Roll of Honor
Incident
Marine Deputy Thomas Rice was killed in a helicopter accident at 1600 hours while conducting a search and rescue mission for an elderly woman who was believed to have drowned in the Rogue River.
A local pilot offered his services and helicopter to conduct the search and Deputy Rice accompanied him. During the search, the helicopter struck a wire just downstream from the O-K Corral used to ferry supplies across the river.
Deputy Rice's mother-in-law, Police Matron Alice Moran, was killed in an on-duty airplane accident on November 17, 1971, while serving with the Josephine County Sheriff's Department.
Deputy Rice had been employed with the Josephine County Sheriff's Office for nine years, and is survived by his wife, son, and daughter.
Survivors
Deputy Rice had been employed with the Josephine County Sheriff's Office for nine years, and is survived by his wife, son, and daughter.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-OR-26A8C651- 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.
Marine Deputy Rice gave the Josephine County Sheriff's Office 9 years.
Thank you for your service to the Grants Pass community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Marine Deputy Rice.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Marine Deputy Thomas Ernest Rice is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In OR, 66 of 197 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 33.5% of this state's fallen. That is 2.5 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
At Josephine County Sheriff's Office, 4 of 4 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Thomas Ernest Rice's cause is highlighted.
How Thomas Ernest Rice Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Thomas Ernest Rice is highlighted in May.
Others Who Wore This Badge
3 officers from Josephine County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
