Roll of Honor
Incident
Detective Charles Wassil died as a result of illness that he developed while assisting with search and recovery efforts at the World Trade Center following the 9/11 terrorist attack.
He was sent to the location immediately following the attacks and remained on scene until September 15th, 2001. While there he was exposed to airborne irritants that led to him to develop sarcoidosis. His condition continued to deteriorate until he passed away on May 1st, 2013.
Detective Wassil was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and had served with the Peekskill Police Department for 22 years.
September 11, 2001 - The Years After
Detective Charles John Wassil, Jr. was assigned to the search and recovery at the World Trade Center site after September 11, 2001. He was 41 years old that fall.
He died on May 1, 2013 - 11 years and 7 months later - of an illness contracted there. He was 52.
He is one of 599 officers honored here.
The most recent of these deaths was October 24, 2025.
Officers who worked the search, rescue, and recovery at the World Trade Center site breathed contaminated air for weeks and months afterward. Many developed cancers and respiratory disease, and they have gone on dying of it ever since.
Seventy-two officers were killed on the morning itself. Hundreds more have died in the years that followed. They are honored here together, because the same attack killed them all. With some it simply took longer.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife and sister.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NY-91CDD96B- 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 walked into it and it took years to finish the job.
Detective Wassil gave the Peekskill Police Department 22 years.
Thank you for your service to the Peekskill community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Wassil.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Charles John Wassil, Jr. served in the Marine Corps (1981â1984) before joining law enforcement.
Detective Charles John Wassil, Jr. 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 NY, 629 of 2,147 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 29.3% of this state's fallen. That is 20.2 percentage points above the national rate of 9.1%.
At Peekskill Police Department, 1 of 2 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 50% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Charles John Wassil, Jr.'s cause is highlighted.
How Charles John Wassil, Jr. Compares
Offender Outcome
19 suicide attackers
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. Charles John Wassil, Jr. is highlighted in May.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Peekskill Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
