Roll of Honor
James Wendell Parham
Incident
Officer James Parham was killed in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks while attempting to rescue the victims trapped in the World Trade Center.
Officer Parham was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and had served with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department for two years. He had previously served with the Texas Department of Corrections and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. He was an instructor at the Port Authority Police Academy.
September 11, 2001
Police Officer James Wendell Parham was killed at the World Trade Center on the morning of September 11, 2001. He was 23 years old.
He is one of 72 officers honored here, and one of 37 at Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department.
Seventy-two law enforcement officers from eight local, state, and federal agencies were killed at the World Trade Center on the morning of September 11, 2001, alongside 343 members of the New York City Fire Department and more than 2,800 civilians. A fourth aircraft went down in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where a law enforcement officer aboard was among the dead.
Officers went into the towers while everyone else was coming out. More than 25,000 people reached safety because they did.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife, daughter, and brother.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NY-6027B5E7- 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
You went in while everyone else was coming out.
Police Officer Parham gave the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Jersey City community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Parham.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
James Wendell Parham served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Police Officer James Wendell Parham 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 NJ, 264 of 646 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 40.9% of this state's fallen. That is 13.3 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.
At Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department, 41 of 60 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 68.3% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James Wendell Parham's cause is highlighted.
How James Wendell Parham Compares
Offender Outcome
19 suicide attackers
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. James Wendell Parham is highlighted in Sep.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. James Wendell Parham was killed by aircraft; passenger jet.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
59 officers from Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
