End of Watch May 27, 1974
Age 53
Tour of Duty 15 yrs
Badge H-17
The Vigil Panel 113 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Sergeant Clay was killed in an automobile accident while pursuing a violator on a Winston County road. The patrol car Sergeant Clay was riding in went out of control and crashed. Sergeant Clay's partner received minor injuries. The suspect was never apprehended. Sergeant Clay had been with the agency for 15 years and was assigned to Troop H.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and son.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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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.
Sergeant Clay gave the Mississippi Department of Public Safety 15 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Mississippi. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Clay.

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

Agency

Type Highway Patrol
Location Jackson, Hinds County, MS
Platform Identity mdpsmhp.ms.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 27, 1974
Tour of Duty 15 yrs
Age 53
Badge Number H-17
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident
Weapon Automobile

The Sacrifice · Accident

Joe 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 1974, 98 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 9th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Joe was 53. 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. Joe had served 15 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

May holds 8.6% 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. The weapon recorded was automobile, in 6.9% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Mississippi Department of Public Safety - Mississippi Highway Patrol has 28 officers remembered here, Joe among them.

Sergeant Joe Clay

Mississippi Department of Public Safety - Mississippi Highway Patrol · End of Watch May 27, 1974

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 64-W

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