Excellent Reading

[memory master]

I was looking through some boxed stuff in the garage when I came across a hardcover book that I had read many years ago and had completely forgotten about. The title is "The Sky Is Falling" written by Arthur Weingarten and published in 1977. The book is the complete story of the B25 U.S. Army bomber which crashed into the Empire State building on July 28,1945.There are pictures of the crew, plane, building, diagrams and numerous pictures of FDNY members at work inside and outside the building. I do not know if the book is still available but if you are interested in military and FD history, I recommend it. The Library Of Congress catalog card number is:77-72626 and the ISBN 0-448-14411-5. It was published by Grosset & Dunlap,A Filmways Company, New York. As a side note, I recall my father telling me over the years when I was a kid about that job. He was the MPO of the 4th due engine (Midtown Manhattan used to get 4 engines, 2 trucks, Rescue, Battalion and Division on some boxes) and recalled how driving N/B on 5th Avenue that morning (Yes, 5th used to be a two-way street) and seeing the entire side of the Empire State building in flames as the plane's fuel ran down the side of the building. His story is for another time, however, I hope that you historians can find and enjoy the book.








































o

 

[guitarman314]

  Sounds like he was with Engine 14  ???

 

[raybrag]

The book is available on Amazon for $0.01 + $3.99 shipping.

 

[firebuffkevin]

We had a neighbor in Flushing, who was a police officer in the ESU unit that responded to the crash.  He had a  crescent wrench that he picked up at the scene that came from the aircraft.  A great guy.  May he rest in peace.

 

[memory master]

Guitarman, you were close. It was E16 which at the time was on E25 street bet. 2 & 3 Aves. KFD, he had a fist size piece of the planes engine which had fallen onto W.33rd street where he was hooked up to a hydrant. When he passed away in 1987 I asked my mom where that piece was and also the pictures of the FD rigs that were taken at the 1939 World's Fair. Her response...Oh I threw that junk away!  (Gee, thanks mom.)

 

[guitarman314]

Guitarman, you were close. It was E16 which at the time was on E25 street bet. 2 & 3 Aves. KFD, he had a fist size piece of the planes engine which had fallen onto W.33rd street where he was hooked up to a hydrant. When he passed away in 1987 I asked my mom where that piece was and also the pictures of the FD rigs that were taken at the 1939 World's Fair. Her response...Oh I threw that junk away!  (Gee, thanks mom.)

Yes, in 1945 Engine 16 had a 1936 Mack open cab 1000gpm pumper. Later on they got a 1939 Ahrens-Fox HT 1000gpm pumper that was originally assigned to Engine 21.

 

[memory master]

And do you know why they received the Ahrens-Fox?  It seems that a covering officer told some high ranking chief that he thought a certain new piece of equipment that was now carried by engine companies was a useless and should have a place "...in the cellar with the rest of the junk." Unbeknown to the Lt., this chief was the person who had recently invented "the piece of junk." The repercussion was 21 engine getting the Mack and 16 getting the Fox. The old man told me he had a stiff neck from craning his neck to see around the "ball" on the front while driving.

 

[guitarman314]

And do you know why they received the Ahrens-Fox?  It seems that a covering officer told some high ranking chief that he thought a certain new piece of equipment that was now carried by engine companies was a useless and should have a place "...in the cellar with the rest of the junk." Unbeknown to the Lt., this chief was the person who had recently invented "the piece of junk." The repercussion was 21 engine getting the Mack and 16 getting the Fox. The old man told me he had a stiff neck from craning his neck to see around the "ball" on the front while driving.

  That's very believable, 'cause that's the way things were back in those days.