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Patrolman

Percy Smith

New York City Police Department — New York, NY
Accident
United States flag New York flag
End of Watch October 3, 1938
Age 29
Tour of Duty 10 yrs
The Vigil Panel 75 ›
Gender Male
Incident Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 1,221

Incident

Patrolman Smith died of injuries he received two days earlier when he was involved in an automobile accident.

Patrolman Smith was riding in an ambulance, escorting a sandhog (a worker responsible for digging out the tunnel under the East River for the Midtown Tunnel) to the decompression lock at Forty-Second Street and East River Drive, so the worker could be treated for the bends. At Fiftieth Street the ambulance swerved to avoid hitting a car and struck a parked truck, seriously injuring Patrolman Smith and the driver of the ambulance.

Patrolman Smith was removed to Bellevue Hospital where he died two days later from his injuries.

Patrolman Smith had served with the New York City Police Department for 10 years and was assigned to the 24th Precinct.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and son.

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.
Patrolman Smith gave the New York City Police Department 10 years.
Thank you for your service to the New York community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Smith.

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

Agency

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

Service Record

End of Watch October 3, 1938
Tour of Duty 10 yrs
Age 29
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident
Cause Detail Automobile crash

The Sacrifice · Accident

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

34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1938, 89 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 15th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Percy was 29. 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. Percy had served 10 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

October holds 9.1% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Mondays: 13.4%.

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

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

Across the years
VI

Where

Patrolman Percy Smith

New York City Police Department · End of Watch October 3, 1938

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 58-W

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