By Mike Simmons
On Thursday, November 2, 1950, the Pensacola News Journal began the “Officer of the Year” contest sponsored by the Pensacola Chamber of Commerce. This one was of Corporal Wilbur Edward “Andy” Ambrose.
Corporal Ambrose was born in Buffalo, KS in 1919. He completed high school in Benedict, KS, and later served in the US Air Force for over three years. Shortly after he arrived in Pensacola, he married the former Miss Ollie Jo Johnson, a native of Wetumpka, AL. they had one child, Dianne, who was 19 months old, and they resided at 1001 E. Desoto Street.
He was transferred to Pensacola as a special agent for the Frisco railroad in 1942 and joined the PPD in 1945. In 1949, he was in charge of the school boy patrol program. When asked about police work, he said, “Police work is fascinating and I consider law enforcement work an honored profession.”
Interesting article. Unlike today’s news, some personal information was given out. Ambrose served at the PPD and later moved to the Escambia Sheriff’s Office where he worked his way to Chief Deputy.
I worked with Andy in the 70s.