Patrolman Harry Oliver Webster

Harry Oliver Webster

Patrolman Harry Webster died as a result of complications from influenza while performing his assigned duties during the Influenza Pandemic.

The city of Springfield, due to the overwhelming number of influenza cases and a shortage of doctors, worked in coordination with the Massachusetts Army National Guard and the MassMutual Insurance Company to create a temporary field hospital outside Springfield in Forrest Park, known as "Tent City," to treat victims of the influenza.

The Springfield Police Department had been tasked with enforcing local health laws to help prevent the spread of influenza, as well as performing their regular police duties.

Patrolman Webster served with the Springfield Police Department for more than four years. He was survived by his wife, daughter, and parents.

He is buried at Oak Grove Cemetery in Springfield.

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.