Jon D. Birchem
Agency patch
Patrolman

Jon D. Birchem

Ohio State Highway Patrol — Columbus, OH
Accident
End of Watch February 27, 1967
Age 22
Tour of Duty 1 yrs
Badge 500
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman Jon Birchem was killed in an automobile crash while chasing two speeding cars in Wood County. He lost control of his vehicle on the icy road surface of the Ohio Turnpike and struck a bridge pillar at the Route 795 overpass. The speeders were never apprehended. Patrolman Birchem had served with the Ohio State Highway for one year, assigned to the Swanton Post.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, son, mother, father, and grandmother.

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

You barely got started.
Patrolman Birchem gave the Ohio State Highway Patrol 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the people of Ohio. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Birchem.

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

Agency

Type Highway Patrol
Location Columbus, OH
Platform Identity oshp.oh.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 27, 1967
Tour of Duty 1 yrs
Age 22
Badge Number 500
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident
Weapon Automobile

The Sacrifice · Accident

Jon is one of 8,276 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,102 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 1967, 73 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 38th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Jon was 22. 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. Jon had served 1 year; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

February holds 7.2% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.4%. 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

Ohio State Highway Patrol has 42 officers remembered here, Jon among them.

VI

Where

Patrolman Jon D. Birchem

Ohio State Highway Patrol · End of Watch February 27, 1967

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 51-E

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