Detective August “Gus” Delloye
(February 19, 1885-July 9, 1964)

Military Order of the Purple Heart Meritorious Service Award Recipient

Lieutenant Detective August “Gus” Delloye was the son of a Belgian born immigrant who learned to speak three languages; English, Belgium, and French. Prior to policing in Titletown, USA he first entered into public service with the Chicago Fire Department. A few years later he shed the fire gear in exchange for police blue and began his service with the Green Bay Police Department on May 1, 1916.

August Delloye, who simply liked to be called Gus, was an outstanding police officer. Within his first five years of police work, he received so many entries of commendation on his “History Card” that the chief ran out of room and wrote, “Space is limited, for more important arrests, records on file at courthouse.“ He was never reprimanded and from 1916 thru 1926, he never missed a day of work to sickness, nor did he take a vacation day. His hard work and dedication put him on the “fast track” and he quickly rose to the rank of detective. However, tragedy was just around the corner.

On Monday, January 9, 1928 Delloye endured his first near death experience. Delloye and Detective Martin Burke were investigating the “Cannard Extortion Case.”

Two weeks prior, two letters had been sent to a local middle-class resident demanding $1,000.00 or he would be shot. What was believed to be a well-planned “drop” of the demand in a farmer’s field by a lighted box along Hwy 78, was anything but.

On that fateful Monday evening, Delloye tragically found himself in a shoot out with two fellow officers. Both mistook each other for the extortionists. Delloye was shot over 170 times with buckshot. The officers didn’t realize their tragic mistake until Delloye’s bloodied face lay in the snow at the front steps of the farmer’s house.

Over the next two weeks, Delloye endured three painful surgeries, the first one without anesthesia, and doctors removed over 177 pellets from his body. On Monday, January 23, 1928, Delloye was released from the hospital and promptly resumed his detective duties. His second brush with death would come too soon.

On Monday, July 20, 1931, shortly after 11:00am, calls poured into the police department. It was first reported that the South Side State Bank, 708-710 S. Broadway, was “being” robbed. Another call was received that it “had been” robbed. Detective Delloye, Chief Hawley, Detective Burke, and Officer DeNamur all responded in the same patrol car. Delloye was seated in the passenger seat and they mistakenly parked right in front of the gangster’s getaway vehicle. The gangsters saw them and fired their high-powered Tommy guns at the squad, unloading their fifty round magazines in about 4 to 7 seconds. Delloye, who was closest to the gunfire, did what he could and tried to exit the squad and go to cover in the adjacent alley. He opened the passenger side door and turned towards the threat. Instinctively, he raised his left arm in front of his face, which actually saved his life. Three bullets struck his forearm, passing through flesh and muscle, slowing their velocity. One of these bullets continued into Delloye’s head and entered above his left orbital socket, stopping before entering his brain. A shard of flying glass embedded and pierced his left eye. He stumbled into the alley and fell, bleeding profusely.

After the gun battle, Delloye was found in a puddle of blood in the alley. Again, his life hung in the balance. He was rushed to the hospital in critical condition. Doctors stabilized him, but were unable to save his eye. Forty-eight hours later Delloye’s left eyeball was removed in a twenty-two minute procedure. Doctors were unable to remove the bullet because it was likely too close to his optic nerves. He endured weeks of pain and severe headaches caused by the lodged bullet. Delloye remained in the hospital until August 19, 1931, one month from the day he was shot. With his prosthetic eye in place, Delloye proudly walked out of the hospital and returned to work twelve days later.

Delloye didn’t ask for anything in return from the city he served so well, but others within local government felt differently. Members of the city council deemed him 25% disabled and proposed to cut his pay by the same amount. This was devastating to this married man and father of seven. Delloye had no choice but to sue the city and won. He was soon promoted to the position of night shift Lieutenant, where he proudly served until the age of 70. He retired on May 1, 1956, completing forty years of service to Titletown, U.S.A..

On October 18, 1956 the Fort Howard Chapter of the Military Order of the Purple Heart presented Delloye with an award for meritorious service. Shot twice in the line of duty, it was well deserved.

August “Gus” Delloye, the warrior, police officer, father, and grandfather remained in the City of Green Bay and spent much needed time with his wife, grown children, and grandchildren. He was also able to devote his full-time attention to his favorite hobby, gardening. He enjoyed eight years of retirement and passed away peacefully on July 9, 1964.

Was the infamous John Dillinger responsible for the South Side State Bank robbery? Find out and learn more about Detective Delloye, his unbelievable, hilarious and sometimes saddening stories, and others in “True Crime in Titletown, U.S.A. ~ Cold Cases.”