Martin C. McCaw
Agency patch
Patrolman

Martin C. McCaw

Chicago Police Department — Chicago, IL
Accident
End of Watch April 27, 1942
Age 34
Tour of Duty 7 yrs
Badge 6991
The Vigil Panel 79 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman Martin C. McCaw was accidentally shot and killed when his partner tripped and his service revolver discharged. The two officers chased two gunmen into a vacant lot at 653 Blue Island Avenue. Patrolman McCaw had just captured one of the men when his partner tripped and discharged the revolver. The round struck Patrolman McCaw in the head. He was transported to Mother Cabrini Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Both men fled the scene after the shot was fired. Patrolman McCaw had received a citizen award months earlier for rescuing five people from a burning apartment building in January. He was assigned to District 12 and was a seven-year veteran of the department.

Survivors

He is survived by his five children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
NW-QNCS-D59W-1 earlier record number BO-US-IL-3CE5B041
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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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Patrolman McCaw gave the Chicago Police Department 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the Chicago community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman McCaw.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Chicago, Cook County, IL
Platform Identity cpd.cook.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 27, 1942
Tour of Duty 7 yrs
Age 34
Badge Number 6991
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

Martin is one of 8,274 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,543 remembered there.

33,910 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1942, 65 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 65th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Martin was 34. Of the 7,715 lost to accidents in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 46; the middle age was 36. Martin had served 7 years; 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, 9.5%. Mondays: 13.4%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,543 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Chicago Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Martin among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Patrolman Martin C. McCaw

Chicago Police Department · End of Watch April 27, 1942

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 21-W

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