Robert Hart

Iowa Department of Corrections — Des Moines, IA

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch July 9, 1940

Tour of Duty 6 yrs

The Vigil Panel 77 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 13

Incident

Correctional Officer Robert Hart was shot and killed by an inmate at the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison. The inmate had escaped from the prison three weeks earlier but came back and shot Officer Hart as he attempted to free a fellow inmate. The inmate was convicted of first-degree murder and hanged on November 12th, 1941. Officer Hart was a United States Army WWI veteran and had served with the Iowa Department of Corrections for six years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two stepsons.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-IA-BA9D0128
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.
Correctional Officer Hart gave the Iowa Department of Corrections 6 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 Department of Corrections

Location Des Moines, IA

Platform Identity idcorr.polk.ia.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 9, 1940

Tour of Duty 6 yrs

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Executed in 1941

Military Service

Robert Hart served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Correctional Officer Robert Hart 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 Department of Corrections, 6 of 14 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.9% of this agency's fallen.

Iowa Department of Corrections

of 14 officers

42.9% Felonious

IA — Statewide

129

of 226 officers

57.1% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious