George Dewey Naughton

Pennsylvania Motor Police — Harrisburg, PA

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch January 30, 1939

Age 40

Tour of Duty 12 yrs 3 mo

The Vigil Panel 75 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 8

Incident

Corporal George Naughton was shot and killed while he attempted to talk a barricaded man into surrendering. Corporal Naughton, Privates Rittelmann and Fair, Washington County Detective Powell, and Sheriff Matt Armstrong responded to a call for assistance from Chief of Police William Morgan. While serving an arrest warrant on Frank Palanzo, Chief Morgan had been threatened by Palanzo, who had also threatened his family with a loaded gun and had barricaded himself in a home located in a mining town in East Bethlehem Township, Washington County, near Clarksville. Palanzo threatened to shoot anyone who came near him. Corporal Naughton entered the three-story home and climbed the stairs to the second floor while calling for Palanzo to come out and talk. Palanzo instead opened the door and shot Corporal Naughton at close range. Suffering a severe chest wound, Corporal Naughton fell face down to his death. Private Rittelmann carried Corporal Naughton from the landing. The suspect later surrendered after tear gas was fired into the home. The 47-year-old suspect was committed to the Fairview state mental hospital for the criminally insane in Waymart and died there in July of 1970. Corporal Naughton had served with the Pennsylvania Motor Police for just over 12 years. He had previously served in the United States Army Medical Corps from September 28, 1917 to July 23, 1919, and saw service in England and France during World War I.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, Mary, and is buried in Greenwood Cemetery near Sharpsburg.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-PA-EF54365B
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 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.
Corporal Naughton gave the Pennsylvania Motor Police 12 years.
Thank you for your service to the Harrisburg community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Pennsylvania Motor Police

Location Harrisburg, PA

Platform Identity pmpd.dauphin.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 30, 1939

Tour of Duty 12 yrs 3 mo

Age 40

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Shotgun

Offender Committed

Military Service

George Dewey Naughton served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Corporal George Dewey Naughton is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In PA, 597 of 1,261 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 47.3% of this state's fallen. That is 6.9 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Pennsylvania Motor Police, 3 of 9 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 33.3% of this agency's fallen.

Pennsylvania Motor Police

of 9 officers

33.3% Felonious

PA — Statewide

597

of 1,261 officers

47.3% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious