William J. Henderson
Agency patch
Policeman

William J. Henderson

Philadelphia Police Department — Philadelphia, PA
Veteran → Accident
End of Watch December 25, 1941
Age 54
Tour of Duty 23 yrs
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Henderson was killed when he was struck and run over by a bus that had just made a left on Wayne Avenue from Lincoln Drive. He was returning home after finishing a four-hour shift of guard duty at the Walnut Line Bridge.

He was a U.S Army veteran of WWI and had served with the Philadelphia Police Department for 23 years.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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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. Army. One record, 2 gates. William 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.
Policeman Henderson gave the Philadelphia Police Department 23 years.
Thank you for your service to the Philadelphia community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA
Platform Identity ppd.philadelphia.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 25, 1941
Tour of Duty 23 yrs
Age 54
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Military Service

William J. Henderson served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

The Sacrifice · Accident

William 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.

  1. See the roll
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1941, 68 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 54th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

William was 54. 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. William had served 23 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

December holds 8.9% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.4%. Thursdays: 14%.

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

Philadelphia Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, William among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Policeman William J. Henderson

Philadelphia Police Department · End of Watch December 25, 1941

Military Service

William J. Henderson served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.

Visit William J. Henderson’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 55-E

Also Remembered

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