John Holcombe Woodson
Agency patch
Sergeant

John Holcombe Woodson

Felonious
End of Watch August 5, 1946
Age 63
Tour of Duty 31 yrs
The Vigil Panel 82 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Location: Virginia Weapon: Handgun; .22 caliber Offender: Executed

Sergeant Holcombe Woodson was shot and killed at Catlett, Virginia, as he and another railroad detective approached a man to question him about freight thefts. Before the detectives even spoke to the man, he produced a .22 caliber handgun and opened fire.

One of the shots struck Sergeant Woodson in the neck, mortally wounding him. He was transported to Warrenton Hospital where he succumbed to the wound.

The suspect fled but was arrested. He was subsequently convicted of murder and executed.

Sergeant Woodson had served with the Southern Railroad Police Department for 31 years.

Survivors

He 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

31 years. You could have gone home.
Sergeant Woodson gave the Southern Railway Police Department 31 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Washington community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Woodson.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Washington, DC
Platform Identity srpd.rr.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 5, 1946
Tour of Duty 31 yrs
Age 63
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Handgun; .22 caliber

The Sacrifice · Felonious

John 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 1946, 91 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 62nd heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John was 63. 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. John had served 31 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

August holds 8.9% 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; .22 caliber, in 0.1% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Southern Railway Police Department has 18 officers remembered here, John among them.

VI

Where

Sergeant John Holcombe Woodson

Southern Railway Police Department · End of Watch August 5, 1946

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 45-E

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