Roll of Honor
James F. McPeters
Incident
Associate Warden McPeters and Associate Warden Donald Gammons were killed in a military helicopter accident while searching for three escapees from the Turney Correction Center. The helicopter was provided by Fort Rucker, Alabama, for use in the search. The helicopter struck a power line during the search and crashed, killing the pilot and both wardens in Humphreys County around 4:30 p.m. One of the escapees was killed, and the other two were recaptured. Warden McPeters was a United States Army Vietnam War veteran and served with the Tennessee Department of Correction for 12 years. He was survived by his expectant wife, parents, four brothers, and two sisters. His wife gave birth to a premature son four months later.
Survivors
He was survived by his expectant wife, parents, four brothers, and two sisters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TN-C40AA4AC- 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.
Assistant Warden McPeters gave the Tennessee Department of Correction 12 years.
Thank you for your service to the Nashville community, and 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
James F. McPeters served in the Army (1967â1968) before joining law enforcement.
Assistant Warden James F. McPeters is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In TN, 191 of 769 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 24.8% of this state's fallen. That is 6.2 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.
At Tennessee Department of Correction, 3 of 14 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 21.4% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James F. McPeters's cause is highlighted.
How James F. McPeters Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. James F. McPeters is highlighted in Jul.
Others Who Wore This Badge
13 officers from Tennessee Department of Correction are honored on badge.nw.
