Sidney C. Sanderlin

United States Coast Guard — Washington, DC

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch August 7, 1927

Age 30

The Vigil Panel 53 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 23

Incident

Coast Guardsman Sidney Sanderlin, Coast Guardsman Victor Lamby, and Operative Robert Webster, of the United States Secret Service, were shot and killed by a suspect they had just arrested for rum running near the Bimini Islands in the Bahamas. The incident occurred after their Coast Guard Cutter CGC 249 stopped the suspects boat. The killer, a 43-year-old gulf stream pirate, was called the "King of the Rum Runners" during the prohibition era. He was sentenced to death and hung at the Coast Guard Station in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, on August 17, 1929. This was the only execution ever carried out by the U.S. Coast Guard, the only execution ever carried out in a seaplane hangar, and the last legal hanging in Florida. A man on the boat with him was sentenced to one year after he turned states evidence. Guardsmen Sanderlin had previously served with the United States Army.

Survivors

He was survived by one daughter.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-FED-AFC1661C
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.
Coast Guardsman Sanderlin served with the United States Coast Guard.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department United States Coast Guard

Location Washington, DC

Platform Identity uscg.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 7, 1927

Age 30

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Executed in 1929

Military Service

Sidney C. Sanderlin served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Coast Guardsman Sidney C. Sanderlin 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 DC, 754 of 1,419 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.1% of this state's fallen. That is 1.1 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At United States Coast Guard, 4 of 24 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 16.7% of this agency's fallen.

United States Coast Guard

of 24 officers

16.7% Felonious

DC — Statewide

754

of 1,419 officers

53.1% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious