Roll of Honor
Christopher Keenan
Incident
Special Deputy Marshal Christopher Keenan, along with the six crewman, drowned when the barge Plymouth sank in Lake Michigan during a severe three-day storm.
Deputy Keenan had been placed on the barge due to ongoing legal issues involving its ownership. The barge was being towed by the tug Martin from Menominee, Michigan, to Search Bay, when the ships encountered a severe storm. The Martin's captain cut the tow line near Gull Island, in Delta County, Michigan, and the Plymouth dropped its anchor. It remained anchored for at least 40 hours, during which time Marshal Keenan wrote a dying message in a bottle, which was found 11 days later near Pentworth.
Deputy Keenan's body washed ashore near Manistee, Michigan, several days later.
On April 21st, 1984, the wreckage of the Plymouth was located in approximately 50 feet of water, 500 yards off the shore of nearby Poverty Island. The wreckage was discovered using an underwater sled designed by a Milwaukee police officer.
Deputy Keenan also served as a deputy sheriff the Menominee County Sheriff's Office and had previously served with the Menominee City Police Department. He had served in law enforcement for at least 10 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and four children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-FED-373E2649- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- 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.
Special Deputy Marshal Keenan gave the United States Department of Justice 10 years.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Special Deputy Marshal Keenan.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Special Deputy Marshal Christopher Keenan is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.
In DC, 453 of 1,418 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 31.9% of this state's fallen. That is 31.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service, 43 of 313 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 13.7% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Christopher Keenan's cause is highlighted.
How Christopher Keenan Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Christopher Keenan is highlighted in Nov.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
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