Millard Russell Courtney

Illinois State Police — Springfield, IL

Veteran → Accident

End of Watch April 11, 1951

Age 28

Tour of Duty 2 yrs

The Vigil Panel 87 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 66

Incident

Trooper Courtney was killed when his patrol car struck a train at a crossing on 147th Street near Sibley Boulevard in Dolton. The accident occurred during extremely dense fog which led to Trooper Courtney being unable to see the passing train or the flashing yellow lights. Two other troopers in the vehicle sustained serious injuries but recovered. Trooper Courtney had served with the Illinois State Police for two years and was assigned to District 4. He was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran of WWII.

Survivors

Trooper Courtney was survived by his expectant wife with his daughter being born only minutes before his funeral began.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-IL-87C50AE5
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. Marine Corps. One record, 2 gates. Millard 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.
Trooper Courtney gave the Illinois State Police 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Illinois, 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 Illinois State Police

Type State Police

Location Springfield, IL

Platform Identity ilsp.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 11, 1951

Tour of Duty 2 yrs

Age 28

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Military Service

Millard Russell Courtney served in the U.S. Marine Corps before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Trooper Millard Russell Courtney 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 IL, 354 of 1,318 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 26.9% of this state's fallen. That is 26.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Illinois State Police, 49 of 67 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 73.1% of this agency's fallen.

Illinois State Police

of 67 officers

73.1% Accident

IL — Statewide

354

of 1,318 officers

26.9% Accident

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Accident