Frank McGrath
Agency patch
Detective

Frank McGrath

Felonious
End of Watch September 27, 1945
Age 35
Tour of Duty 7 yrs
Badge 1975
The Vigil Panel 81 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Frank M. McGrath served seven years with the New York City Police Department, the last three as a detective with the 5th Squad at the Elizabeth Street station house, covering Chinatown, Little Italy and the Bowery. He carried shield 1975. He was married and lived in Long Island City.

On the night of 26 September 1945 he walked into the bar of the Belvedere Hotel at 319 West 48th Street. A 25-year-old rodeo rider named Bud Linderman, in town to compete at Madison Square Garden, got into a fight with him, knocked him to the floor and kicked him, took his revolver, fired a shot into the ceiling and fled. Detective McGrath was taken to Roosevelt Hospital, where he died the next day, 27 September 1945. He was 35.

Linderman gave himself up the next day and claimed the detective had been the aggressor. In October 1945 a grand jury refused to indict him.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

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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.
Detective McGrath gave the New York City Police Department 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the New York community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective McGrath.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location New York, NY
Platform Identity nypd.newyork.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 27, 1945
Tour of Duty 7 yrs
Age 35
Badge Number 1975
Gender Male
Assignment 5 Squad

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Person

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Frank is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% 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
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1945, 68 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 105th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Frank was 35. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Frank had served 7 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

September holds 9.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Thursdays: 14%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was person, in 2% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

New York City Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Frank among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Detective Frank McGrath

New York City Police Department · End of Watch September 27, 1945

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 16-E

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