Lest We Forget Police Officer Patrick J. Whalen #94

Police Officer Patrick F. Whalen #94
Appointed: May 1, 1914
End of Watch: February 23, 1934

The RKO Proctors Movie Theater was located at 45 South Broadway, at Prospect Street. It was a very active location then as it is today. It was February 23, 1934 and P.O. Pat Whalen badge 94, of our Motorcycle Squad had parked his "Indian" in Getty Square and was talking to a local resident.

An explosion in front of the theater came without warning and threw slabs of sidewalk into the air creating a massive hole in the sidewalk. An electrical transformer had shorted and blew up. Gloria D'Addio, a ten year old girl had fallen into the burning hole. Officer Whalen running up the street, saw the child in the hole, and immediately jumped in to rescue her. He handed the girl up to off-duty officers Ray Carozza and John F. Ryan. Within seconds later a second explosion occurred virtually incinerating Office Whalen, who was still in the hole. He died instantly.

At the next award's ceremony, Officers Carozza and Ryan received awards for Honorable Mention. Officer Pat Whalen received nothing.
Fifty-one years later, in 1985, acting on the recommendation of then, Lt. George Rutledge, who advised Captain Albert McEvoy, chairman of the Honor Board, of the obvious oversight, Officer Whalen was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously at a department awards ceremony. "Lest We Forget"

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