Ralph E. Bowden

United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service — Washington, DC

Cardiac

End of Watch March 19, 1932

Age 48

The Vigil Panel 63 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 93

Incident

Inspector Ralph Bowden suffered a fatal heart attack just before midnight as he and two other inspectors were chasing four liquor smugglers who were attempting to smuggle four sacks of liquor across the Rio Grande near Collingsworth Addition, El Paso, Texas. The inspectors saw the smugglers and started to chase them. They noticed Inspector Bowden was not acting naturally and saw him fall. He died almost immediately. The smugglers were captured and lodged in the city jail. Inspector Bowden was survived by his wife, son, and daughter. He was buried in the Masonic Section of Concordia Cemetery in El Paso, Texas.

Survivors

Inspector Bowden was survived by his wife, son, and daughter.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-F2A4267F
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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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Inspector Bowden served with the United States Department of the Treasury.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Inspector Bowden.

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

Agency

Department United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service

Location Washington, DC

Platform Identity usdtuscsfed.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 19, 1932

Age 48

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Cardiac

Inspector Ralph E. Bowden is one of 1,306 officers lost to cardiac events in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 4% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In DC, 71 of 1,419 officers were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 5% of this state's fallen. That is 1 percentage points above the national rate of 4%.

At United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service, 3 of 94 officers on record were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 3.2% of this agency's fallen.

United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service

of 94 officers

3.2% Cardiac

DC — Statewide

of 1,419 officers

5% Cardiac

Nationwide

1,306

of 32,508 officers

4% Cardiac