Roll of Honor
Charles F. Atwood
Incident
Customs Inspector Charles Atwood and Customs Inspector Ziba Nickerson were killed in an explosion on Pier 47 at the Mystic Wharf in Boston, Massachusetts.
The inspectors had taken a box of blasting caps from a steamer Bethania and placed them in a storage shed. Inspector Nickerson was attempting to open the box with an axe when the contents detonated, causing a massive explosion.
Inspector Nickerson, Inspector Atwood, and a wharf watchman were killed and several longshoremen and other civilians were injured.
Inspector Atwood was survived by his wife.
Survivors
Inspector Atwood was survived by his wife.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-FED-5086EE55- 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
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Customs Inspector Atwood served with the United States Department of the Treasury.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Customs Inspector Atwood.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Customs Inspector Charles F. Atwood is one of 10,094 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,586 officers honored here.
In DC, 454 of 1,419 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 32% of this state's fallen. That is 1 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
At United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service, 44 of 94 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 46.8% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Charles F. Atwood's cause is highlighted.
How Charles F. Atwood Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Charles F. Atwood is highlighted in Jul.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
93 officers from United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
