Roll of Honor
Incident
Private Joseph Brown died as a result of contracting influenza while performing his assigned duties during the Influenza Pandemic.
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, serving 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 influenza.
Private Joseph Brown was a United States Army veteran and served with the Pennsylvania State Police for 16 months. Private Brown was assigned to Troop B, Wyoming, present-day Troop P, Wyoming.
Survivors
He was survived by his parents and several siblings.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-PA-D0AAF55D- 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.
Private Brown gave the Pennsylvania State Police 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the people of Pennsylvania. 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
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Joseph Roland Brown served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Private Joseph Roland Brown 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. Joseph Roland Brown's cause is highlighted.
How Joseph Roland Brown Compares
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. Joseph Roland Brown is highlighted in Oct.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
86 officers from Pennsylvania State Police are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
