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William Frank Porter
Agency patch
Federal Prohibition Agent

William Frank Porter

United States Department of the Treasury - Internal Revenue Service - Prohibition Unit — Washington, DC
Accident
United States flag District of Columbia flag
End of Watch June 20, 1925
Age 39
Badge 7744
The Vigil Panel 114 · Column 1 · Line 16 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 58

Incident

Federal Prohibition Agent William Porter and Prohibition Officer David Ball, of the West Virginia Department of Prohibition, were accidentally shot and killed in exchange of gunfire between two groups of prohibition officers. A group of federal prohibition officers and a group of state prohibition officers were both conducting raids near Huntington, West Virginia. Neither group knew the other group was in the area. When they encountered each other, each group mistook the other for moonshiners and shots were exchanged. Special Agent Porter and Prohibition Officer George Ball were both fatally wounded in the exchange. A second state agent was wounded.

Survivors

Special Agent Porter was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
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August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Federal Prohibition Agent Porter served with the United States Department of the Treasury.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Federal Prohibition Agent Porter.

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

Agency

Department United States Department of the Treasury - Internal Revenue Service - Prohibition Unit
Type Federal Agency
Location Washington, DC
Platform Identity usdtirspufed.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 20, 1925
Age 39
Badge Number 7744
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

William 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 1925, 88 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 16th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

William was 39. 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.

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

When

June holds 7.9% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Saturdays: 14.9%.

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

United States Department of the Treasury - Internal Revenue Service - Prohibition Unit has 59 officers remembered here, William among them.

Across the years

Federal Prohibition Agent William Frank Porter

United States Department of the Treasury - Internal Revenue Service - Prohibition Unit · End of Watch June 20, 1925

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 11-W

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