Robert Edward Porter
Agency patch
Trooper

Robert Edward Porter

Virginia State Police — North Chesterfield, VA
Accident Veteran
End of Watch June 20, 1950
Age 22
Tour of Duty 10 mo
The Vigil Panel 86 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Trooper Robert Porter and Trooper Joseph Thomas were killed in an airplane accident in Allmondsville, Gloucester County, Virginia, after delivering a message to the family of a drowning victim that the woman's body had been found. The troopers had dropped a tablet containing the note in the family's yard and were attempting to ascend when the Aeronca Champion single-engine plane stalled and crashed into a yard along the York River. Trooper Porter was acting as an observer. Trooper Porter was a United States Army veteran and served with the Virginia State Police for 10 months.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, parents, and brother.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-VA-CD2574A1
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.
Trooper Porter served with the Virginia State Police.
Thank you for your service to the people of Virginia, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Location North Chesterfield, VA
Platform Identity vsp.va.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 20, 1950
Tour of Duty 10 mo
Age 22
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Military Service

Robert Edward Porter served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Trooper Robert Edward Porter 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 VA, 203 of 654 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 31% of this state's fallen.

At Virginia State Police, 32 of 52 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 61.5% of this agency's fallen.

Virginia State Police
32
of 52 officers
61.5% Accident
VA — Statewide
203
of 654 officers
31% Accident
Nationwide
10,088
of 32,508 officers
31% Accident

National Cause Distribution

How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Robert Edward Porter's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
17,623 (54.2%)
Accident
10,088 (31%)
Illness
2,974 (9.1%)
Cardiac
1,306 (4%)
Undetermined
260 (0.8%)
Suicide
256 (0.8%)
vehicular
1 (0%)

How Robert Edward Porter Compares

Age at End of Watch
22
This officer
Avg for Accident: 38.1 years
Years of Service
0.8
This officer
Avg for Accident: 9.1 years

When Accident Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Robert Edward Porter is highlighted in Jun.

Jan
820
Feb
730
Mar
748
Apr
707
May
847
Jun
795
Jul
897
Aug
937
Sep
913
Oct
925
Nov
872
Dec
897

Incident Location