Police Officer John B. Feeley

John B. Feeley

Police Officer John Feeley contracted Spanish Influenza while assigned to his duties at the Liberty Loans Parade on September 28, 1918. Officer Feeley became ill the next day and was taken to his home in the 2000 block of Stillman Street where he died of complications five days later.

Cities throughout the country were hosting parades to promote government bonds and raise money for wartime efforts. The city of Philadelphia was in charge of raising $259 million during the fall of 1918. The Philadephia Liberty Bond Parade was projected to have 10,000 attendees, but more than 200,000 people attended.

On September 19, 1918, sailors at the Philadelphia Navy Yard who returned from the war in Europe were struck with influenza. The day following the parade, more than 100 cases of flu were present in the city of Philadelphia. By October 1, every bed in Philadelphia's 31 hospitals was filled. On October 3, the city of Philadelphia shut down. One week later, 4,500 citizens were declared dead of the Spanish flu, and 47,000 people were infected.

Police Officer Feeley served with the Philadelphia Police Department for less than six years and was assigned to the 29th Police District.

Effects of the 1918-1920 Influenza Pandemic on Law Enforcement

Also known as "Spanish Flu" or "LaGrippe," the Influenza Pandemic of 1918 to early 1920, infected an estimated 500 million people worldwide—about one-third of the planet’s population—and killed approximately 675,000 Americans. The effect of the influenza epidemic in the United States was so dire that the average life span in the U.S. fell by twelve years. The four waves of the flu began in March 1918 and ended in April 1920. Many officers contracted this virus due to the requirements of their job.

The names of every officer who died in the line of duty from the Influenza Pandemic will likely never be known. Still, ODMP researchers continue to uncover new cases as part of our mission never to forget the fallen.

Please click here to view ODMP's Influenza memorial, listing all known fallen officers from the pandemic.