Roll of Honor
Incident
Location: Overseas Incident Date: Friday, November 9, 1945 Weapon: Handgun; .45 caliber Offender: Sentenced to life
Sergeant Bennie Back was shot and killed in Paris, France, while he and two other military police officers transported a prisoner from a local police station to the Army Criminal Investigations Division headquarters.
The prisoner, an Army service member, had been arrested by Paris police officers after robbing several people in a local business. The three MPs and the prisoner were riding in a Jeep. As the vehicle approached the Paris Opera house the prisoner was able to disarm the MP riding in the backseat and then jump from the Jeep as it came to a stop. Sergeant Back and the prisoner exchanged shots resulting in Sergeant Back being fatally wounded. He was transported to a local hospital where he died shortly after midnight.
The subject was convicted of Sergeant Back's murder and several other violations of the Articles of War. He was sentenced to life in prison.
Sergeant Back was survived by his wife and parents. He was buried in Epinal American Cemetery in France.
Survivors
Sergeant Back was survived by his wife and parents.
In Our Keeping
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BO-US-FED-7F3527DF- 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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Sergeant Back served with the United States Army Military Police Corps.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Back.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sergeant Bennie Back is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In MO, 516 of 813 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.5% of this state's fallen. That is 9.3 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At United States Army Military Police Corps, 26 of 65 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 40% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Bennie Back's cause is highlighted.
How Bennie Back Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to life
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Bennie Back is highlighted in Nov.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Bennie Back was killed by handgun; .45 caliber.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
64 officers from United States Army Military Police Corps are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
