Deputy U.S. Marshal

Walter W. Getchell

Cardiac
End of Watch August 5, 1924
Age 57
The Vigil Panel 47 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Marshal Walter Getchell suffered a fatal heart attack after getting lost in the wilderness near Nome, Alaska. He had left his office to serve a notice of judgment against a dredging company in Nome.

Deputy Getchell never arrived at the company and failed to returned to the office. A search party was sent out but failed to locate him. His body was found five days later on a different trail. It is believed he took a wrong turn and lost his way.

In Our Keeping

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Added to badge.nw
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.
Deputy U.S. Marshal Getchell served with the United States Department of Justice.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy U.S. Marshal Getchell.

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

Agency

Type Federal Agency
Location Washington, DC
Platform Identity usms.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 5, 1924
Age 57
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Cardiac

The Sacrifice · Cardiac

Walter is one of 1,307 officers lost to cardiac events in the United States, 4.7% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,117 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 1924, 2 officers in the United States were lost to cardiac events, the 107th heaviest of 139 years on record. The heaviest was 2014, with 24.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Walter was 57. Of the 1,249 lost to cardiac events in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 43 and 55; the middle age was 48.

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

When

August holds 8% of these deaths in the United States; January holds the most, 9.6%. Tuesdays: 13.9%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Cardiac deaths account for 4.7% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 4th most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service has at least 120 officers remembered here, Walter among them.

Across the years

Deputy U.S. Marshal Walter W. Getchell

United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service · End of Watch August 5, 1924

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 10-W

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