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Ludwig P. Johnsen
Incident
Federal Prohibition Agent Ludwig Johnsen was shot and killed by the sheriff of Chelan County, Washington, in a case of mistaken identity. Agent Johnsen and two other agents had gone to a location near Leavenworth, Washington, to investigate a still. When they arrived they encountered two men walking from the still carrying supplies. The two men were the Chelan County sheriff and a deputy who had just raided the still as well. Agent Johnsen, thinking the two men were moonshiners, identified himself. The sheriff, believing the federal agents were moonshiners, continued approaching. Agent Johnsen fired a warning shot into the ground and the sheriff returned fire, striking Agent Johnsen. Agent Johnsen was taken to a local hospital where he succumbed to his wounds.
Survivors
Agent Johnsen was survived by his wife and five children.
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.
Federal Prohibition Agent Johnsen served with the United States Department of the Treasury.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Federal Prohibition Agent Johnsen.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
The Sacrifice · Accident
United States Department of the Treasury - Internal Revenue Service - Bureau of Prohibition has lost 37 officers; 16 of them lost to accidents.
Ludwig is one of 453 officers lost to accidents in DC, 31.9% of the 1,419 remembered there.
Ludwig is one of 8,276 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,552 remembered there.
Ludwig is one of 10,096 officers lost to accidents worldwide, 29.6% of the 34,103 remembered here.
34,103 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.
Time
In 1928, 7 officers at United States Department of the Treasury - Internal Revenue Service - Bureau of Prohibition were lost to accidents, more than in any other year.
In 1928, 11 officers in DC were lost to accidents, the 3rd heaviest of 125 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 14.
In 1928, 103 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 5th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.
In 1928, 115 officers worldwide were lost to accidents, the 6th heaviest of 200 years on record. The heaviest was 1930, with 131.
Who
Ludwig was 44. Of the 7 lost to accidents at United States Department of the Treasury - Internal Revenue Service - Bureau of Prohibition whose age is recorded, half were between 37.5 and 46.5; the middle age was 44.
Ludwig was 44. Of the 425 lost to accidents in DC whose age is recorded, half were between 30 and 46; the middle age was 38.
Ludwig was 44. 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.
Ludwig was 44. Of the 9,452 lost to accidents worldwide whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 45; the middle age was 36.
When
July holds 25% of these deaths at United States Department of the Treasury - Internal Revenue Service - Bureau of Prohibition, more than any other month. Saturdays: 12.5%.
July holds 10.6% of these deaths in DC, more than any other month. Saturdays: 15%.
July holds 9.3% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.4%. Saturdays: 14.9%.
July holds 8.9% of these deaths worldwide; August holds the most, 9.3%. Saturdays: 14.7%.
How
Accident deaths account for 43.2% of all 37 deaths at United States Department of the Treasury - Internal Revenue Service - Bureau of Prohibition, the 2nd most common cause.
Accident deaths account for 31.9% of all 1,419 deaths in DC, the 2nd most common cause.
Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.
Accident deaths account for 29.6% of all 34,103 deaths worldwide, the 2nd most common cause.
His people
United States Department of the Treasury - Internal Revenue Service - Bureau of Prohibition has 37 officers remembered here, Ludwig among them.
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Charles Bintliff
May 13, 1927
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Charles C. Rouse Jun 12, 1927
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William Thomas Lewis
Jul 15, 1927
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Major A. Hart Jul 16, 1927
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George Nantz, Jr.
Jul 20, 1927
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Hunter Rizer Stotler Jul 26, 1927
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Thomas J. Corridan Nov 14, 1927
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Wesley Allen Fraser
Jan 2, 1928
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Walter Red Tolbert Feb 22, 1928
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Oscar C. Hanson
Mar 28, 1928
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Joseph Allen Purvis
Mar 30, 1928
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James C. Capen
May 10, 1928
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Warren C. Frahm Jun 18, 1928
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Irving Washburn
Jul 13, 1928
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Ludwig P. Johnsen
Jul 28, 1928
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Henry Alfred Hampton, SR
Sep 6, 1928
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John Nicola
Oct 4, 1928
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Francis Joseph Sears
Oct 28, 1928
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Patrick Cleburne Sharp
Dec 5, 1928
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Charles F. Alexander Jan 2, 1929
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Dano M. Jackley
May 14, 1929
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Lawrence A. Mommer Jun 27, 1929
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George A. Droz Jul 12, 1929
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Charles Foster Cooley, Jr. Jul 30, 1929
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Richard J. Sandlands
Aug 2, 1929
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Arthur Alvin Zimmerman Aug 11, 1929
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Charles F. Stevens
Sep 25, 1929
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Carl Louis Rehm Oct 16, 1929
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Otto P. Butler Dec 10, 1929
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Louis McClymonds Davies, Jr. Jan 14, 1930
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Robert Knox Moncure
Jan 18, 1930
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Franklin R. Patterson Jan 18, 1930
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Robert D. Freeman Feb 8, 1930
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Lamar Watson York
Apr 12, 1930
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Albert Lewis Brown
Jun 9, 1930
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Posie Lester Flinchum Jun 17, 1930
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Roy Walter Shafer Jun 30, 1930
Where the Name Is Cut
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Others Who Wore This Badge
36 officers from United States Department of the Treasury - Internal Revenue Service - Bureau of Prohibition are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
