Roll of Honor
Incident
Policeman John Clifford died as a result of complications from influenza while performing his assigned duties during the Influenza Pandemic.
He was survived by his wife.
Effects of the 1918-1920 Influenza Pandemic on Law EnforcementAlso known as "Spanish Flu" or "LaGrippe," the Influenza Pandemic of 1918 to early 1920, infected an estimated 500 million people worldwide—about one-third of the planet’s population—and killed approximately 675,000 Americans. The effect of the influenza epidemic in the United States was so dire that the average life span in the U.S. fell by twelve years. The four waves of the flu began in March 1918 and ended in April 1920. Many officers contracted this virus due to the requirements of their job. The names of every officer who died in the line of duty from the Influenza Pandemic will likely never be known. Still, ODMP researchers continue to uncover new cases as part of our mission never to forget the fallen. Please click here to view ODMP's Influenza memorial, listing all known fallen officers from the pandemic.
Also known as "Spanish Flu" or "LaGrippe," the Influenza Pandemic of 1918 to early 1920, infected an estimated 500 million people worldwide—about one-third of the planet’s population—and killed approximately 675,000 Americans. The effect of the influenza epidemic in the United States was so dire that the average life span in the U.S. fell by twelve years. The four waves of the flu began in March 1918 and ended in April 1920. Many officers contracted this virus due to the requirements of their job.
The names of every officer who died in the line of duty from the Influenza Pandemic will likely never be known. Still, ODMP researchers continue to uncover new cases as part of our mission never to forget the fallen.
Please click here to view ODMP's Influenza memorial, listing all known fallen officers from the pandemic.
Effects of the 1918-1920 Influenza Pandemic on Law Enforcement
The 1918 Influenza Pandemic
Policeman John Celestine Clifford died on October 14, 1918 of influenza contracted in the line of duty. He was 34.
He is one of 201 officers honored here, and one of 10 at Los Angeles Police Department.
The influenza pandemic of 1918 killed more people worldwide than the war that preceded it. Police officers worked it without vaccines, without antibiotics, and often without masks, enforcing quarantines, transporting the sick, and standing posts in cities where the dead outpaced the undertakers.
They caught it doing the job. There was no treatment to give them.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-3143B2FB- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
No vaccine, no antibiotics, and you stood the post anyway.
Policeman Clifford served with the Los Angeles Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Los Angeles community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Policeman Clifford.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Policeman John Celestine Clifford is one of 1 officers lost to illness connected to their service across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,756 officers honored here.
In CA, 75 of 1,837 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 4.1% of this state's fallen. That is 4.1 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Los Angeles Police Department, 22 of 240 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 9.2% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John Celestine Clifford's cause is highlighted.
How John Celestine Clifford Compares
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. John Celestine Clifford is highlighted in Oct.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
239 officers from Los Angeles Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
