CA
Veteran → Accident
United States flag California flag
End of Watch April 26, 1950
Age 23
Tour of Duty 1 yrs
The Vigil Panel 191 · Column 1 · Line 20 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Military Memorials 1 Also Remembered Department 233

Incident

Officer Alvin Foss was accidentally shot and killed when his service revolver fell from its holster and discharged while he was in the Bay Bridge Toll Plaza squad room in Alameda County. When the revolver struck the concrete floor the firing pin was pressed firmly enough that it caused the round to discharge. Officer Foss was a U.S. Army Air Force veteran of WWII. He had served with the California Highway Patrol for one year and was assigned to the Bay Bridge Patrol Unit.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, 2-year-old son, and mother.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Air Force. One record, 2 gates. Alvin is one person.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Officer Foss gave the California Highway Patrol 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the people of California, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department California Highway Patrol
Type Highway Patrol
Location Sacramento, CA
Platform Identity chp.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 26, 1950
Tour of Duty 1 yrs
Age 23
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Military Service

Alvin Leroy Foss served in the U.S. Air Force before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

The Sacrifice · Accident

Alvin is one of 8,276 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,552 remembered there.

34,103 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  3. See the roll
  4. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1950, 58 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 77th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Alvin was 23. Of the 7,718 lost to accidents in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 46; the middle age was 36. Alvin had served 1 year; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

April holds 7% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.4%. Wednesdays: 14.5%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

California Highway Patrol has at least 120 officers remembered here, Alvin among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Officer Alvin Leroy Foss

California Highway Patrol · End of Watch April 26, 1950

Military Service

Alvin Leroy Foss served in the U.S. Air Force before joining law enforcement.

Visit Alvin Leroy Foss’s page on salute.nw →

His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 18-W

Also Remembered

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