Sergeant Ernest H. Thornhill

Ernest H. Thornhill

Sergeant Ernest Thornhill died as a result of contracting the Spanish Influenza while assisting victims getting to the hospital.

He was taken to the City Hospital where he died as a result of complications four days after developing symptoms.

Sergeant Thornhill's wife and infant daughter died the next day due to complications of Spanish Influenza and childbirth.

Sergeant Thornhill served with the Louisville Police Department for eight months. He was survived by his two sons, both under the age of three.

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.