Elmer H. McGrew
Agency patch
Sergeant

Elmer H. McGrew

United States Army Military Police Corps — Fort Leonard Wood, MO
Accident Veteran
End of Watch April 18, 1948
Age 23
The Vigil Panel 84 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Location: Kentucky Incident Date: Saturday, April 17, 1948 Weapon: Automobile Offender: Arrested

Sergeant Elmer McGrew succumbed to injuries sustained the previous day when he was involved in a motorcycle crash while pursuing a vehicle in Newport, Kentucky.

He was among a group of military policemen from Camp Campbell who had been deployed to Newport to assist with relief efforts following a period of flooding in the city. He was directing traffic at the intersection of 16th Street and Monmouth Street when a driver began arguing with him after Sergeant McGrew warned him for a traffic violation. The man then drove away as Sergeant McGrew attempted to arrest him.

Sergeant McGrew began pursuing the subject on his motorcycle but was struck by another vehicle. The driver of the vehicle who struck him was charged with manslaughter.

Sergeant McGrew was assigned to the 2118th Army Service Unit at Camp Campbell.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and parents.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-FED-4B3B10FF
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.
Sergeant McGrew served with the United States Army Military Police Corps.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Location Fort Leonard Wood, MO
Platform Identity usampcmp.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 18, 1948
Age 23
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident
Cause Detail Vehicle pursuit
Weapon Automobile
Offender Arrested

Military Service

Elmer H. McGrew served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Sergeant Elmer H. McGrew is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In MO, 237 of 813 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 29.2% of this state's fallen. That is 1.8 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.

At United States Army Military Police Corps, 39 of 65 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 60% of this agency's fallen.

United States Army Military Police Corps
39
of 65 officers
60% Accident
MO — Statewide
237
of 813 officers
29.2% Accident
Nationwide
10,088
of 32,508 officers
31% Accident

National Cause Distribution

How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Elmer H. McGrew's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
17,623 (54.2%)
Accident
10,088 (31%)
Illness
2,974 (9.1%)
Cardiac
1,306 (4%)
Undetermined
260 (0.8%)
Suicide
256 (0.8%)
vehicular
1 (0%)

How Elmer H. McGrew Compares

Age at End of Watch
23
This officer
Avg for Accident: 38.1 years

Offender Outcome

Arrested

When Accident Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Elmer H. McGrew is highlighted in Apr.

Jan
820
Feb
730
Mar
748
Apr
707
May
847
Jun
795
Jul
897
Aug
937
Sep
913
Oct
925
Nov
872
Dec
897

Incident Location