Woodrow E. Portzline
Agency patch
Land Management Officer

Woodrow E. Portzline

Pennsylvania Game Commission — Harrisburg, PA
Veteran → Cardiac
End of Watch October 24, 1973
Age 60
Tour of Duty 25 yrs
Gender Male

Incident

Land Management Officer Woodrow Portzline suffered a fatal heart attack while investigating reports of trespassing and poaching at a farm.

After speaking with the property owner, Officer Portzline was directed to a nearby vacant house where the suspects were believed to be hiding. As Officer Portzline quickly approached the home, he collapsed and died at the scene.

Officer Portzline was a United States Army Air Corps WWII veteran and United States Air Force veteran, earning the Purple Heart and Silver Star, who served with the Pennsylvania Game Commission for 25 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two children.

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.
Land Management Officer Portzline gave the Pennsylvania Game Commission 25 years.
Thank you for your service to the Harrisburg community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Type Other
Location Harrisburg, Dauphin County, PA
Platform Identity pgc.dauphin.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 24, 1973
Tour of Duty 25 yrs
Age 60
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Cardiac

Military Service

Woodrow E. Portzline served in the the United States military (1939–1945) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

The Sacrifice · Cardiac

Woodrow is one of 1,307 officers lost to cardiac events in the United States, 4.7% 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
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1973, 16 officers in the United States were lost to cardiac events, the 24th heaviest of 139 years on record. The heaviest was 2014, with 24.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Woodrow was 60. Of the 1,249 lost to cardiac events in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 43 and 55; the middle age was 48. Woodrow had served 25 years; the middle length of service was 15 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

October holds 9.3% of these deaths in the United States; January holds the most, 9.6%. Wednesdays: 14.5%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Cardiac deaths account for 4.7% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the 4th most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Pennsylvania Game Commission has 12 officers remembered here, Woodrow among them.

Land Management Officer Woodrow E. Portzline

Pennsylvania Game Commission · End of Watch October 24, 1973

Military Service

Woodrow E. Portzline served in the U.S. Air Force (1939–1945) before joining law enforcement.

Visit Woodrow E. Portzline’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 2-E

Also Remembered

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