Palm Beach Police Department, Florida
End of Watch Sunday, October 31, 1926
Add to My HeroesJohn M. Cash
Captain John Cash drowned after attempting several rescues at the beach next to Royal Palm Way.
A strong undertow had resulted in the drowning of three other swimmers that day. Captain Cash had already performed two rescues before he, too, drowned as a result of the undertow.
Captain Cash had served with the Palm Beach Police Department for four years.
Bio
- Age 48
- Tour 4 years
- Badge Not available
Incident Details
- Cause Drowned
Most Recent Reflection
View all 10 ReflectionsFrom the Associated Press wire service, October 31, 1926: "Three Men Die in Rescuing Woman From Surf at Florida Beach. Four men are known to have been drowned off the Palm Beach coast today, victims of strong undertow along an unpatrolled beach and one or two others are though to have perished. Three of the men were drowned while going to the rescue of Miss Jessie Coons, the daughter of one of the victims. John Cash, 40, of the Palm Beach police force, was drowned trying to rescue Coons after helping his daughter to her safety, and Alex Decker, 50, perished in the attempt to aid Coons." Palm Beach had an all volunteer, informal lifeguard service at the time known as Cowboys of the Sea, led by Gus Jordahn, who attempted to resuscitate Captain Cash. Captain Cash's death and the others led to the formation of the Palm Beach Beach Patrol, a professional lifeguard service, now known as Palm Beach Ocean Rescue. I did not know Captain John Cash but I was fortunate to look through a box of old records held by the Historical Society of Palm Beach County and find an newspaper story about his death. Captain Cash's sacrifice was a lost memory in Palm Beach and has since been recognized in all of the appropriate places including a bronze plaque in front of the Palm Beach Police Department headquarters with a list of Palm Beach Police officers who gave their lives in heroic acts, a list that we all hope and pray does not have any additional names added.
Michael Reiter, Chief of Police (Ret.)
Palm Beach Police Department
March 14, 2024
Recent LODD Deaths
Sergeant Bill Hooser
Santaquin Police Department, UT
EOW: May 5, 2024
Deputy U.S. Marshal Thomas M. Weeks
United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service, US
EOW: April 29, 2024
Investigator William "Alden" Elliott
North Carolina Department of Adult Correction, NC
EOW: April 29, 2024
Investigator Samuel Poloche
North Carolina Department of Adult Correction, NC
EOW: April 29, 2024
Police Officer Joshua Eyer
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, NC
EOW: April 29, 2024
Police Officer Russell Croxton
Dubach Police Department, LA
EOW: April 27, 2024
Sergeant Ian Taylor
Billerica Police Department, MA
EOW: April 26, 2024
Police Officer Kyle Hicks
Corpus Christi Police Department, TX
EOW: April 24, 2024
Investigator John Hampton Coddou, III
Harris County Sheriff's Office, TX
EOW: April 23, 2024