Roll of Honor
Incident
Patrolman Nicholas Salmon died as a result of complications of influenza while in the performance of his assigned duties during the Influenza Pandemic.
The city of Fall River's first reported case of influenza was on September 16th, 1918. By the end of the year, over 11,707 cases were reported, with 719 deaths.
Patrolman Salmon served with the Fall River Police Department for 15 years. He was survived by his three sons, two daughters, and his parents. His wife died from influenza a month earlier.
Effects of the 1918-1920 Influenza Pandemic on Law EnforcementAlso known as "Spanish Flu" or "LaGrippe," the Influenza Pandemic of 1918 to early 1920, infected an estimated 500 million people worldwide—about one-third of the planet’s population—and killed approximately 675,000 Americans. The effect of the influenza epidemic in the United States was so dire that the average life span in the U.S. fell by twelve years. The four waves of the flu began in March 1918 and ended in April 1920. Many officers contracted this virus due to the requirements of their job. The names of every officer who died in the line of duty from the Influenza Pandemic will likely never be known. Still, ODMP researchers continue to uncover new cases as part of our mission never to forget the fallen. Please click here to view ODMP's Influenza memorial, listing all known fallen officers from the pandemic.
Also known as "Spanish Flu" or "LaGrippe," the Influenza Pandemic of 1918 to early 1920, infected an estimated 500 million people worldwide—about one-third of the planet’s population—and killed approximately 675,000 Americans. The effect of the influenza epidemic in the United States was so dire that the average life span in the U.S. fell by twelve years. The four waves of the flu began in March 1918 and ended in April 1920. Many officers contracted this virus due to the requirements of their job.
The names of every officer who died in the line of duty from the Influenza Pandemic will likely never be known. Still, ODMP researchers continue to uncover new cases as part of our mission never to forget the fallen.
Please click here to view ODMP's Influenza memorial, listing all known fallen officers from the pandemic.
Effects of the 1918-1920 Influenza Pandemic on Law Enforcement
The 1918 Influenza Pandemic
Patrolman Nicholas John Salmon died on December 5, 1918 of influenza contracted in the line of duty. He was 38.
He is one of 201 officers honored here, and one of 2 at Fall River Police Department.
The influenza pandemic of 1918 killed more people worldwide than the war that preceded it. Police officers worked it without vaccines, without antibiotics, and often without masks, enforcing quarantines, transporting the sick, and standing posts in cities where the dead outpaced the undertakers.
They caught it doing the job. There was no treatment to give them.
Survivors
He was survived by his three sons, two daughters, and his parents.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-MA-9EFEF3B4- 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
No vaccine, no antibiotics, and you stood the post anyway.
Patrolman Salmon gave the Fall River Police Department 15 years.
Thank you for your service to the Fall River community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Salmon.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Patrolman Nicholas John Salmon is one of 2,974 officers lost to illness connected to their service across the full record of this memorial — 9.1% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In MA, 59 of 469 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 12.6% of this state's fallen. That is 3.5 percentage points above the national rate of 9.1%.
At Fall River Police Department, 3 of 9 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 33.3% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Nicholas John Salmon's cause is highlighted.
How Nicholas John Salmon Compares
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. Nicholas John Salmon is highlighted in Dec.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
8 officers from Fall River Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
