John Harlan Hawthorne
Agency patch
Patrolman

John Harlan Hawthorne

Louisville Police Department — Louisville, KY
Accident
End of Watch January 22, 1947
Age 34
Tour of Duty 5 yrs
The Vigil Panel 83 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman Hawthorne was killed in an automobile accident while responding to a three-alarm fire at St. Martin's School. During the response his patrol vehicle collided with a truck at the intersection of Shelby and Jefferson Streets and burst into flames. He was trapped inside of the vehicle and received fatal burns.

Survivors

Patrolman Hawthorne had served with the Louisville Police Department for five years and was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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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 Hawthorne gave the Louisville Police Department 5 years.
Thank you for your service to the Louisville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Hawthorne.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Louisville, Jefferson County, KY
Platform Identity lpd.jefferson.ky.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 22, 1947
Tour of Duty 5 yrs
Age 34
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

John is one of 8,275 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,551 remembered there.

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1947, 53 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 88th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John 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. John had served 5 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

January holds 7.7% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Wednesdays: 14.5%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Louisville Police Department has 91 officers remembered here, John among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Patrolman John Harlan Hawthorne

Louisville Police Department · End of Watch January 22, 1947

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 6-E

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