William Bird Goodell
Incident
Inspector William Goodell and Deputy Collector James Anderson drowned in Washington state during a severe flood that swept the Port Angeles Customs House from its foundation and into the Strait of Juan De Fuca in Washinton. The Customs House was located at the foot of Valley Creek. A log jam upriver broke free during a storm, causing the floodwaters to sweep into the valley. Inspector Goodell had served with the United States Customs Service for only one week.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and two children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
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- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
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- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Tributes
163 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Inspector Goodell served with the United States Department of the Treasury.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
The Sacrifice · Accident
United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service has lost 94 officers; 44 of them lost to accidents.
William is one of 453 officers lost to accidents in DC, 31.9% of the 1,419 remembered there.
William is one of 8,275 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,551 remembered there.
William is one of 10,100 officers lost to accidents worldwide, 29.6% of the 34,117 remembered here.
34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.
Time
In 1863, 2 officers at United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service were lost to accidents, the 4th heaviest of 32 years on record. The heaviest was 1908, with 4.
In 1863, 2 officers in DC were lost to accidents, the 73rd heaviest of 125 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 14.
In 1863, 3 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 150th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.
In 1863, 10 officers worldwide were lost to accidents, the 152nd heaviest of 200 years on record. The heaviest was 1930, with 131.
Who
William was 34. Of the 44 lost to accidents at United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service whose age is recorded, half were between 32.8 and 49; the middle age was 40. William had served 0 years; the middle length of service was 7 years.
William was 34. Of the 425 lost to accidents in DC whose age is recorded, half were between 30 and 46; the middle age was 38. William had served 0 years; the middle length of service was 7 years.
William was 34. Of the 7,718 lost to accidents in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 46; the middle age was 36. William had served 0 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.
William was 34. Of the 9,451 lost to accidents worldwide whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 45; the middle age was 36. William had served 0 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.
When
December holds 11.4% of these deaths at United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service; July holds the most, 15.9%. Wednesdays: 13.6%.
December holds 8.4% of these deaths in DC; July holds the most, 10.6%. Wednesdays: 14.1%.
December holds 8.9% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Wednesdays: 14.5%.
December holds 8.9% of these deaths worldwide; August holds the most, 9.3%. Wednesdays: 14.5%.
How
Accident deaths account for 46.8% of all 94 deaths at United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service, the 2nd most common cause.
Accident deaths account for 31.9% of all 1,419 deaths in DC, the 2nd most common cause.
Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.
Accident deaths account for 29.6% of all 34,117 deaths worldwide, the 2nd most common cause.
His people
United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service has 94 officers remembered here, William among them.
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Ellis Drake Aug 3, 1808
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Asa Marsh Aug 3, 1808
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Daniel Miller Jan 1, 1810
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Peleg Palmer Feb 17, 1811
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John Stout Jan 21, 1814
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James M. Anderson Dec 16, 1863
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William Bird Goodell
Dec 16, 1863
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William H. Phelps Dec 18, 1868
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George T. Hammonds Dec 18, 1868
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Frank Dupont May 26, 1869
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Alden McLaughlin Aug 31, 1871
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Kuntz Stahlberger Jan 2, 1880
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John A. Fallon Nov 5, 1890
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Frank B. Robson Aug 12, 1896
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John M. Plunkett Jul 2, 1897
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John Spaldt Nov 6, 1898
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Richard W. Wallace Nov 29, 1899
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Alphonse Levy Dec 13, 1901
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Frank Chapman
Sep 23, 1906
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Charles E. Jones Mar 19, 1908
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Charles R. Logan
Mar 19, 1908
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Ziba H. Nickerson Jul 16, 1908
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Charles F. Atwood Jul 16, 1908
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Thomas S. O'Connor Jan 30, 1911
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John S. H. Howard Feb 12, 1913
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Joseph Russell Sitter
May 24, 1915
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Robert L. Wood
Jul 31, 1916
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Fred Tate Aug 31, 1918
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John Fraser Pugh
Oct 26, 1918
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Robert Stuart Rumsey, Jr.
Aug 19, 1922
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Jot Gunter Jones
Oct 1, 1922
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James A. Wallen
Mar 6, 1923
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Lloyd Parks Criss Jan 13, 1924
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Orville A. Preuster
Mar 1, 1925
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Edward Billings Webb
Oct 9, 1926
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John W. Parrott Jan 7, 1927
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Gerardo Pescara Jan 19, 1927
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Stephen S. Dawson Feb 28, 1928
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Thomas Sampson Morriss Dec 23, 1928
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Clarence Neal Titcomb Jan 15, 1929
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Arthur M. Beaman Jul 27, 1929
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Charles Wilbur Rogers Sep 24, 1929
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Egbert Ellison Aug 9, 1930
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John Lawrence Kelly Feb 9, 1931
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Louis E. Babcock
Aug 17, 1931
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Arnold W. Gilbert
Nov 2, 1931
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Clyde Merrill Bristow Jan 12, 1932
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Ralph E. Bowden Mar 19, 1932
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Daniel A. Romberger Apr 25, 1932
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John Henry Heard
May 2, 1932
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Joseph Baker Sep 27, 1932
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Herff Alexander Carnes
Dec 4, 1932
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Rollin Culberson Nichols Nov 28, 1933
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Loy Cash Henry Jun 20, 1934
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Lewis Allison Highsmith Jan 7, 1937
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Matthew Kononen
Mar 5, 1939
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Joseph Turner Brown
Apr 9, 1940
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Patrick Joseph Black
Aug 31, 1943
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John Earl Fassett
Feb 21, 1945
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Anthony Cozza
Feb 24, 1945
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George E. Spencer Feb 24, 1945
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Clarence Jewell Trask, Sr.
Apr 8, 1947
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Pier Harry Bima
Apr 16, 1947
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Hugh Eugene Donnelly May 1, 1947
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George Marion Bacon
Feb 4, 1955
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Benjamin Bert Stone
Oct 7, 1957
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John Henry Sellenthin Sep 2, 1961
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Timothy Martin O'Riordan
Sep 29, 1964
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Charles J. Bokinskie
Apr 24, 1974
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Louis David Dixon
Apr 24, 1974
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Renault Rene Bayhi
Apr 29, 1975
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George William Singleton
Dec 22, 1975
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William Halley Jul 2, 1976
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John M. Lacey
May 21, 1977
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Vincent D. Kaskeski
Jan 12, 1978
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Michael Joseph Reimers
Apr 19, 1979
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Kenneth G. Ward
May 24, 1979
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Roger L. Von Amelunxen
Jul 30, 1980
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Denis Lee Van Patten
Dec 22, 1980
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George J. Spencer
Nov 30, 1981
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Richard Mack Latham
Jan 28, 1984
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John Edwin Hollingsworth Oct 20, 1984
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Morley Lester Miller
Oct 20, 1984
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Glenn Raye Miles, Sr.
Feb 21, 1986
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David Louie Crater
Nov 15, 1987
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James Darryl Taylor
Nov 15, 1987
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James A. Buczel
Oct 9, 1988
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George Reyes Saenz
Nov 2, 1989
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Timothy Cal McCaghren
Feb 19, 1990
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Carl Richard Talafous
Jul 14, 1993
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Alan John Klumpp
Jul 14, 1993
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Pedro Jose Rodriguez-Franco
Sep 18, 1998
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Richard Anthony Forde
Sep 12, 2000
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Thomas Murray
Oct 30, 2001
Where
WA
Where the Name Is Cut
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 20-E
What is kept
Photographs, film, sound and papers — what survived a life.
Others Who Wore This Badge
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