The memorial is located on the north end of Trinity Park along West 7th Street. It occupies approximately five acres of park. » Get Directions
Hours of Operation
5:00am - 11:30pm
The displays and paths are always
illuminated.
By Mail
3801 Hulen Suite 101
Fort Worth, Texas 76107
By Phone
817-870-2171
Webster C. Gentry
Age:
25
Length of Service:
1 Day
Location of Incident:
1100 Fournier at the Clear Fork of the Trinity River
Date of Injury:
April 25, 1922
Date of Death:
April 25, 1922
Burial:
Greenwood Cemetery
Summary:
In late April of 1922, the City of Fort Worth was beset with extremely heavy rains. The result of these rains was flooding on the clear fork of the Trinity River. The flooding took an especially hard toll on the "Van Zandt" neighborhoods near West 7th Street and on the city's north side.
The Fort Worth Police Department, which consisted of only about 100 officers, was extremely overworked and unable to keep up with the calls for assistance. On Tuesday, April 25, the Fort Worth Police Department took action to ensure adequate police protection. On that Tuesday afternoon, 500 men were sworn-in by Assistant Chief of Police Lee. The Fort Worth Police Department then armed these men and issued instructions to assist in the relief work as far as possible and to prevent looting in those sections of the city that had suffered from the flooding.
On Wednesday morning, April 26, 1922, rescue workers found a body tangled in a barbed wire fence that had been submerged just south of the viaduct. The man was found to be carrying a pistol in the holster on his belt and was wearing a gold ring. A tattoo was found on the man's body. The tattoo was the initial "W.C.G." The body was taken to the morgue where the family made positive identification. The body was identified as Webster C. Gentry. Gentry had been assigned to work in the Van Zandt viaduct neighborhood.
A family that had witnessed the death of Special Officer Gentry came forward and related what had happened. The family related that they had been trapped in the floodwaters, apparently clinging to debris. Gentry jumped into the water and swam to where they were trapped. Gentry pulled three members of the family to safety when he returned to rescue their child. While trying to lift the child from the swirling floodwaters, Gentry became tangled in the submerged barbed wire fence. The family he had just saved was unable to help him.
