Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Sheriff Bill Smith drowned while attempting a water rescue of three distressed swimmers in the Gulf of Mexico off of Fort Morgan Road.
He and another deputy entered the water in an attempt to rescue the three swimmers. Deputy Smith also became distressed during the rescue. Deputy Smith was taken to a nearby medical facility where he was pronounced dead. The other deputy and all three swimmers were also treated at local facilities.
Deputy Smith had served with the Baldwin County Sheriff's Office for seven years. He had previously served with the Calhoun County Sheriff's Office and had served as a firefighter for 30 years.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-AL-B8C69E37- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- September 9, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Sheriff Smith gave the Baldwin County Sheriff's Office 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the Bay Minette community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Smith.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff William Henry Smith Jr. is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.
In AL, 182 of 643 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 28.3% of this state's fallen. That is 28.3 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Baldwin County Sheriff's Office, 1 of 5 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 20% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William Henry Smith Jr.'s cause is highlighted.
How William Henry Smith Jr. Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. William Henry Smith Jr. is highlighted in Jun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
4 officers from Baldwin County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
