Ferdinand A. Socha

New York City Police Department — New York, NY

Felonious

End of Watch July 4, 1940

Age 35

Tour of Duty 9 yrs

Badge 1117

The Vigil Panel 77 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 1,236

Incident

Detective Ferdinand Socha and Detective Joseph Lynch were killed when a time bomb they were inspecting exploded. Detective Socha and Lynch were called to the World's Fair Grounds and directed to the British Pavilion after an electrician found a suspicious satchel in a fan room. The canvas bag was emitting a ticking sound, so it was carefully carried to the rear of a secluded area near the Van Wyck Expressway, where it was placed beneath a 20-foot maple tree. Detective Lynch took out a pocketknife and slit open a 2-inch hole in the bag as his partner knelt down to look inside. As the Detectives were examining what appeared to be dynamite, the bag exploded. The explosion opened a crater 5 feet wide and 3 feet deep and killed both Detectives. Four other Police Officers were critically injured. It was never determined who planted the bomb or what motivated the bombing. Detective Socha had served with the New York City Police Department and was assigned to the Bomb Squad.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, parents, two sisters, and two brothers.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NY-E2DFCF19
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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Detective Socha gave the New York City Police Department 9 years.
Thank you for your service to the New York community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Socha.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department New York City Police Department

Location New York, NY

Platform Identity nypd.newyork.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 4, 1940

Tour of Duty 9 yrs

Age 35

Badge Number 1117

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Explosives; Bomb

Offender Not available

Detective Ferdinand A. Socha 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 NY, 754 of 2,147 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 35.1% of this state's fallen. That is 19.1 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At New York City Police Department, 382 of 1237 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 30.9% of this agency's fallen.

New York City Police Department

382

of 1,237 officers

30.9% Felonious

NY — Statewide

754

of 2,147 officers

35.1% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious