James Fenton "Jay" Proof

Pennsylvania State Highway Patrol — Harrisburg, PA

Veteran → Accident

End of Watch August 29, 1928

Age 30

Tour of Duty 1 yrs 6 mo

The Vigil Panel 55 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 17

Incident

Patrolman Jay Proof was killed while attempting to apprehend a speeding motorist on Route 826, Jackson Township, Tioga County. Patrolman Proof lost control of his motorcycle and struck a bridge abutment. He died the next day from his injuries. Patrolman Proof was a U.S Army veteran of WWI and had served with the Pennsylvania State Highway Patrol for a year and a half.

Survivors

He was survived by his parents.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-PA-2259EC7B
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Army. One record, 2 gates. James is one person.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Patrolman Proof gave the Pennsylvania State Highway Patrol 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the people of Pennsylvania, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Pennsylvania State Highway Patrol

Type Highway Patrol

Location Harrisburg, PA

Platform Identity pshp.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 29, 1928

Tour of Duty 1 yrs 6 mo

Age 30

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Weapon Not available

Military Service

James Fenton "Jay" Proof served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Patrolman James Fenton "Jay" Proof is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,756 officers honored here.

In PA, 417 of 1,261 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 33.1% of this state's fallen. That is 33.1 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Pennsylvania State Highway Patrol, 10 of 18 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 55.6% of this agency's fallen.

Pennsylvania State Highway Patrol

of 18 officers

55.6% Accident

PA — Statewide

417

of 1,261 officers

33.1% Accident

Nationwide

of 97,756 officers

0% Accident