Thanks. Fixed. Corrections, additions, comments always appreciated.
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FDNY and NYC Firehouses and Fire Companies - 2nd Section
- Thread starter mack
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Thanks. Fixed. Corrections, additions, comments always appreciated.
Thanks. Fixed. Appreciate corrections.
ENGINE 21 FIREHOUSE 238 E 40TH STREET MIDTOWN EAST MANHATTAN DIVISION 3, BATTALION 8 “THE 21 CLUB”
ENGINE 21 MEDAL
GEORGE J. FOX CAPT. ENG. 21 MAR. 19, 1906 1907 WERTHEIM
Capt. Fox was awarded the Wertheim Medal for heroic actions during rescue efforts at a tunnel fire March 19, 1906. Capt. Fox was reported to be Acting Battalion Chief, 8th Battalion, at this fire.
MEDAL DAY 1908
CAPTAIN FOX OBITUARY
ENGINE 21 MEDAL
GEORGE J. FOX CAPT. ENG. 21 MAR. 19, 1906 1907 WERTHEIM
Capt. Fox was awarded the Wertheim Medal for heroic actions during rescue efforts at a tunnel fire March 19, 1906. Capt. Fox was reported to be Acting Battalion Chief, 8th Battalion, at this fire.
MEDAL DAY 1908
CAPTAIN FOX OBITUARY
ENGINE 21 FIREHOUSE 238 E 40TH STREET MIDTOWN EAST MANHATTAN DIVISION 3, BATTALION 8 “THE 21 CLUB”
ENGINE 21 MEDAL
RICHARD T. SMULCZESKI FF. ENG. 21 JUL. 7, 1981 1982 COMPANY OFFICERS
FF Smulczeski was awarded the Company Officers Association Medal for for heroism July 7, 1981 rescuing passengers of a helicopter which crashed into the East River.
MEDALS DAY 1982
ENGINE 21 MEDAL
RICHARD T. SMULCZESKI FF. ENG. 21 JUL. 7, 1981 1982 COMPANY OFFICERS
FF Smulczeski was awarded the Company Officers Association Medal for for heroism July 7, 1981 rescuing passengers of a helicopter which crashed into the East River.
MEDALS DAY 1982
ENGINE 21 FIREHOUSE 238 E 40TH STREET MIDTOWN EAST MANHATTAN DIVISION 3, BATTALION 8 “THE 21 CLUB”
ENGINE 21 LODDS
FIREFIGHTER PETER F. BOWEN ENGINE 21 March 24, 1900
FF Peter Bowen, Engine 21, made the Supreme Sacrifice with FF William Smith, Engine 21 and Foreman John Grady, Ladder 2, at a factory fire at 213-215 E 40th Street, Manhattan, on March 24, 1900.
RIP. NEVER FORGET.
ENGINE 21 LODDS
FIREFIGHTER PETER F. BOWEN ENGINE 21 March 24, 1900
FF Peter Bowen, Engine 21, made the Supreme Sacrifice with FF William Smith, Engine 21 and Foreman John Grady, Ladder 2, at a factory fire at 213-215 E 40th Street, Manhattan, on March 24, 1900.
RIP. NEVER FORGET.
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ENGINE 21 FIREHOUSE 238 E 40TH STREET MIDTOWN EAST MANHATTAN DIVISION 3, BATTALION 8 “THE 21 CLUB”
ENGINE 21 LODDS
FIREFIGHTER WILLIAM J. SMITH ENGINE 21 March 24, 1900
FF William Smith, Engine 21, made the Supreme Sacrifice with FF Peter Bowen, Engine 21 and Foreman John Grady, Ladder 2, at a factory fire at 213-215 E 40th Street, Manhattan, on March 24, 1900.
RIP. NEVER FORGET.
ENGINE 21 LODDS
FIREFIGHTER WILLIAM J. SMITH ENGINE 21 March 24, 1900
FF William Smith, Engine 21, made the Supreme Sacrifice with FF Peter Bowen, Engine 21 and Foreman John Grady, Ladder 2, at a factory fire at 213-215 E 40th Street, Manhattan, on March 24, 1900.
RIP. NEVER FORGET.
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ENGINE 21 FIREHOUSE 238 E 40TH STREET MIDTOWN EAST MANHATTAN DIVISION 3, BATTALION 8 “THE 21 CLUB”
ENGINE 21 LODDS
LIEUTENANT FREDERICK SCHULTZ ENGINE 21 January 4, 1910
LT Schultz, Engine 21, died January 4, 1910 from injuries received in the line of duty at a cellar fire at 336 E 38th Street.
FIRE BUILDING 336 E 38TH STREET
RIP. NEVER FORGET.
ENGINE 21 LODDS
LIEUTENANT FREDERICK SCHULTZ ENGINE 21 January 4, 1910
LT Schultz, Engine 21, died January 4, 1910 from injuries received in the line of duty at a cellar fire at 336 E 38th Street.
FIRE BUILDING 336 E 38TH STREET
RIP. NEVER FORGET.
ENGINE 21 FIREHOUSE 238 E 40TH STREET MIDTOWN EAST MANHATTAN DIVISION 3, BATTALION 8 “THE 21 CLUB”
ENGINE 21 LODDS
CAPTAIN WILLIAM BURKE JR ENGINE 21 September 11, 2001
ROLL OF HONOR
William F. Burke Jr.
He always made everything better.
William F. Burke Jr. - National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (firehero.org)
Bracelets For America Remembers
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Remembering the Heroes of Sept. 11 each and every day. We Will Never Forget!
Today We Remember Captain William Burke, Jr., 46-years-old, Engine Co. 21.
On Sept. 11th, 2001, Capt. Burke called his friend Jean on his way to the World Trade Center. She begged him to stay away and he responded, “This is what I do.”
His father, William Burke, was a fire chief, and he aspired to be the man his father was. He dreamed since childhood of fighting fires. He never forgot the lessons his dad offered about what to do inside a burning building: Get the civilians out, and then take care of your men.
On the 27th floor of the North tower, a congregation of firefighters had gathered. They were dispersing to find straggling civilians when they came across Ed Beyea, a wheelchair bound quadriplegic. With Ed was his friend Abe, who refused to leave the building without him. The firemen were having trouble figuring out how to evacuate Ed as he was a 280 lb man and couldn’t easily be lifted down the stairs.
Suddenly, the building shook and swayed. A shock wave rippled through. Capt. Burke ran to the window and said, “The south tower just collapsed.” Mayday was declared and the firemen began to evacuate.
Ed Beyea, bound to his wheelchair, helplessly watched people stream past him with his friend Abe by his side.
“We’ve got to get them out,” Billy said. He then told his own men from Engine 21 to go ahead and get out of the building. They heard Burke on their radio encouraging them as they made their way down saying, “I’ll meet you by the rig” and “I’m right behind you.” About 28 minutes later, the north tower fell.
Capt. Billy Burke is the only one who died from Engine 21 on Sept. 11th.
He and the two civilians almost certainly died together. No one can be sure what was in his mind. Maybe he intended to take a risk by using an elevator to get down, and he saw no reason for other firefighters to share in that risk. Maybe he understood there would be no time to get a big man in a wheelchair downstairs, and Billy Burke wanted to save as many firefighters as he could, while refusing to allow Ed and Ab to die alone.
Gregg Hansson, one of the firemen from Engine 21 whose life was saved by Burke’s orders to evacuate, dropped off his stepson for his freshman year of college this year. It was the kind of day that is emotional for any family, a powerful yet typical rite of passage. He gave the boy a fierce hug and said goodbye, and then he offered thanks to Billy Burke.
Billy had worked for 25 years as a lifeguard on Long Island. One day while on the job, the oldest living former lifeguard came to the beach and his fondest wish was to swim in the ocean one more time. The man was frail, and in a wheelchair. Billy lifted the man into the waves and swam with him. Then they shared a beer.
We Will Never Forget!
http://todayremember.blogspot.com/2011/12/today-we-remember-captain-william-burke_28.html
Firefighters Still Call For Their 'Cap'
Capt. Billy Burke ordered his men from the North Tower. They made it out. He didn't.
Posted Fri, Sep 9, 2011 at 6:31 pm ET
Ten years ago Sunday in the burning World Trade Center, the men who had come to trust and admire their leader were calling out to him:
"'Come on, Cap!'" They shouted to Capt. William F. Burke, Jr., FDNY, of Plainview. "'Let's go!'"
In the surreal half-light of a North Tower stairwell, the crew of Engine 21 had just heard the world around them thunder and shake apart. They didn't know it, but the South Tower had just collapsed beside them. What they were sure of was that the time to leave was now.
"'We got to get out, Cap,'" They kept calling.
This was Billy Burke's answer: "'You guys go ahead,'" Burke told them. "'We'll meet at the rig.'"
They turned and he was gone. His men watched him disappear through a doorway to search yet another floor, making a final sweep for those in need, the helpless whom might have been trapped; a citizen in need of a fireman. That's what Capt. Burke was all about.
"He was definitely a people person," said firefighter Dan O'Connor, among the last New York City firefighters still on the job at Engine 21 who worked with Burke that day. The entire current company, past members, family and friends will attend a solemn ceremony at the firehouse Sunday in Burke's memory.
In an interview Thursday at Engine 21 on East 40th St. in Manhattan, also known as "Capt. William F. Burke, Jr. FDNY Street," O'Connor told the remarkable story of the last time the crew saw their captain alive.
"That was him," said O'Connor, a 22-year FDNY veteran. "He would help people any way he could. He was fully involved that way."
O'Connor had just gotten off duty after a difficult night shift and was about to head home. When the first plane hit, the company, like many civilians, thought the incident involved a small plane.
But within minutes, a third, a fourth and a fifth alarm sounded. O'Connor heard Burke telling the day shift guys they were going. O'Connor was in the firehouse kitchen watching TV and saw the second plane hit. He ran to the apparatus floor just as the engine pulled away.
"I always felt a little guilty about that," he said. "Another minute and I would have been on the rig with them."
O'Connor commandeered a painter's private truck and raced downtown. He and other firefighters were shuttled to Ground Zero. O'Connor got there just as the North Tower collapsed.
Amid the chaos that followed, he found the rest of Engine 21's crew, who had made it to the ground floor and began running as the North Tower disintegrated around them. All of Burke's men had made it out alive.
But Capt. Burke was missing.
His body was found that October, one of the 343 New York City firefighters who died on Sept. 11, by far the worst day in the department's storied history. He was eulogized at St. Patrick's Cathedral where, O'Connor said, many fellow firefighters learned much more about their leader.
He was the namesake of Deputy Chief William Burke, who commanded a division in the fire-ravaged South Bronx during the 1960's and early '70s. One of six children, he was an All-Nassau swimmer at Plainview-Old Bethpage High School and a highly respected lifeguard at Jones Beach for more than two decades.
Burke had more than 20 years in the FDNY when he earned the captain's rank in the spring of 2001.
O'Connor said the crew liked Burke right away and felt comfortable with him. Their captain was good at all aspects of the job, he said, from the fire fighting itself to managing the firehouse and the commanding officers above him.
"He was one of the best captains I ever had," O'Connor said.
Billy worked hard and played hard.
When he was assigned as its permanent captain, Burke threw a raucous party for his crew at a bar in the Meat Packing district. From the smile on O'Connor's face, the event is still legendary at Engine 21.
Charming and gregarious, Burke lived in Stuyvesant Town in lower Manhattan and rode a bicycle to work most days. By all accounts he enjoyed a host of female admirers. Many would drop by the firehouse to say "hi" to one of New York's most eligible bachelors, O'Connor said.
He was also a Civil War buff who liked Elvis Presley and crooners like Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin.
The façade of Engine 21 bears a plaque in Burke's memory just to the right of the big red doors he went through on his final run 10 years ago. There, as in firehouses around the city Sunday, they will remember their fallen comrade.
They will stand at attention at four moments seared into our memories: 8:46; 9:03; 9:59; 10:28. The exact minutes the planes crashed and the towers collapsed 10 years ago. For each, a moment of silence; then, the new captain will say a prayer. Afterward, they will tell stories and remember Billy Burke's supreme sacrifice.
And his last words to them were prophetic: "They will meet at the rig."
https://patch.com/new-york/plainview/firefighters-still-call-for-their-cap
RIP. NEVER FORGET.
ENGINE 21 LODDS
CAPTAIN WILLIAM BURKE JR ENGINE 21 September 11, 2001
ROLL OF HONOR
William F. Burke Jr.
- Captain
- Fire Department City of New York
- New York
- Age: 46
- Year of Death: 2001
He always made everything better.
William F. Burke Jr. - National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (firehero.org)
Bracelets For America Remembers
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Remembering the Heroes of Sept. 11 each and every day. We Will Never Forget!
Today We Remember Captain William Burke, Jr., 46-years-old, Engine Co. 21.
On Sept. 11th, 2001, Capt. Burke called his friend Jean on his way to the World Trade Center. She begged him to stay away and he responded, “This is what I do.”
His father, William Burke, was a fire chief, and he aspired to be the man his father was. He dreamed since childhood of fighting fires. He never forgot the lessons his dad offered about what to do inside a burning building: Get the civilians out, and then take care of your men.
On the 27th floor of the North tower, a congregation of firefighters had gathered. They were dispersing to find straggling civilians when they came across Ed Beyea, a wheelchair bound quadriplegic. With Ed was his friend Abe, who refused to leave the building without him. The firemen were having trouble figuring out how to evacuate Ed as he was a 280 lb man and couldn’t easily be lifted down the stairs.
Suddenly, the building shook and swayed. A shock wave rippled through. Capt. Burke ran to the window and said, “The south tower just collapsed.” Mayday was declared and the firemen began to evacuate.
Ed Beyea, bound to his wheelchair, helplessly watched people stream past him with his friend Abe by his side.
“We’ve got to get them out,” Billy said. He then told his own men from Engine 21 to go ahead and get out of the building. They heard Burke on their radio encouraging them as they made their way down saying, “I’ll meet you by the rig” and “I’m right behind you.” About 28 minutes later, the north tower fell.
Capt. Billy Burke is the only one who died from Engine 21 on Sept. 11th.
He and the two civilians almost certainly died together. No one can be sure what was in his mind. Maybe he intended to take a risk by using an elevator to get down, and he saw no reason for other firefighters to share in that risk. Maybe he understood there would be no time to get a big man in a wheelchair downstairs, and Billy Burke wanted to save as many firefighters as he could, while refusing to allow Ed and Ab to die alone.
Gregg Hansson, one of the firemen from Engine 21 whose life was saved by Burke’s orders to evacuate, dropped off his stepson for his freshman year of college this year. It was the kind of day that is emotional for any family, a powerful yet typical rite of passage. He gave the boy a fierce hug and said goodbye, and then he offered thanks to Billy Burke.
Billy had worked for 25 years as a lifeguard on Long Island. One day while on the job, the oldest living former lifeguard came to the beach and his fondest wish was to swim in the ocean one more time. The man was frail, and in a wheelchair. Billy lifted the man into the waves and swam with him. Then they shared a beer.
We Will Never Forget!
http://todayremember.blogspot.com/2011/12/today-we-remember-captain-william-burke_28.html
Firefighters Still Call For Their 'Cap'
Capt. Billy Burke ordered his men from the North Tower. They made it out. He didn't.
Posted Fri, Sep 9, 2011 at 6:31 pm ET
Ten years ago Sunday in the burning World Trade Center, the men who had come to trust and admire their leader were calling out to him:
"'Come on, Cap!'" They shouted to Capt. William F. Burke, Jr., FDNY, of Plainview. "'Let's go!'"
In the surreal half-light of a North Tower stairwell, the crew of Engine 21 had just heard the world around them thunder and shake apart. They didn't know it, but the South Tower had just collapsed beside them. What they were sure of was that the time to leave was now.
"'We got to get out, Cap,'" They kept calling.
This was Billy Burke's answer: "'You guys go ahead,'" Burke told them. "'We'll meet at the rig.'"
They turned and he was gone. His men watched him disappear through a doorway to search yet another floor, making a final sweep for those in need, the helpless whom might have been trapped; a citizen in need of a fireman. That's what Capt. Burke was all about.
"He was definitely a people person," said firefighter Dan O'Connor, among the last New York City firefighters still on the job at Engine 21 who worked with Burke that day. The entire current company, past members, family and friends will attend a solemn ceremony at the firehouse Sunday in Burke's memory.
In an interview Thursday at Engine 21 on East 40th St. in Manhattan, also known as "Capt. William F. Burke, Jr. FDNY Street," O'Connor told the remarkable story of the last time the crew saw their captain alive.
"That was him," said O'Connor, a 22-year FDNY veteran. "He would help people any way he could. He was fully involved that way."
O'Connor had just gotten off duty after a difficult night shift and was about to head home. When the first plane hit, the company, like many civilians, thought the incident involved a small plane.
But within minutes, a third, a fourth and a fifth alarm sounded. O'Connor heard Burke telling the day shift guys they were going. O'Connor was in the firehouse kitchen watching TV and saw the second plane hit. He ran to the apparatus floor just as the engine pulled away.
"I always felt a little guilty about that," he said. "Another minute and I would have been on the rig with them."
O'Connor commandeered a painter's private truck and raced downtown. He and other firefighters were shuttled to Ground Zero. O'Connor got there just as the North Tower collapsed.
Amid the chaos that followed, he found the rest of Engine 21's crew, who had made it to the ground floor and began running as the North Tower disintegrated around them. All of Burke's men had made it out alive.
But Capt. Burke was missing.
His body was found that October, one of the 343 New York City firefighters who died on Sept. 11, by far the worst day in the department's storied history. He was eulogized at St. Patrick's Cathedral where, O'Connor said, many fellow firefighters learned much more about their leader.
He was the namesake of Deputy Chief William Burke, who commanded a division in the fire-ravaged South Bronx during the 1960's and early '70s. One of six children, he was an All-Nassau swimmer at Plainview-Old Bethpage High School and a highly respected lifeguard at Jones Beach for more than two decades.
Burke had more than 20 years in the FDNY when he earned the captain's rank in the spring of 2001.
O'Connor said the crew liked Burke right away and felt comfortable with him. Their captain was good at all aspects of the job, he said, from the fire fighting itself to managing the firehouse and the commanding officers above him.
"He was one of the best captains I ever had," O'Connor said.
Billy worked hard and played hard.
When he was assigned as its permanent captain, Burke threw a raucous party for his crew at a bar in the Meat Packing district. From the smile on O'Connor's face, the event is still legendary at Engine 21.
Charming and gregarious, Burke lived in Stuyvesant Town in lower Manhattan and rode a bicycle to work most days. By all accounts he enjoyed a host of female admirers. Many would drop by the firehouse to say "hi" to one of New York's most eligible bachelors, O'Connor said.
He was also a Civil War buff who liked Elvis Presley and crooners like Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin.
The façade of Engine 21 bears a plaque in Burke's memory just to the right of the big red doors he went through on his final run 10 years ago. There, as in firehouses around the city Sunday, they will remember their fallen comrade.
They will stand at attention at four moments seared into our memories: 8:46; 9:03; 9:59; 10:28. The exact minutes the planes crashed and the towers collapsed 10 years ago. For each, a moment of silence; then, the new captain will say a prayer. Afterward, they will tell stories and remember Billy Burke's supreme sacrifice.
And his last words to them were prophetic: "They will meet at the rig."
https://patch.com/new-york/plainview/firefighters-still-call-for-their-cap
RIP. NEVER FORGET.
Last edited:
ENGINE 21 FIREHOUSE 238 E 40TH STREET MIDTOWN EAST MANHATTAN DIVISION 3, BATTALION 8 “THE 21 CLUB”
ENGINE 21 WTC-RELATED DEATH
FIREFIGHTER WILLIAM E. WOODLON ENGINE 21 August 20, 2016
ROLL OF HONOR
William E. “Woody” Woodlon
As a young adult, Woody volunteered at the Boys Brotherhood of Republic, where he counseled and coached community kids and enriched them with his knowledge of the game he loved, basketball. Woody was known for his deep voice, boisterous personality, his basketball skills, and community outreach. He played in many tournaments, won many awards and trophies, and taught his granddaughter, Cinnamon, the dynamics of the game.
Woody worked with the New York City Board of Education as a custodial handyman and later as a stationary fireman at Joan of Arc High School. In 1982, he pursued his lifelong dream to become a firefighter with the New York City Fire Department, starting his career with Engine39/Ladder 16, “The Giant,” on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. He was an active member of the Vulcan Society. He ended his career with Engine 21, “The Club,” in Midtown Manhattan. Being a first responder during 2001 search and rescue took a toll on Woody; he completed his 21 years of service by retiring in 2002.
Fondly regarded as “the mayor” of his neighborhood, Woody provided the youth in El Barrio with opportunities to express their sportsmanship skills in the game of basketball. Throughout his life, many people utilized his knowledge, skills, and connections as a community liaison. The Community Partners and Community Council of the 25th Precinct officially recognized Woody for his outstanding service, dedication, and commitment for enriching his community and providing a powerful example for the youth. Through his bravery and dedication to the East Harlem community and New York City as a whole, he touched many lives and walked amongst the best of men.
Woody’s life came to a peaceful close while surrounded by family and loved ones. He leaves to cherish his memories his wife of 39 years, Barbara; his children, Monique, Tachelle, and Candice; his grandchildren, Precious, Gregory, Kaiya, Grant, Cinnamon, Sienna, Storm, and Blaze; and many extended family members and dear friends. All of his family and friends that he cherished were supportive until the end, they were the unconditional loves of his life.
William E. “Woody” Woodlon - National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (firehero.org)
FDNY firefighters, family and pal Jamie Foxx say goodbye to William Woodlon, 66, who died of 9/11-linked lung cancer
By EDGAR SANDOVAL and GINGER ADAMS OTIS
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS |
AUG 31, 2016 AT 3:00 PM
An FDNY firefighter who died of lung cancer linked to 9/11 got a hero’s goodbye from friends, family and his beloved Bravest.
Hundreds packed the pews in St. James Presbyterian Church in Harlem for the funeral of William Woodlon, 66, who died Aug. 20 from lung cancer.
An oversized photo of a beaming 'Woody' in his fire helmet faced his grieving widow, Barbara Woodlon, and the rest of his family as they took their seats.
The widow was accompanied by Hollywood movie star Jamie Foxx.
He met Woodlon in 2013 while in Harlem filming a remake of "Annie," and the two became fast friends.
Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro led in a long contingent of FDNY members.
Outside a line of off-duty firefighters clad in crisp blue uniforms stood in formation.
A vintage red fire truck with Woodlon's name on it waited to carry his casket away after the somber ceremony.
His oldest daughter told the crowd her father taught her leadership by example.
"My father was a very intelligent man. He loved to tell jokes and he was very athletic," Monique Woodlon said.
"I learned a lot from him. I heard a lot of stories how he was a hero. He was my hero."
Woodlon's childhood friend Al Peters, 62, said the popular firefighter was just as charismatic in his early days in the Lower East Side.
"He had good swag. He was a Peacock before Muhammad Ali. He cut his teeth on the Lower East Side with us," Peters said. "I was a little envious because all the sisters loved this brother."
Ret. FDNY Capt. Ron Gilyard said Woody was known as "The Mayor of 118th St.," the block where he lived.
Capt. Gilyard got emotional remembering their friendship of 15 years as two of the few black men in the FDNY.
Woodlon was one of 12 African-Americans in his class when he joined the Fire Department in January 1982.
He was first assigned to Engine 39 on 67th St. in Manhattan. Woodlon worked there until 1996, when he transferred to Engine 21 on E. 40th St. in the Murray Hill section of Manhattan.
"He loved the FDNY with all of his heart, but he loved his family more. He was a fireman's fireman," Gilyard said.
On 9/11, he recalled, Woodlon was off-duty. But he grabbed his daughter's bike and rode all the way to tip of lower Manhattan to help.
"He had that calling for saving people he didn't know. I had to salute him," the captain said.
Woodlon retired after 20 years as a firefighter in February 2002. He was diagnosed with 9/11-related cancer a few years later. Doctors noticed spots on his lungs, then his liver.
Church musicians played "It Is Well With My Soul" and "Wind Beneath My Wings" during the nearly two hour service.
During the eulogy, Rev. Marsha Lee-Watson, a long-time friend, recalled Woodlon's funny side.
She said he always teased her that he got to meet his idol Jamie Foxx and she didn't.
One day he invited her over, promising her she would see the famed actor.
"I never got to meet Jamie Foxx. I got over there. He was on TV," she mused glancing at the star as he sat quietly with the family.
"Woody burned with passion, the passion of love. He's finally resting. He's done a good job," she said.
https://www.nydailynews.com/new-yor...ied-9-11-linked-lung-cancer-article-1.2773081
RIP. NEVER FORGET.
ENGINE 21 WTC-RELATED DEATH
FIREFIGHTER WILLIAM E. WOODLON ENGINE 21 August 20, 2016
ROLL OF HONOR
William E. “Woody” Woodlon
- Firefighter
- Fire Department City of New York
- New York
- Age: 66
- Year of Death: 2016
As a young adult, Woody volunteered at the Boys Brotherhood of Republic, where he counseled and coached community kids and enriched them with his knowledge of the game he loved, basketball. Woody was known for his deep voice, boisterous personality, his basketball skills, and community outreach. He played in many tournaments, won many awards and trophies, and taught his granddaughter, Cinnamon, the dynamics of the game.
Woody worked with the New York City Board of Education as a custodial handyman and later as a stationary fireman at Joan of Arc High School. In 1982, he pursued his lifelong dream to become a firefighter with the New York City Fire Department, starting his career with Engine39/Ladder 16, “The Giant,” on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. He was an active member of the Vulcan Society. He ended his career with Engine 21, “The Club,” in Midtown Manhattan. Being a first responder during 2001 search and rescue took a toll on Woody; he completed his 21 years of service by retiring in 2002.
Fondly regarded as “the mayor” of his neighborhood, Woody provided the youth in El Barrio with opportunities to express their sportsmanship skills in the game of basketball. Throughout his life, many people utilized his knowledge, skills, and connections as a community liaison. The Community Partners and Community Council of the 25th Precinct officially recognized Woody for his outstanding service, dedication, and commitment for enriching his community and providing a powerful example for the youth. Through his bravery and dedication to the East Harlem community and New York City as a whole, he touched many lives and walked amongst the best of men.
Woody’s life came to a peaceful close while surrounded by family and loved ones. He leaves to cherish his memories his wife of 39 years, Barbara; his children, Monique, Tachelle, and Candice; his grandchildren, Precious, Gregory, Kaiya, Grant, Cinnamon, Sienna, Storm, and Blaze; and many extended family members and dear friends. All of his family and friends that he cherished were supportive until the end, they were the unconditional loves of his life.
William E. “Woody” Woodlon - National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (firehero.org)
FDNY firefighters, family and pal Jamie Foxx say goodbye to William Woodlon, 66, who died of 9/11-linked lung cancer
By EDGAR SANDOVAL and GINGER ADAMS OTIS
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS |
AUG 31, 2016 AT 3:00 PM
An FDNY firefighter who died of lung cancer linked to 9/11 got a hero’s goodbye from friends, family and his beloved Bravest.
Hundreds packed the pews in St. James Presbyterian Church in Harlem for the funeral of William Woodlon, 66, who died Aug. 20 from lung cancer.
An oversized photo of a beaming 'Woody' in his fire helmet faced his grieving widow, Barbara Woodlon, and the rest of his family as they took their seats.
The widow was accompanied by Hollywood movie star Jamie Foxx.
He met Woodlon in 2013 while in Harlem filming a remake of "Annie," and the two became fast friends.
Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro led in a long contingent of FDNY members.
Outside a line of off-duty firefighters clad in crisp blue uniforms stood in formation.
A vintage red fire truck with Woodlon's name on it waited to carry his casket away after the somber ceremony.
His oldest daughter told the crowd her father taught her leadership by example.
"My father was a very intelligent man. He loved to tell jokes and he was very athletic," Monique Woodlon said.
"I learned a lot from him. I heard a lot of stories how he was a hero. He was my hero."
Woodlon's childhood friend Al Peters, 62, said the popular firefighter was just as charismatic in his early days in the Lower East Side.
"He had good swag. He was a Peacock before Muhammad Ali. He cut his teeth on the Lower East Side with us," Peters said. "I was a little envious because all the sisters loved this brother."
Ret. FDNY Capt. Ron Gilyard said Woody was known as "The Mayor of 118th St.," the block where he lived.
Capt. Gilyard got emotional remembering their friendship of 15 years as two of the few black men in the FDNY.
Woodlon was one of 12 African-Americans in his class when he joined the Fire Department in January 1982.
He was first assigned to Engine 39 on 67th St. in Manhattan. Woodlon worked there until 1996, when he transferred to Engine 21 on E. 40th St. in the Murray Hill section of Manhattan.
"He loved the FDNY with all of his heart, but he loved his family more. He was a fireman's fireman," Gilyard said.
On 9/11, he recalled, Woodlon was off-duty. But he grabbed his daughter's bike and rode all the way to tip of lower Manhattan to help.
"He had that calling for saving people he didn't know. I had to salute him," the captain said.
Woodlon retired after 20 years as a firefighter in February 2002. He was diagnosed with 9/11-related cancer a few years later. Doctors noticed spots on his lungs, then his liver.
Church musicians played "It Is Well With My Soul" and "Wind Beneath My Wings" during the nearly two hour service.
During the eulogy, Rev. Marsha Lee-Watson, a long-time friend, recalled Woodlon's funny side.
She said he always teased her that he got to meet his idol Jamie Foxx and she didn't.
One day he invited her over, promising her she would see the famed actor.
"I never got to meet Jamie Foxx. I got over there. He was on TV," she mused glancing at the star as he sat quietly with the family.
"Woody burned with passion, the passion of love. He's finally resting. He's done a good job," she said.
https://www.nydailynews.com/new-yor...ied-9-11-linked-lung-cancer-article-1.2773081
RIP. NEVER FORGET.
