New York City Police Department, New York
End of Watch: Thursday, July 4, 1940
Age: 35
Tour of Duty: 9 years
Badge Number: 1117
Cause of Death: Bomb
Date of Incident: July 4, 1940
Weapon Used: Explosives; Bomb
Suspect Info: Not available
Detective Ferdinand Socha and Detective Joseph Lynch were killed when a time bomb they were inspecting exploded.
Detective Socha and Lynch were called to the World's Fair Grounds and directed to the British Pavilion after an electrician found a suspicious satchel in a fan room. The canvas bag was emitting a ticking sound, so it was carefully carried to the rear of a secluded area near the Van Wyck Expressway, where it was placed beneath a 20-foot maple tree. Detective Lynch took out a pocketknife and slit open a 2-inch hole in the bag as his partner knelt down to look inside. As the Detectives were examining what appeared to be dynamite, the bag exploded. The explosion opened a crater 5 feet wide and 3 feet deep and killed both Detectives. Four other Police Officers were critically injured.
It was never determined who planted the bomb or what motivated the bombing.
Detective Socha had served with the New York City Police Department and was assigned to the Bomb Squad. He was survived by his wife, parents, two sisters, and two brothers.