Thomas Melvin Ball

Greene County Sheriff's Office — Greeneville, TN

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch June 28, 1942

Age 52

The Vigil Panel 79 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 7

Incident

Deputy Melvin Ball was killed when he was struck in the head with a scale weight as he and two other deputies broke up a disturbance involving five juveniles at a general store at 8:00 pm. The other deputies were placing two of the juveniles into a patrol car when another one struck Deputy Ball in the head. Deputy Ball was taken to a local hospital, where he died the following day. All five juveniles were apprehended. Four were released, and the other was jailed for murder. Deputy Ball was a United States Army WWI veteran.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, two daughters, three brothers, and a sister.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TN-073B8932
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 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.
Deputy Sheriff Ball served with the Greene County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Greeneville community, 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 Greene County Sheriff's Office

Location Greeneville, TN

Platform Identity gcso.greene.tn.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 28, 1942

Age 52

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Blunt object

Offender Charged with murder

Military Service

Thomas Melvin Ball served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Deputy Sheriff Thomas Melvin Ball is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In TN, 498 of 769 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 64.8% of this state's fallen. That is 10.6 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Greene County Sheriff's Office, 4 of 8 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.

Greene County Sheriff's Office

of 8 officers

50% Felonious

TN — Statewide

498

of 769 officers

64.8% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious