FLORENCE – The South Carolina Highway Patrol held a building dedication today in honor of fallen Trooper First Class George T. Radford, who was shot and killed in the line of duty on October 29, 1988, in Dillon County.
“My dad was my hero. He loved the Highway Patrol, and he died doing exactly what he wanted to do,” said Cassie Radford, daughter of TFC Radford. “He was a very modest man, but it’s good to know that his legacy will live on and that it will be a conversation piece for people who walk through those doors.”
More than 36 years after his death, the Highway Patrol formally unveiled a sign designating the Highway Patrol’s Troop 5, Post B building in Florence as the George Tillman Radford Building.* Radford was a 16-year veteran of the Patrol and known by his fellow troopers as courageous, honorable, respectful, and dependable.
“Prominently displaying Trooper First Class Radford’s name on this brick building is a lasting tribute to an honorable man, and a reassurance to his family that his memory, his service, and his sacrifice will not be forgotten,” said SCDPS Director Robert G. Woods IV. “Today’s building dedication is our small way of keeping his legacy alive.”
A native of Marlboro County, Radford joined the South Carolina Highway Patrol in 1972 and began his assignment in Florence County before transferring to Dillon County in 1973. Prior to his service with the Highway Patrol, he served in the United States Army, where he completed two tours in Vietnam and received The Purple Heart for his service.
“As I look out at all the people here today, it is very clear that Trooper Radford left an incredible mark on the Highway Patrol,” said SC Highway Patrol Colonel Christopher Williamson. “It is clear he learned — and taught us just as much — about brotherhood, sacrifice, and the selflessness it takes to serve your state and country. And he exhibited those qualities right up until his last breath on this earth.”
*The Highway Patrol office that was previously located in Marlboro County was named the George Tillman Radford building in 1990. The agency reorganized its structure from county offices into regionalized Troop and Post offices in 2003. The original building has since been sold.
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