Trooper Samuel Freeman Holcomb, Jr.

Trooper Samuel Freeman Holcomb, Jr.

Tennessee Highway Patrol, Tennessee

End of Watch Sunday, March 27, 1988

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Samuel Freeman Holcomb, Jr.

Trooper Samuel Holcomb was killed when he was struck by a vehicle on I-40 in Dickson County at 6 am.

He had stopped a suspicious vehicle, and as he was exiting his patrol car, he was struck from behind by a driver who had been blinded by the early morning sunlight.

No legal action was taken against the subject.

Trooper Holcomb was a U.S. Navy veteran of the Vietnam War and had served with the Tennessee Highway Patrol for 13 and a half years. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, a son, his mother, two brothers, and three sisters.

Bio

  • Age 37
  • Tour 13 years, 6 months
  • Badge 700
  • Military Veteran

Incident Details

  • Cause Struck by vehicle

suspicious vehicle

Most Recent Reflection

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If this is the same guy (and based on the photo it may very well be), we were in the Navy together on board the USS Waddell DDG 24 home ported out of Yokosuka, Japan in gunfire support off the coast of Vietnam. I believe he had a twin brother, and his elderly father was a very religious man (and very strict)! Sam was a very likeable guy (everyone liked him), but he was very intimidating. He loved to play with his Boatswain's knife (he could not remain still for too long). I remember one time when he tried to catch a rather large venomous 'killer' snake with a grappling hook out of the waters of the Danang Gulf. Fortunately, he was not successful! He was so wild (but innocent) that one of our shipmates, the late Walter Rash nicknamed him, Jethro after the Beverly Hillbillies TV character! Rest in Peace!

John Thomas Ciappetta SH3
United States Navy (shipmate)

May 21, 2023

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