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Patrolman

Wallace E. Mathews

Massachusetts State Police — Framingham, MA

Veteran → Accident

End of Watch April 23, 1953

Age 25

Tour of Duty 1 yrs 4 mo

Badge 163

The Vigil Panel 89 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 37

Incident

Patrolman Wallace Mathews was killed when a vehicle crossed into his path and struck his police motorcycle head-on, on Route 20 west of the Westfield - Russell town line. Patrolman Mathews was a U.S. Navy veteran of WWII and had served with the Massachusetts State Police for one year. He was killed the day before he was to be the best man in his brother's wedding. He was survived by his parents, sister, and three brothers. Patrolman Mathews' grandfather, Patrolman Charles Mathews, was killed in the line of duty on July 19th, 1921, while serving with the Natick Police Department.

Survivors

He was survived by his parents, sister, and three brothers.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MA-86CC8234
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. Wallace 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.
Patrolman Mathews gave the Massachusetts State Police 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the people of Massachusetts, 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 Massachusetts State Police

Type State Police

Location Framingham, MA

Platform Identity masp.ma.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 23, 1953

Tour of Duty 1 yrs 4 mo

Age 25

Badge Number 163

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Military Service

Wallace E. Mathews served in the U.S. Navy before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Patrolman Wallace E. Mathews is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,759 officers honored here.

In MA, 158 of 469 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 33.7% of this state's fallen. That is 33.7 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Massachusetts State Police, 25 of 38 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 65.8% of this agency's fallen.

Massachusetts State Police

of 38 officers

65.8% Accident

MA — Statewide

158

of 469 officers

33.7% Accident

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Accident