Thomas Mitchell Bray Sr.
Agency patch
Police Officer

Thomas Mitchell Bray Sr.

Philadelphia Police Department — Philadelphia, PA
Accident
End of Watch November 13, 2001
Age 52
Tour of Duty 23 yrs
The Vigil Panel 149 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Thomas Bray, a member of the police department's marine unit, drowned while attempting to recover a sunken channel marker in the Delaware River.

He and two other marine unit officers were working with the U.S. Coast Guard in an attempt to recover the buoy. Several minutes into the dive, Officer Bray radioed that he was tangled and was instructed to cut the line. However, he did not surface. Other officers were able to bring him to the surface and transport him to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Officer Bray had served with the Philadelphia Police Department for 23 years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and three grown children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
neuraspine_01krbxtnj79n939vtxtx6hb87n
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Thomas. Claim this record.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

23 years. You could have gone home.
Police Officer Bray gave the Philadelphia Police Department 23 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Philadelphia community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Bray.

— 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 November 13, 2001
Tour of Duty 23 yrs
Age 52
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

Thomas is one of 8,275 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,117 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 2001, 77 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 31st heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Thomas was 52. 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. Thomas 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

November holds 8.4% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Tuesdays: 14.1%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,551 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, Thomas among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Police Officer Thomas Mitchell Bray Sr.

Philadelphia Police Department · End of Watch November 13, 2001

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 51-E

↑