Roll of Honor

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Policeman

Harry J. Donahue

Philadelphia Police Department — Philadelphia, PA

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch February 19, 1934

Age 42

Tour of Duty 7 yrs 6 mo

Badge 4271

The Vigil Panel 67 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 377

Incident

Policeman Harry Donahue was shot and killed in front of 1926 Brandywine Street by a man he was trying to arrest. The killer had been out of prison for only one month. The suspect was convicted of Officer Donahue's murder and subsequently executed on July 3rd, 1935. Policeman Donahue was a U.S. Army veteran of WWI. He was a Distinguished Service Cross and Purple Heart recipient. He served with the Philadelphia Police Department for 7½ years and was assigned to the 9th District.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two young children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-PA-6A9D481C
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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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Army. One record, 2 gates. Harry is one person.

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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.
Policeman Donahue gave the Philadelphia Police Department 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA

Platform Identity ppd.philadelphia.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 19, 1934

Tour of Duty 7 yrs 6 mo

Age 42

Badge Number 4271

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun

Military Service

Harry J. Donahue served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Policeman Harry J. Donahue is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,759 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 47.3 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Philadelphia Police Department, 162 of 378 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.9% of this agency's fallen.

Philadelphia Police Department

162

of 378 officers

42.9% Felonious

PA — Statewide

597

of 1,261 officers

47.3% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious