Roll of Honor

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Sergeant

William Frederick Black, Jr.

Georgia State Patrol — Atlanta, GA

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch December 20, 1940

Age 29

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

Badge 8

The Vigil Panel 77 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 28

Incident

Sergeant William Black was shot and killed near Ringgold by an escaped convict from Missouri after he and his partner stopped the man's vehicle for a traffic violation. The suspect shot Sergeant Black as he approached the driver's door. The man fled on foot but was arrested after a large manhunt in Georgia and Tennessee. He was sentenced to death and executed for Sergeant Black's murder on March 12, 1943. Sergeant Black was survived by his wife. He was also a U.S. Army Reserve officer.

Survivors

Sergeant Black was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-GA-A41FABFE
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 Black gave the Georgia State Patrol 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Georgia, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Georgia State Patrol

Location Atlanta, GA

Platform Identity ghp.ga.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 20, 1940

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

Age 29

Badge Number 8

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Executed in 1943

Military Service

William Frederick Black, Jr. served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Sergeant William Frederick Black, Jr. 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 GA, 548 of 903 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.7% of this state's fallen. That is 6.5 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Georgia State Patrol, 4 of 29 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 13.8% of this agency's fallen.

Georgia State Patrol

of 29 officers

13.8% Felonious

GA — Statewide

548

of 903 officers

60.7% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious