Robert H. Bell

Delaware State Police — Dover, DE

Veteran → Illness

End of Watch September 7, 1993

Age 51

Tour of Duty 11 yrs

Badge 396

The Vigil Panel 139 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 20

Incident

Corporal Bell died after contracting AIDS from a blood transfusion received following a line of duty injury. On January 14, 1981, Corporal Bell was assisting another trooper during a struggle with a suicidal man on Kirkwood Highway. During the struggle, Corporal Bell received a severe back injury, which required surgery and a blood transfusion. The blood he received during the surgery was tainted with AIDS, which Corporal Bell then contracted. The blood was traced to the original donor, who was confirmed to be suffering from the virus as well. Corporal Bell was a United States Marine Corps Reserve veteran and had served with the Delaware State Police for 11 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, three sons, a daughter, three sisters, and five grandsons.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-DE-4C72D7D2
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. Robert 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.
Corporal Bell gave the Delaware State Police 11 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Delaware, 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 Delaware State Police

Type State Police

Location Dover, DE

Platform Identity dsp.de.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 7, 1993

Tour of Duty 11 yrs

Age 51

Badge Number 396

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Illness

Military Service

Robert H. Bell served in the U.S. Marine Corps before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Corporal Robert H. Bell is one of 1 officers lost to illness connected to their service across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,759 officers honored here.

In DE, 2 of 51 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 3.9% of this state's fallen. That is 3.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Delaware State Police, 1 of 21 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 4.8% of this agency's fallen.

Delaware State Police

of 21 officers

4.8% Illness

DE — Statewide

of 51 officers

3.9% Illness

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Illness