Herman Joseph Spreng

Philadelphia Police Department — Philadelphia, PA

Illness Veteran

End of Watch October 3, 1918

Age 29

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

The Vigil Panel 34 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 377

Incident

Police Officer Herman Spreng died as a result of complications from influenza while performing his assigned duties during the Influenza Pandemic.

Due to the devastation of the Influenza Epidemic, Philadelphia Police districts were used as makeshift hospitals. Police officers were ordered to fill and deliver prescriptions, act as pallbearers of victims, placard homes, collect victims' bodies from their homes, assist doctors and health officers, and ensure that establishments were closed and following guidelines to stop the spread of the flu.

Police Officer Spreng was a United States Navy veteran and had served with the Philadelphia Police Department for three years, assigned to the 37th Police District.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and son.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-PA-62D62054
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 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.
Police Officer Spreng gave the Philadelphia Police Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Philadelphia community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Philadelphia Police Department

Location Philadelphia, PA

Platform Identity ppd.philadelphia.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 3, 1918

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

Age 29

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Illness

Military Service

Herman Joseph Spreng served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Police Officer Herman Joseph Spreng 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 Philadelphia Police Department, 66 of 378 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 17.5% of this agency's fallen.

Philadelphia Police Department

of 378 officers

17.5% Illness

PA — Statewide

121

of 1,261 officers

9.6% Illness

Nationwide

2,974

of 32,508 officers

9.1% Illness