Roll of Honor
His Life
Patrolman James Langan died as a result of contracting the Spanish Influenza while on duty during an outbreak on the police force.
During the week, more than a dozen officers on the police force became ill while on their beats and inside the police station. Patrolman Langan became ill on duty while on his beat along Carey Avenue and went to his home at 32 Farley Lane to rest. His condition worsened over the next couple of days, and he died as a result of complications of Spanish Influenza.
Patrolman Langan served with the Wilkes-Barre Police Department for two years.
Effects of the 1918-1920 Influenza Pandemic on Law EnforcementAlso known as "Spanish Flu" or "LaGrippe," the Influenza Pandemic of 1918 to early 1920, infected an estimated 500 million people worldwide—about one-third of the planet’s population—and killed approximately 675,000 Americans. The effect of the influenza epidemic in the United States was so dire that the average life span in the U.S. fell by twelve years. The four waves of the flu began in March 1918 and ended in April 1920. Many officers contracted this virus due to the requirements of their job. The names of every officer who died in the line of duty from the Influenza Pandemic will likely never be known. Still, ODMP researchers continue to uncover new cases as part of our mission never to forget the fallen. Please click here to view ODMP's Influenza memorial, listing all known fallen officers from the pandemic.
Also known as "Spanish Flu" or "LaGrippe," the Influenza Pandemic of 1918 to early 1920, infected an estimated 500 million people worldwide—about one-third of the planet’s population—and killed approximately 675,000 Americans. The effect of the influenza epidemic in the United States was so dire that the average life span in the U.S. fell by twelve years. The four waves of the flu began in March 1918 and ended in April 1920. Many officers contracted this virus due to the requirements of their job.
The names of every officer who died in the line of duty from the Influenza Pandemic will likely never be known. Still, ODMP researchers continue to uncover new cases as part of our mission never to forget the fallen.
Please click here to view ODMP's Influenza memorial, listing all known fallen officers from the pandemic.
Effects of the 1918-1920 Influenza Pandemic on Law Enforcement
The 1918 Influenza Pandemic
Patrolman James A. Langan died on February 8, 1920 of influenza contracted in the line of duty. He was 52.
He is one of 201 officers honored here.
The influenza pandemic of 1918 killed more people worldwide than the war that preceded it. Police officers worked it without vaccines, without antibiotics, and often without masks, enforcing quarantines, transporting the sick, and standing posts in cities where the dead outpaced the undertakers.
They caught it doing the job. There was no treatment to give them.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and seven children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-PA-4FD85961- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
No vaccine, no antibiotics, and you stood the post anyway.
Patrolman Langan gave the Wilkes-Barre Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Wilkes-Barre community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Langan.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
His Life Details
Patrolman James A. Langan is one of 3,037 officers lost to illness connected to their service across the full record of this memorial — 9.3% of all 32,587 officers honored here.
In PA, 121 of 1,261 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 9.6% of this state's fallen. That is 0.3 percentage points above the national rate of 9.3%.
At Wilkes-Barre Police Department, 3 of 6 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 50% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James A. Langan's cause is highlighted.
How James A. Langan Compares
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. James A. Langan is highlighted in Feb.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
5 officers from Wilkes-Barre Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
