Roll of Honor

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Private

Joseph Benjamin "Joe" Buchanan

Texas Rangers — Austin, TX

Felonious

End of Watch December 26, 1921

Age 31

Tour of Duty 9 mo

The Vigil Panel 42 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 121

Incident

Joe Buchanan was appointed as a Special Ranger in December 1917 for some unspecified period of time. On March 1, 1921, he was appointed as a Regular Ranger in Company A and stationed in Presidio County.

Around midnight on Sunday night, December 25, Private Buchanan was at a Mexican baile (dance) in the mining town of Polvo. Two strange men entered the dance. Private Buchanan approached the men and asked for identification. The men drew pistols and Private Buchanan drew his pistol. He was shot in the right shoulder and was unable to use his gun hand any further. The men shot Buchanan nines times, killing him instantly. The murderers fled into Mexico and were never captured.

Private Joe Buchanan was 31 years old and married. He was buried in the Marfa Cemetery in Presidio County.

Pvt. Buchanan, On today, the 100th anniversary of your death I would just like to say thank you for your service and sacrifice for the citizens of the state of Texas.

R.I.P. USBP

Anonymous United States Border Patrol December 26th, 2021

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TX-9109B09C
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.
Private Buchanan served with the Texas Rangers.
Thank you for your service to the Austin community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Private Buchanan.

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

Agency

Department Texas Rangers

Location Austin, TX

Platform Identity tr.travis.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 26, 1921

Tour of Duty 9 mo

Age 31

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Handgun

Private Joseph Benjamin "Joe" Buchanan 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 TX, 1,463 of 2,421 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.4% of this state's fallen. That is 6.2 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Texas Rangers, 104 of 122 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 85.2% of this agency's fallen.

Texas Rangers

104

of 122 officers

85.2% Felonious

TX — Statewide

1,463

of 2,421 officers

60.4% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious