D. C. Oates
Agency patch
Deputy Warden

D. C. Oates

Oklahoma Department of Corrections — Oklahoma City, OK
Felonious
End of Watch January 19, 1914
Age 43
Tour of Duty 7 yrs
The Vigil Panel 28 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Warden D.C. Oates, Sergeant Fred Godfrey, and Correctional Officer Herman H. Drover were shot and killed at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary by three prisoners who were attempting to escape. A former Oklahoma congressman visiting the prison was also killed and three others were shot and wounded.

No one seemed to know exactly how, but each of the three prisoners had obtained a revolver. As they ran towards the front gate they shot everyone they saw and begged other inmates to join them, but no other inmates did. As they reached the front gate and fled outside guards opened fire on the escapees, killing all three.

Deputy Warden Oates had been with the agency for seven years and was survived by his wife and five children.

Survivors

Deputy Warden Oates had been with the agency for seven years and was survived by his wife and 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.
Deputy Warden Oates gave the Oklahoma Department of Corrections 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Oklahoma. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Warden Oates.

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

Agency

Type Corrections
Location Oklahoma City, Oklahoma County, OK
Platform Identity odcorr.oklahoma.ok.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 19, 1914
Tour of Duty 7 yrs
Age 43
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Handgun; Revolver

The Sacrifice · Felonious

D. 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
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1914, 127 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 37th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

D. was 43. 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. D. 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

January holds 8% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Mondays: 13.8%.

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 handgun; revolver, in 0.9% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Oklahoma Department of Corrections has 19 officers remembered here, D. among them.

VI

Where

Deputy Warden D. C. Oates

Oklahoma Department of Corrections · End of Watch January 19, 1914

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 10-E

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