Ralph D. Bates

Oregon State Police — Salem, OR

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch November 8, 1962

Age 24

Tour of Duty 6 mo

The Vigil Panel 98 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 30

Incident

Trooper Ralph Bates was shot and killed after he stopped a suspect driving a stolen car on Highway 30, ten miles east of Arlington. A motorist passing by found Trooper Bates lying on the pavement next to his patrol car. The motorist called in the incident on the patrol car's radio. Investigators discovered that Bates had written down the license plate number of the automobile and officers throughout the region were put on the alert. About 3 ½ hours later two officers pulled over the suspect's car near Condon. The subject was arrested and committed to the Oregon State Hospital, where he died in 1963. Trooper Bates was a U.S. Navy veteran. He had served with the Oregon State Police for only six months.

Survivors

He was survived by his parents.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-OR-1EAB5127
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. Navy. One record, 2 gates. Ralph 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 Bates served with the Oregon State Police.
Thank you for your service to the people of Oregon, 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 Oregon State Police

Type State Police

Location Salem, OR

Platform Identity osp.or.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 8, 1962

Tour of Duty 6 mo

Age 24

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Military Service

Ralph D. Bates served in the U.S. Navy before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Trooper Ralph D. Bates 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 OR, 115 of 197 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 58.4% of this state's fallen. That is 58.4 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Oregon State Police, 16 of 31 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 51.6% of this agency's fallen.

Oregon State Police

of 31 officers

51.6% Felonious

OR — Statewide

115

of 197 officers

58.4% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious