Death Classification: Line of Duty Death
Agency: Chicago Police Department
Served: 9 years, 1 month, 5 days
Unit of Assignment / Detail: 23rd District - Marquette
District of Incident (Present Day): 010 - Ogden
Cause of Death: Crash - Automobile
Age at Time of Death: 42
Timeline
Date of Birth: 27 Jan 1889
Date of Appointment: 09 Mar 1922
Date of Incident: 13 Apr 1931
End of Watch: 14 Apr 1931
Date of Interment: 17 Apr 1931
Interment Details
Cemetery: Mount Carmel Cemetery - Hillside, Illinois
Grave Location: Grave 8, Lot N21, Block 8, Section 22
Interment Disposition: Burial
Memorial Details
Superintendent’s Honored Star Case:
Gold Star Families Memorial Wall: Panel # 8
Illinois Police Officers Memorial Wall: Panel # 2, Line 30
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Wall: Panel # 31-E: 7
Officer Down Memorial Page: Listed
Service
Military Service: No Military Record Found
Incident & Biographic Details
Patrolman Harry William Fielder, Star #2130, aged 42 years, was a 9 year, 1 month, 5 day veteran of the Chicago Police Department, assigned to the 23rd District – Marquette.
On April 13, 1931, at 12:10 a.m., Officer Fielder, while driving in his personal car, was struck by an ambulance at the intersection of 22nd Street and Damen Avenue. Officer Fielder was instructed to go to 21st and Ashland Avenue to assist in handling traffic which had greatly increased due to the Sanitary District Tunnel disaster and was given permission to use his own automobile. At approximately 6:30 p.m. a fire was accidentally started by workers attempting to locate a leak in the tunnel. Located at 22nd and Laflin Streets, 35 feet below ground more than sixty streets and sanitation laborers were on scene. The Chicago Fire Department responded to the scene to fight the fire. Several firefighters died and approximately forty were injured when they became trapped in the tunnel. They were overcome by the smoke and fumes which rendered them unconscious while attempting to rescue the streets and sanitation workers. Multiple ambulances rushed to and from various hospitals in the city transporting the injured. The ambulance in question was rushing back to the scene after taking injured firefighters to St. Anthony’s Hospital after they were burned in the fire. Officer Fielder was taken to the hospital where he succumbed to his wounds the next day on April 14, 1931.
Officer Fielder was waked at his residence located at 4840 South Lexington Street. His funeral mass was held at Resurrection Church located at 5150 West Jackson Boulevard. He was laid to rest on April 17, 1931 in Mount Carmel Catholic Cemetery, 1400 South Wolf Road, Hillside, Illinois. His grave is located in Grave 8, Lot N21, Block 8, Section 22.
Patrolman Harry William Fielder, born January 27, 1889, received his Probationary Appointment to the Chicago Police Department on March 9, 1922. He earned 3 Credible Mentions and 1 Extra Compensation for Meritorious Conduct totaling $240.00 during his career.
Officer Fielder was survived by his wife, Josephine (nee Gilbert), age 38; children: Margaret, age 20 and Marion Rita, age 9 and parents: Charles and Minnie (nee Land).