Roll of Honor
John Anthony Butchko Jr.
Incident
Location: Pennsylvania Incident Date: Saturday, July 3, 1976
Lance Corporal John Butchko succumbed to injuries sustained on July 3rd, 1976, when he was struck by lightning while on duty in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
He was providing site security at the landing zone for Marine One while awaiting the arrival of President Gerald Ford who was giving a speech in the area. He was rushed to the Philadelphia Naval Medical Center in serious condition. He succumbed to his injuries three weeks later without ever having regained consciousness.
Lance Corporal Butchko was a U.S Marine Corps veteran and had served in the Military Police as part of the Presidential Guard for two years.
Survivors
He is survived by his parents, brother, and sister.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-FED-23CD66C6- 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.
Lance Corporal Butchko gave the United States Marine Corps Military Police 2 years.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
John Anthony Butchko Jr. served in the U.S. Marine Corps before joining law enforcement.
Lance Corporal John Anthony Butchko Jr. 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 DC, 454 of 1,419 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 32% of this state's fallen. That is 32 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At United States Marine Corps Military Police, 3 of 3 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John Anthony Butchko Jr.'s cause is highlighted.
How John Anthony Butchko Jr. Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. John Anthony Butchko Jr. is highlighted in Jul.
Incident Location
Military Service
John Anthony Butchko Jr. served in the U.S. Marine Corps before joining law enforcement.
Visit John Anthony Butchko Jr.’s page on salute.nw →
His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.
Others Who Wore This Badge
2 officers from United States Marine Corps Military Police are honored on badge.nw.
