James Hughes
Agency patch
Patrolman

James Hughes

Accident
End of Watch November 19, 1919
Age 42
Tour of Duty 14 yrs
The Vigil Panel 38 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman James Hughes and Patrolman John McIntyre were killed when their patrol boat capsized.

Patrolman Hughes and Patrolman McIntyre left Randall's Island on Patrol Boat #7 to patrol the Harlem River at approximately 1600 hours. At 1800 hours, a tugboat found the patrol boat overturned in the river near the 130th Street Bridge. The crew uprighted the boat and found that Patrolman Hughes had died. They were unable to locate Patrolman McIntyre, who was later found to have drowned when the boat overturned.

An investigation uncovered no witnesses to the incident, and it is not known what caused the patrol boat to overturn.

Patrolman Hughes was assigned to the Marine Division, the present day Harbor Patrol.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
September 9, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Patrolman Hughes gave the New York City Police Department 14 years.
Thank you for your service to the New York community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Hughes.

— 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 November 19, 1919
Tour of Duty 14 yrs
Age 42
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

James is one of 8,275 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% 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 1919, 51 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 94th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

James was 42. 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. James had served 14 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

November holds 8.4% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Wednesdays: 14.5%.

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, James among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Patrolman James Hughes

New York City Police Department · End of Watch November 19, 1919

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 53-W

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