Wall of the Fallen

On September 9, 2006, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, members of the International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum (ITRHFM) gathered on the museum grounds for the official dedication ceremony of the Wall of the Fallen, a monument to honor towing operators killed in the line of service.

The mission statement of the Wall of the Fallen reads: “To honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, to generate public awareness of the dangers involved in the towing and recovery industry and to permanently record and commemorate those involved in fatalities in the towing and recovery industry.”

Wall of the Fallen Live Stream

Ralph Thomas Tappen

Date of Birth: September 20, 1931
Date of Death: October 29, 2005
Age at Death: 73
State/Province: Florida /
Ralph Tappen was born on September 20 1931. Ralph is the father of Kit Tappen our previous Wall inclusion. On… Read More

Randy L. McGinty

Date of Birth: November 22, 1954
Date of Death: July 23, 2009
Age at Death: 54
State/Province: Texas /
Randy was a well known man with a great love of fishing in Baytown. He was the owner of McGinty… Read More

Ray J. Barna

Date of Birth: September 28, 1955
Date of Death: June 25, 2005
Age at Death: 49
State/Province: Florida /
While loading a woman's broken down car onto his flatbed he was struck by a Chevrolet Blazer. The driver of… Read More

Raymond A. Zabala, III

Date of Birth: January 1, 1970
Date of Death: June 2, 2015
Age at Death: 35
State/Province: CA / USA
On June 2, 2015, as service was completed on a motor club call, Raymond Zabala was talking with his customer… Read More

Raymond G. Weaver Sr.

Date of Birth: April 3, 1930
Date of Death: August 9, 1994
Age at Death: 64
State/Province: Pennsylvania /
Mr. Weaver was "stricken" while responing to a tow. This is all the information we have. Read More

Raymond Lewis Mitchell

Date of Birth: September 2, 1988
Date of Death: September 22, 2021
Age at Death: 33
State/Province: Washington / United States
On the morning of September 22, 2021, Raymond Mitchell was working on the interstate shoulder assisting stranded motorist.  An approaching… Read More

Raymond W. Payne

Date of Birth: November 7, 2027
Date of Death: October 27, 1979
Age at Death: 51
State/Province: Michigan /
A drunk driver struck Mr. Payne's tow truck. The boom swung around and hit him in the head. Mr. Payne… Read More

Reid L. Fincham

Date of Birth: November 20, 1944
Date of Death: July 20, 1979
Age at Death: 34
State/Province: Virginia /
Mr. Fincham was stuck by a drunk driver while hooking up to a disabled flat bed truck. The man who… Read More