Thomas B. Whatley
Agency patch
Patrolman

Thomas B. Whatley

Veteran → Felonious
End of Watch December 29, 1947
Age 25
Tour of Duty 4 mo
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman Thomas Whatley succumbed to gunshot wounds received the previous evening while he and the Graham County Sheriff attempted to serve a restraining order at a home near Robbinsville. As the officers stepped onto the front porch the suspect opened fire with a rifle, striking Patrolman Whatley in the abdomen. Patrolman Whatley was taken to District Hospital in Andrews, North Carolina, where he succumbed to his wound. The killer was apprehended a short time later and convicted of Patrolman Whatley's murder. He was released after serving 17 years. Patrolman Whatley was a WWII veteran and had served with the North Carolina Highway Patrol for four months.

Survivors

He was survived by his parents.

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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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.
Patrolman Whatley served with the North Carolina Highway Patrol.
Thank you for your service to the people of North Carolina, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Type Highway Patrol
Location Raleigh, NC
Platform Identity nchp.nc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 29, 1947
Tour of Duty 4 mo
Age 25
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Rifle

Military Service

Thomas B. Whatley served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Thomas is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% 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 1947, 86 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 74th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Thomas was 25. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Thomas had served 0.3 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 9.4% of these deaths in the United States, more than any other month. Mondays: 13.8%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was rifle, in 5.9% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

North Carolina Highway Patrol has 69 officers remembered here, Thomas among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Patrolman Thomas B. Whatley

North Carolina Highway Patrol · End of Watch December 29, 1947

Military Service

Thomas B. Whatley served in the United States military before joining law enforcement.

Visit Thomas B. Whatley’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 21-W

Also Remembered

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