MITCHELL – On the 62nd Anniversary of the Line of Duty Death of Indiana State Trooper Robert Gillespie, Troopers from the Bloomington District conducted a Memorial Honor Walk on Saturday along State Road 37 north of Mitchell.
Trooper Gillespie gave his life in the line of duty on June 8, 1962. Trooper Gillespie was responding to a request for assistance in the Town of Mitchell. He was traveling at a high rate of speed with emergency lights on when he was forced to leave the road when a pick-up truck slowed in front of him. Leaving the highway to avoid the truck, Trooper Gillespie swerved back on the road to avoid another car. His vehicle then was struck by another car. Trooper Gillespie died as a result of his injuries.
Trooper Gillespie of Bedford was assigned to the Seymour Post and served with the Indiana State Police for nearly 12 years. He was a US Navy veteran.
In 1951, he was awarded the agency’s Gold Star Award for Valor when, despite gunshot wounds, he continued to pursue a couple who fired at him.
His wife and six children survived him.
A portion of State Road 37 near Mitchell is dedicated to him as “Trooper Robert Gillespie Memorial Mile.” Troopers walk the memorial mile every year in memory of Trooper Gillespie.
