David Chester Towels

Los Angeles Police Department — Los Angeles, CA

Illness Veteran

End of Watch November 23, 1918

Age 28

Tour of Duty 2 yrs

The Vigil Panel 36 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 239

Incident

Policeman David Towels died as a result of complications from influenza while performing his assigned duties during the Influenza Pandemic.

Policeman Towels was a California Army National Guard veteran and served with the Los Angeles Police Department for two years.

Survivors

He was survived by his parents.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-CA-F745715E
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.
Policeman Towels gave the Los Angeles Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Los Angeles community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Los Angeles Police Department

Location Los Angeles, CA

Platform Identity lapd.losangeles.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 23, 1918

Tour of Duty 2 yrs

Age 28

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Illness

Military Service

David Chester Towels served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Policeman David Chester Towels is one of 2,974 officers lost to illness connected to their service across the full record of this memorial — 9.1% of all 32,508 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 5 percentage points below the national rate of 9.1%.

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.

Los Angeles Police Department

of 240 officers

9.2% Illness

CA — Statewide

of 1,837 officers

4.1% Illness

Nationwide

2,974

of 32,508 officers

9.1% Illness