Thomas Kenneth "T.K." Brown

United States Department of the Interior - National Park Service — Washington, DC

Cardiac Veteran

End of Watch August 31, 1973

Age 56

The Vigil Panel 112 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 39

Incident

Park Ranger T.K. Brown suffered a fatal heart attack during a training dive in Lake Mead National Park in Nevada around 10:30 a.m. He was going through the training to be part of the search and rescue team. He and other members of the team were diving in the Ringbolt Rapids, which is the coldest point on the Colorado River south of Hoover Dam, when the incident occurred. Ranger Brown, a WWII veteran, had served with the park service for four years. He had retired from the Los Angeles County Fire Department after 30 years of service and was also a National Officer with the Coast Guard Auxiliary.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, two daughters, and two grandsons.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-9CE69207
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.
Park Ranger Brown served with the United States Department of the Interior.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department United States Department of the Interior - National Park Service

Location Washington, DC

Platform Identity usdinpsfed.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 31, 1973

Age 56

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Cardiac

Military Service

Thomas Kenneth "T.K." Brown served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Park Ranger Thomas Kenneth "T.K." Brown is one of 1,306 officers lost to cardiac events in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 4% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In DC, 71 of 1,419 officers were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 5% of this state's fallen. That is 1 percentage points above the national rate of 4%.

At United States Department of the Interior - National Park Service, 3 of 40 officers on record were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 7.5% of this agency's fallen.

United States Department of the Interior - National Park Service

of 40 officers

7.5% Cardiac

DC — Statewide

of 1,419 officers

5% Cardiac

Nationwide

1,306

of 32,508 officers

4% Cardiac