John H. Gulden

Washington State Patrol — Olympia, WA

Felonious

End of Watch December 23, 1942

Age 43

Tour of Duty 13 yrs

The Vigil Panel 79 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 33

Incident

Patrolman John Gulden succumbed to a gunshot wound received the previous day while making a traffic stop of a pickup truck driving without headlights south of Goldendale, Washington, on Maryhill Loops Road. The vehicle had been stolen and the two juvenile occupants had earlier committed an armed robbery of a grocery store in Yakima. One of the juveniles exited the vehicle and opened fire, striking Patrolman Gulden in the neck. Both suspects were later apprehended while trying to flee to Oregon on a ferry boat across the Columbia River. The 18-year-old shooter was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life. He was paroled in March of 1959. On July 8, 1960 he and another man were arrested for two armed robberies of two motels in Spokane. Six weeks later he was convicted of both robberies and sentenced to 40 years. His 17-year-old companion was convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to 25 years in prison. Patrolman Gulden had been with the agency for 13 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and son.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-WA-DAE27CFF
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 Gulden gave the Washington State Patrol 13 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Washington. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Gulden.

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

Agency

Department Washington State Patrol

Location Olympia, WA

Platform Identity whp.wa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 23, 1942

Tour of Duty 13 yrs

Age 43

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun; .38 caliber

Offender Paroled in 1959

Patrolman John H. Gulden 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 WA, 187 of 339 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 55.2% of this state's fallen. That is 1 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Washington State Patrol, 8 of 34 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 23.5% of this agency's fallen.

Washington State Patrol

of 34 officers

23.5% Felonious

WA — Statewide

187

of 339 officers

55.2% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious