Incident
Patrolman George Ham was killed while pursuing a speeding car. He was chasing a car west on Linden Avenue (modern-day Doctor MLK Jr Avenue) at a high rate of speed. As his patrol car crossed the intersection with Walnut Street it was struck by a car being driven south on Walnut Street. Patrolman Ham was killed instantly and three occupants of the other car were also killed. Patrolman Ham had served with the Memphis Police Department for just 10 days.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
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- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Patrolman Ham served with the Memphis Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Memphis community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Ham.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
The Sacrifice · Accident
Memphis Police Department has lost 94 officers; 25 of them lost to accidents.
George is one of 191 officers lost to accidents in TN, 24.8% of the 769 remembered there.
George is one of 8,275 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,551 remembered there.
George 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 1936, 1 officer at Memphis Police Department was lost to accidents, the 3rd heaviest of 22 years on record. The heaviest was 1920, with 3.
In 1936, 4 officers in TN were lost to accidents, the 4th heaviest of 99 years on record. The heaviest was 2000, with 6.
In 1936, 88 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 16th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.
In 1936, 97 officers worldwide were lost to accidents, the 25th heaviest of 200 years on record. The heaviest was 1930, with 131.
Who
George was 25. Of the 22 lost to accidents at Memphis Police Department whose age is recorded, half were between 25.3 and 36.8; the middle age was 31.5. George had served 0 years; the middle length of service was 4 years.
George was 25. Of the 183 lost to accidents in TN whose age is recorded, half were between 30.5 and 49; the middle age was 38. George had served 0 years; the middle length of service was 7 years.
George was 25. 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. George had served 0 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.
George was 25. Of the 9,451 lost to accidents worldwide whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 45; the middle age was 36. George had served 0 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.
When
February holds 12% of these deaths at Memphis Police Department; November holds the most, 16%. Thursdays: 12%.
February holds 7.3% of these deaths in TN; September holds the most, 11.5%. Thursdays: 11.5%.
February holds 7.2% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Thursdays: 14%.
February holds 7.2% of these deaths worldwide; August holds the most, 9.3%. Thursdays: 14.2%.
How
Accident deaths account for 26.6% of all 94 deaths at Memphis Police Department, the 2nd most common cause. The weapon recorded was not available, in 4% of these deaths.
Accident deaths account for 24.8% of all 769 deaths in TN, the 2nd most common cause. The weapon recorded was not available, in 1.6% of these deaths.
Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause. The weapon recorded was not available, in 1.6% of these deaths.
Accident deaths account for 29.6% of all 34,117 deaths worldwide, the 2nd most common cause. The weapon recorded was not available, in 1.3% of these deaths.
His people
Memphis Police Department has 94 officers remembered here, George among them.
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W. Stith Tucker May 5, 1860
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John W. Causey Dec 31, 1861
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W. C. Stockham Feb 22, 1865
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William Mower Mar 1, 1866
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John Stevens May 1, 1866
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John M. Claridge Apr 24, 1867
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Walter M. Rogers Jun 4, 1867
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John M. Fenton Dec 31, 1867
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John Gear Mar 13, 1868
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James Somers Perry Jun 12, 1868
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Darwin J. Finch Mar 8, 1869
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John Regan Jul 13, 1870
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James McConnell Aug 12, 1878
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Michael Cannon Aug 22, 1878
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William Unverzagt Aug 24, 1878
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Patrick Ryder Aug 26, 1878
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Morrison M. Allison Aug 31, 1878
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John J. Huber Sep 2, 1878
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Charles R. Staley Sep 10, 1878
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Timothy Hope
Sep 17, 1878
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William M. Homan Sep 25, 1878
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Reuben C. Manuel Oct 14, 1878
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Rufus Chalmers Parkinson
Nov 2, 1894
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Joseph A. Perkins
Jul 17, 1900
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Robert C. Jameson
Oct 17, 1904
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W. Edwin Miller
Feb 10, 1907
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John H. Ryan
Mar 19, 1910
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John M. Taylor
Jun 22, 1912
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Andrew Jackson
Jan 14, 1914
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Julius S. Brett Aug 30, 1915
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Edward T. Broadfoot
Feb 23, 1918
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Felix Allen
Oct 8, 1918
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Andrew Lycurgus White
Apr 13, 1919
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John C. Brinkley
Jun 13, 1919
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Guy Sydney Saint
Jan 7, 1920
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Victor Louis Zambroni Mar 23, 1920
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James Sidney Holmes
Sep 21, 1920
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James J. McNeill
Dec 22, 1920
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Polk Alonzo Caraway
Aug 10, 1921
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Vincent Nicholas Lucarini
Aug 10, 1921
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James Alonzo Bell
Sep 2, 1921
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Presley Thornton Fleet
Nov 3, 1921
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Jesse P. Wooten Feb 21, 1922
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Charles F. Stevens
Aug 4, 1923
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T. B. Hindman Knox
Apr 5, 1925
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Harry Clemmons Elmore Jul 28, 1926
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Willis Riley Bridges
Apr 20, 1929
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Walter H. McEwen
Dec 30, 1929
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Charles J. Redders, Sr.
Nov 8, 1931
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Roy A. Scott
Feb 20, 1936
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George W. Ham
Feb 27, 1936
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Charles C. Musick
Jul 2, 1937
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John Cannon Jun 30, 1939
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James E. Walker
Apr 12, 1952
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Joseph Palazolla
Nov 30, 1959
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Frank Bruno, Jr.
Oct 7, 1960
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Morris E. White
Nov 20, 1963
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James E. Harper, Jr.
Feb 12, 1964
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Dennis J. Jobe
Sep 22, 1970
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Michael D. Wright, Jr.
Sep 9, 1972
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David Wayne Clark
May 21, 1973
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Edward John Hammond, Jr.
Nov 23, 1973
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McCord Lee Springfield, Jr.
Mar 12, 1977
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James N. Bush, Jr.
Dec 29, 1978
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James Lee Jefferson
Aug 18, 1979
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Clarence Purvis Cox, Jr.
May 12, 1981
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Ronald D. Oliver
Aug 5, 1981
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Larry Paul Childress
Jan 14, 1982
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Charles L. Harrison
May 6, 1982
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John Wesley Sykes, Jr.
Dec 31, 1982
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Robert Sterling Hester
Jan 12, 1983
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Booker T. Shaw
Dec 17, 1985
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John Edward Reeve
Sep 9, 1991
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Rufus Gates
Nov 7, 1994
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Dannael James Weekes
Mar 7, 1997
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Don Williams
Jan 29, 1998
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Don Lee Overton
Oct 12, 1999
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John Harold Robinson, Jr.
Dec 1, 1999
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Clayton Wayne Hicks, Jr.
Nov 14, 2000
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Anthony Louis Woods
Aug 27, 2003
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Marlon Allen Titus
Mar 30, 2004
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Timothy Felton Warren
Jul 3, 2011
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Martoiya Veontwanneice Woods Lang
Dec 14, 2012
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Sean Michael Bolton
Aug 1, 2015
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Verdell Smith, Sr.
Jun 4, 2016
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Bobby Rodriguez Montgomery
Aug 16, 2020
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Christopher Scott Triplett
May 22, 2021
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Jimmie Alexander Shindler
Sep 20, 2021
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Darrell Dewayne Adams
Oct 2, 2021
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Michael Lewis Hill
Nov 4, 2021
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Corille Cortez Jones
Jan 20, 2022
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Geoffrey Bernard Redd
Feb 18, 2023
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Joseph Russell McKinney
Apr 12, 2024
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Demetrice Lavelle Johnson
Aug 2, 2024
Where
Where the Name Is Cut
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 51-E
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