John A. Ditkosky

Pennsylvania State Police — Harrisburg, PA

Veteran → Accident

End of Watch July 24, 1950

Age 28

Tour of Duty 3 yrs 2 mo

The Vigil Panel 86 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 86

Incident

Private John Ditkosky was struck and killed by a tractor-trailer while conducting a traffic stop on U.S. Route 22, near Harrisburg, at 11:35 p.m. The driver of the tractor-trailer veered off the roadway, struck his patrol car, causing it to collide with the stopped vehicle and injure Private Ditkosky. A rookie private who was with Private Ditkosky and the driver of the stopped vehicle suffered minor injuries. The driver of the tractor-trailer had driven from Bedford, Pennsylvania, to Brooklyn, New York., and was on a return trip back to Bedford when he fell asleep and struck Private Ditkosky. In September 1950, the driver pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced to 23 months in prison. Private Ditkosky was a United States Navy World War II veteran and had served with the Pennsylvania State Police for over three years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife of three months, parents, two brothers, and three sisters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-PA-3A5B86C6
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 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.
Private Ditkosky gave the Pennsylvania State Police 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Pennsylvania, 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 State Police

Type State Police

Location Harrisburg, PA

Platform Identity pasp.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 24, 1950

Tour of Duty 3 yrs 2 mo

Age 28

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Military Service

John A. Ditkosky served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Private John A. Ditkosky is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,759 officers honored here.

In PA, 417 of 1,261 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 33.1% of this state's fallen. That is 33.1 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Pennsylvania State Police, 42 of 87 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 48.3% of this agency's fallen.

Pennsylvania State Police

of 87 officers

48.3% Accident

PA — Statewide

417

of 1,261 officers

33.1% Accident

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Accident