Roll of Honor

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Railroad Policeman

William Lynn Freeland

Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Police Department — Baltimore, MD

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch August 18, 1921

Age 26

The Vigil Panel 41 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 21

Incident

Location: Pennsylvania Incident Date: Wednesday, August 17, 1921 Weapon: Handgun Offender: Shot and killed

Railroad Policeman William Freeland was shot and fatally wounded in the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad yards in Connellsville, Pennsylvania.

He discovered five men trespassing on a flatcar at approximately 1:00 am. When he informed them that they were under arrest one of the men drew a revolver and shot him. Policeman Freeland returned fire and killed the man who shot him. Three of the other men were arrested while the remaining man fled the scene.

Policeman Freeland was taken to University Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, where he succumbed to his wounds the following day.

Policeman Freeland was a U.S. Army veteran of WWI.

Survivors

He was survived by his parents, three sisters, and one brother.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-RR-CA9FF640
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.
Railroad Policeman Freeland served with the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Baltimore 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 Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Police Department

Location Baltimore, MD

Platform Identity borpd.rr.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 18, 1921

Age 26

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Offender Shot and killed

Military Service

William Lynn Freeland served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Railroad Policeman William Lynn Freeland is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In MD, 195 of 377 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 51.7% of this state's fallen. That is 2.5 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Police Department, 13 of 22 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 59.1% of this agency's fallen.

Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Police Department

of 22 officers

59.1% Felonious

MD — Statewide

195

of 377 officers

51.7% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious