Roll of Honor

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Patrolman

Ralph Franklin Garthwaite

Iowa State Patrol — Des Moines, IA

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch July 2, 1955

Age 34

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

Badge 218

The Vigil Panel 91 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 11

Incident

Patrolman Ralph Garthwaite was killed when his patrol car was struck head-on by a drunk driver on Highway 30 two miles north of Woodbine. The incident occurred on a bridge as Patrolman Garhwaite travelled northbound towards Dunlap, Iowa. The subject, who refused to take a blood test, was charged with manslaughter. A jury found him innocent on November 30th, 1956. Patrolman Garthwaite was a United States Army WWII veteran and had served with the Iowa State Patrol for three years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two daughters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-IA-4A4964C4
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.
Patrolman Garthwaite gave the Iowa State Patrol 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Iowa, 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 Iowa State Patrol

Location Des Moines, IA

Platform Identity ihp.ia.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 2, 1955

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

Age 34

Badge Number 218

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Automobile; Alcohol involved

Offender Acquitted

Military Service

Ralph Franklin Garthwaite served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Patrolman Ralph Franklin Garthwaite 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 IA, 129 of 226 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 57.1% of this state's fallen. That is 2.9 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Iowa State Patrol, 3 of 12 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 25% of this agency's fallen.

Iowa State Patrol

of 12 officers

25% Felonious

IA — Statewide

129

of 226 officers

57.1% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious