W. Carter Baum
Agency patch
Special Agent

W. Carter Baum

Felonious
End of Watch April 22, 1934
Age 30
Tour of Duty 4 yrs
The Vigil Panel 68 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Special Agent Baum was shot and killed by the notorious outlaw Baby Face Nelson while attempting an arrest near Rhinelander, Wisconsin. He and other officers had obtained information that the gang members were in a lodge at that location. As they arrived the suspects opened fire with a machine gun and fled the area. Special Agent Baum and two officers took a position two miles away and approached a car one of the officers recognized. However, the car contained Baby Face Nelson, a member of the Dillinger Gang, who opened fire on them. Baby Face Nelson was killed in a shootout seven months later in which Special Agent Samuel Cowley and Special Agent Herman Hollis were also killed. Special Agent Baum was survived by his wife and two daughters. Led by John Dillinger, the Dillinger Gang was a notorious group of Midwest bank robbers. Associates of the gang were responsible for the fatal shootings of 13 law enforcement officers in 1933 and 1934. Two infamous members of the gang, John Dillinger and Baby Face Nelson, were shot and killed by law enforcement officers in separate incidents. The other gang members were either murdered by criminals, shot and killed by law enforcement officers, executed for their crimes, or sentenced to time in prison. Click here to see all the officers killed by members of the Dillinger Gang

Survivors

Special Agent Baum was survived by his wife and two daughters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-F85E0FA9
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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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Special Agent Baum gave the United States Department of Justice 4 years.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Special Agent Baum.

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

Agency

Type Federal Agency
Location Washington, DC
Platform Identity usdjfbifed.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 22, 1934
Tour of Duty 4 yrs
Age 30
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Special Agent W. Carter Baum 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 97,772 officers honored here.

In DC, 754 of 1,418 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.2% of this state's fallen. That is 53.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At United States Department of Justice - Federal Bureau of Investigation, 37 of 89 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 41.6% of this agency's fallen.

United States Department of Justice - Federal Bureau of Investigation
37
of 89 officers
41.6% Felonious
DC — Statewide
754
of 1,418 officers
53.2% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. W. Carter Baum's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How W. Carter Baum Compares

Age at Death
30
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
4
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. W. Carter Baum is highlighted in Apr.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. W. Carter Baum was killed by gun.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Incident Location