Roll of Honor
Incident
Private John McLaughlin died after contracting the Spanish Flu while in the performance of his duties.
Due to the devastation of the Spanish Influenza Pandemic of 1918 members of the Pennsylvania State Police had been ordered to perform duties such as, assisting nurses and doctors in taking care of influenza victims, serve as pallbearers of influenza victims, assisting health officers, transporting victims to and from hospitals, and to police the Borough of Exeter after the two members of their police force succumbed to the influenza.
Private John McLaughlin had served with the Pennsylvania State Police for almost one and a half years and was assigned to Troop A, Greensburg.
Survivors
He was survived by his parents and two sisters
Effects of the 1918-1920 Influenza Pandemic on Law EnforcementAlso known as "Spanish Flu" or "LaGrippe," the Influenza Pandemic of 1918 to early 1920, infected an estimated 500 million people worldwide—about one-third of the planet’s population—and killed approximately 675,000 Americans.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-PA-3ABFE156- 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 barely got started.
Private McLaughlin gave the Pennsylvania State Police 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the people of Pennsylvania. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Private McLaughlin.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Private John Patrick McLaughlin 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 PA, 121 of 1,261 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 9.6% of this state's fallen. That is 0.5 percentage points above the national rate of 9.1%.
At Pennsylvania State Police, 10 of 87 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 11.5% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John Patrick McLaughlin's cause is highlighted.
How John Patrick McLaughlin Compares
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. John Patrick McLaughlin is highlighted in Oct.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
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