Unearthing The Undead 32 - WILLIAM MYERS

Badge #: 903

K-9 name: Kemo

William Myers was one of the K-9 Police Officers in Night of the Living Dead, with his K-9 Kemo.

William can be spotted driving the K-9 van as well as with the other K-9 officers in the field around the farmhouse.

Bill Myers served as a Pittsburgh Police Officer for forty years, serving from March 1961 until March 29, 2001. He worked in many facets of law enforcement, he walked a beat, was a canine officer with his beloved Kemo, he did plainclothes, was a detective in the Night Felony squad, fire arms instructor and was a Detective in Dignitary, Witness Protection. As a detective with Dignitary, Witness Protection, Bill had the opportunity to protect our US President, Vice President and many dignitaries from around the world. Prior to becoming a Police Officer, Bill spent four years serving our country in the US Army as an airborne ranger during the Korean Conflict.

Over the years Bill received many commendations for a variety of crimes. He arrested a man for attempted murder in a bar in Squirrel Hill, actors who committed a burglary and an actor who committed purse snatches of elderly women in Beltzhoover. He even applied a tourniquet on a man s leg after he was injured in a motorcycle accident, saving the man s life. But in May 1969, Bill responded to a call at Carnegie Mellon University Campus. A child, age 8 years old was injured due to a strangling after getting entangled in a rope used for a school carnival booth.

The child had no pulse and was not breathing when Bill and his partner arrived at the scene. Bill started heart massaging (today it is known as heart compressions) and his partner performed mouth to mouth. The child was rushed to Children s Hospital, the doctors at Children s Hospital felt their prompt action of those life saving measures saved that child s life.

Bill s last few years on the Police Department he became a detective in Dignitary, Witness Protection. He had the opportunity to organize and protect Dignitaries visiting the City of Pittsburgh. He frequently protected the Governor of PA, Tom Ridge, US President and Vice President, including President George Bush. He often protected other special guests to our city such as Martin Luther King Jr., Gerry Adams of Northern Ireland and the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader and head of Tibetan Buddhism.

He received many thank you notes from a variety of people and countries. One such note was from FLT-LT Jerry John Rawlings, President of the Republic of Ghana, another was from Sister Michele O Leary, President of Ireland Institute of Pittsburgh after David Trimble and Seamus Mallow visited our city. Thank you notes have come from the US Marshal Service and the University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public and Internal Affairs.

Bill loved Kemo and was proud to tell others that they were both in the movie,  Night of the Living Dead .

On March 29, 2001, the City of Pittsburgh did a Proclamation that that day was  Detective William Myers Day  in the City of Pittsburgh.

After retirement, Bill again provided protection and security to the citizens of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. He spent ten years at the FBI Building in Pittsburgh serving as one of their Security Officers working with the Agents of the FBI and the Security Officers union.

Bill passed away on April 26, 2018, he is buried at the National Cemetery of the Allegheny. Special thanks to Mary Ellen Myers, Sandy Kolod and the Heinz History Center for their help and information.

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Researched and compiled by John Vullo

Text and photos   Image Ten, Inc.

If you know of any family, friends or acquaintances that appeared as extras in the original Night of the Living Dead, please contact John Vullo at jmv3683@gmail.com

#UnearthingTheUndead #NightOfTheLivingDead #GeorgeARomero #HorrorLegends #ZombieReveals #ClassicHorror #WilliamMyers

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