William Henry Miles
Agency patch
Policeman

William Henry Miles

Philadelphia Police Department — Philadelphia, PA
Felonious
End of Watch February 20, 1923
Age 39
Tour of Duty 12 yrs
The Vigil Panel 105 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Policeman William Miles was beaten to death while attempting to arrest four men in Manayunk. His body was found at the bottom of a set of 84 stairs that lead from Dawson Street to Ridge Avenue. Investigators believed he caught four men who were burglarizing a nearby mill and that they beat him with a blunt instrument, causing him to suffer fatal head injuries. Policeman Miles had served with the Philadelphia Police Department for 12 years. He was a widower and was survived by his five children. His wife had died in a flu epidemic.

Survivors

He was a widower and was survived by his five children.

In Our Keeping

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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.
Policeman Miles gave the Philadelphia Police Department 12 years.
Thank you for your service to the Philadelphia community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Policeman Miles.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA
Platform Identity ppd.philadelphia.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 20, 1923
Tour of Duty 12 yrs
Age 39
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Blunt object

The Sacrifice · Felonious

William is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,117 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 1923, 199 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 14th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

William was 39. 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. William had served 12 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

February holds 7.4% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Tuesdays: 13.4%.

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 blunt object, in 1.2% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Philadelphia Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, William among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Policeman William Henry Miles

Philadelphia Police Department · End of Watch February 20, 1923

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 55-E

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