Orville A. Preuster
Incident
Inspector Orville Preuster was killed when a bomb was placed in his vehicle at his home at 2115 10th Street in Niagara Falls, New York.
The bomb detonated when he pressed the starter in his car. Inspector Preuster was targeted because of his efforts in combating liquor smuggling along the Canadian border.
In Our Keeping
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- 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.
Inspector Preuster served with the United States Department of the Treasury.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Inspector Preuster.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
The Sacrifice · Felonious
United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service has lost 94 officers; 47 of them killed feloniously.
Orville is one of 754 officers killed feloniously in DC, 53.1% of the 1,419 remembered there.
Orville is one of 15,741 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.2% of the 27,543 remembered there.
Orville is one of 17,629 officers killed feloniously worldwide, 52% of the 33,910 remembered here.
33,910 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.
Time
In 1925, 1 officer at United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service was killed feloniously, the 9th heaviest of 37 years on record. The heaviest was 1932, with 4.
In 1925, 11 officers in DC were killed feloniously, the 13th heaviest of 159 years on record. The heaviest was 1922, with 20.
In 1925, 208 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 11th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.
In 1925, 209 officers worldwide were killed feloniously, the 12th heaviest of 265 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 516.
Who
Orville was 42. Of the 42 killed feloniously at United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service whose age is recorded, half were between 30.5 and 42; the middle age was 37.
Orville was 42. Of the 580 killed feloniously in DC whose age is recorded, half were between 30 and 44; the middle age was 36.
Orville was 42. Of the 14,215 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38.
Orville was 42. Of the 15,849 killed feloniously worldwide whose age is recorded, half were between 30 and 46; the middle age was 38.
When
March holds 4.3% of these deaths at United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service; January holds the most, 14.9%. Sundays: 14.9%.
March holds 7% of these deaths in DC; July holds the most, 11.7%. Sundays: 14.9%.
March holds 7.5% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Sundays: 15.2%.
March holds 7.8% of these deaths worldwide; December holds the most, 9.2%. Sundays: 15.2%.
How
Felonious deaths account for 50% of all 94 deaths at United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was explosives, in 2.1% of these deaths.
Felonious deaths account for 53.1% of all 1,419 deaths in DC, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was explosives, in 1.2% of these deaths.
Felonious deaths account for 57.2% of all 27,543 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was explosives, in 0.3% of these deaths.
Felonious deaths account for 52% of all 33,910 deaths worldwide, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was explosives, in 0.3% of these deaths.
His people
United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service has 94 officers remembered here, Orville among them.
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Ellis Drake Aug 3, 1808
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Asa Marsh Aug 3, 1808
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Daniel Miller Jan 1, 1810
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Peleg Palmer Feb 17, 1811
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John Stout Jan 21, 1814
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James M. Anderson Dec 16, 1863
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William Bird Goodell
Dec 16, 1863
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William H. Phelps Dec 18, 1868
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George T. Hammonds Dec 18, 1868
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Frank Dupont May 26, 1869
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Alden McLaughlin Aug 31, 1871
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Kuntz Stahlberger Jan 2, 1880
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John A. Fallon Nov 5, 1890
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Frank B. Robson Aug 12, 1896
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John M. Plunkett Jul 2, 1897
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John Spaldt Nov 6, 1898
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Richard W. Wallace Nov 29, 1899
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Alphonse Levy Dec 13, 1901
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Frank Chapman
Sep 23, 1906
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Charles E. Jones Mar 19, 1908
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Charles R. Logan
Mar 19, 1908
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Ziba H. Nickerson Jul 16, 1908
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Charles F. Atwood Jul 16, 1908
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Thomas S. O'Connor Jan 30, 1911
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John S. H. Howard Feb 12, 1913
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Joseph Russell Sitter
May 24, 1915
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Robert L. Wood
Jul 31, 1916
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Fred Tate Aug 31, 1918
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John Fraser Pugh
Oct 26, 1918
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Robert Stuart Rumsey, Jr.
Aug 19, 1922
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Jot Gunter Jones
Oct 1, 1922
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James A. Wallen
Mar 6, 1923
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Lloyd Parks Criss Jan 13, 1924
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Orville A. Preuster
Mar 1, 1925
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Edward Billings Webb
Oct 9, 1926
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John W. Parrott Jan 7, 1927
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Gerardo Pescara Jan 19, 1927
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Stephen S. Dawson Feb 28, 1928
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Thomas Sampson Morriss Dec 23, 1928
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Clarence Neal Titcomb Jan 15, 1929
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Arthur M. Beaman Jul 27, 1929
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Charles Wilbur Rogers Sep 24, 1929
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Egbert Ellison Aug 9, 1930
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John Lawrence Kelly Feb 9, 1931
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Louis E. Babcock
Aug 17, 1931
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Arnold W. Gilbert
Nov 2, 1931
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Clyde Merrill Bristow Jan 12, 1932
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Ralph E. Bowden Mar 19, 1932
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Daniel A. Romberger Apr 25, 1932
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John Henry Heard
May 2, 1932
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Joseph Baker Sep 27, 1932
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Herff Alexander Carnes
Dec 4, 1932
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Rollin Culberson Nichols Nov 28, 1933
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Loy Cash Henry Jun 20, 1934
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Lewis Allison Highsmith Jan 7, 1937
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Matthew Kononen
Mar 5, 1939
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Joseph Turner Brown
Apr 9, 1940
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Patrick Joseph Black
Aug 31, 1943
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John Earl Fassett
Feb 21, 1945
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Anthony Cozza
Feb 24, 1945
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George E. Spencer Feb 24, 1945
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Clarence Jewell Trask, Sr.
Apr 8, 1947
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Pier Harry Bima
Apr 16, 1947
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Hugh Eugene Donnelly May 1, 1947
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George Marion Bacon
Feb 4, 1955
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Benjamin Bert Stone
Oct 7, 1957
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John Henry Sellenthin Sep 2, 1961
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Timothy Martin O'Riordan
Sep 29, 1964
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Charles J. Bokinskie
Apr 24, 1974
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Louis David Dixon
Apr 24, 1974
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Renault Rene Bayhi
Apr 29, 1975
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George William Singleton
Dec 22, 1975
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William Halley Jul 2, 1976
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John M. Lacey
May 21, 1977
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Vincent D. Kaskeski
Jan 12, 1978
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Michael Joseph Reimers
Apr 19, 1979
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Kenneth G. Ward
May 24, 1979
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Roger L. Von Amelunxen
Jul 30, 1980
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Denis Lee Van Patten
Dec 22, 1980
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George J. Spencer
Nov 30, 1981
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Richard Mack Latham
Jan 28, 1984
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John Edwin Hollingsworth Oct 20, 1984
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Morley Lester Miller
Oct 20, 1984
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Glenn Raye Miles, Sr.
Feb 21, 1986
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David Louie Crater
Nov 15, 1987
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James Darryl Taylor
Nov 15, 1987
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James A. Buczel
Oct 9, 1988
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George Reyes Saenz
Nov 2, 1989
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Timothy Cal McCaghren
Feb 19, 1990
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Carl Richard Talafous
Jul 14, 1993
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Alan John Klumpp
Jul 14, 1993
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Pedro Jose Rodriguez-Franco
Sep 18, 1998
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Richard Anthony Forde
Sep 12, 2000
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Thomas Murray
Oct 30, 2001
Where
Where the Name Is Cut
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 20-W
What is kept
Photographs, film, sound and papers — what survived a life.
Others Who Wore This Badge
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