William Lewis Ammerman

Wilkes-Barre Police Department — Wilkes-Barre, PA

Illness

End of Watch November 23, 1909

Age 30

Tour of Duty 7 mo

The Vigil Panel 24 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 5

Incident

Patrolman Lewis Ammerman died as a result of contracting pneumonia two weeks earlier while securing the scene of a live wire down in South Wilkes-Barre.

While at the scene he was exposed to a heavy rainstorm without any protection from the rain and in an open area where he could not take shelter. He stood guard over the live wire until it was safely removed over three hours later. Patrolman Ammerman continued to work until he became sick on duty and was ordered to go home to rest by his sergeant. His condition grew worse and he developed pneumonia and died two weeks later.

Patrolman Ammerman served with the Wilkes-Barre Police Department for seven months.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and three children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-PA-DCFA27AB
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.
Patrolman Ammerman served with the Wilkes-Barre Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Wilkes-Barre community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Ammerman.

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

Agency

Department Wilkes-Barre Police Department

Location Wilkes-Barre, PA

Platform Identity wpd.luzerne.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 23, 1909

Tour of Duty 7 mo

Age 30

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Illness

Cause Detail Duty related illness

Patrolman William Lewis Ammerman 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 Wilkes-Barre Police Department, 3 of 6 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 50% of this agency's fallen.

Wilkes-Barre Police Department

of 6 officers

50% Illness

PA — Statewide

121

of 1,261 officers

9.6% Illness

Nationwide

2,974

of 32,508 officers

9.1% Illness