Mount Vernon, WA – Washington State Patrol held a remembrance ceremony this week honoring Patrolman Vernon Fortin, who became the first Washington Highway Patrol officer to die in the line of duty on September 30, 1923.
According to the Washington State Patrol, Fortin was just 25 years old when his motorcycle collided with another patrolman’s while en route to a traffic call near Lynden. He died five days later from his injuries. Fortin had served 18 months with the then newly formed Washington Highway Patrol and was assigned to Whatcom and Skagit counties.
Fortin, born in 1898 in Mount Vernon, had a life of service before joining law enforcement. At 17, he enlisted in the U.S. Army during World War I, serving in France and Germany. After returning home in 1919, he married Jeanne Marie and later became one of the early members of Washington’s highway patrol force.
Following his death, Fortin’s widow moved their two young children to France, later returning to Skagit Valley where the family’s roots remained. His daughter, Marcelle Gorman, lived to be 101 before passing away in 2022.
In May 2023, Fortin was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor by the Law Enforcement Medal of Honor Committee. On September 30, 2023, the 100th anniversary of his death, state patrol officials, family, and community members gathered at his gravesite in Mount Vernon to honor his sacrifice.
Patrolman Fortin’s legacy endures as a symbol of dedication and service. Washington State Patrol encouraged the public to pause and remember his commitment to community and country.
