Days Gone By In Battalion 4 - By Mick Ennis
"I started my career on the Lower East Side when my Dad was an Aide in the 4th Bn. Many a time, back in the late 40s, I would sit in the back seat of the Chief's car on a run and then switch places on the way back to Broome St. and ring the bell. My Dad was in Bn. 4 from 1937 to 1957, Ed Ennis, and he passed away at the age of 56 in 1970.
I came on the job in Oct. 1967, after three years as a Transit Cop, and was assigned to Eng. 9. At that time we were relocated to the quarters of Eng. 15 on Henry St. while our new house was being built on Canal St. There were three pieces of apparatus on that floor with Eng. 9's hose wagon stuffed up against the wall. Eng. 15 always had to clear out when we had a run back towards our 1st due area which was under the Manhattan Bridge. When we moved to Canal St. I transferred to Ladder 6. I wound up with the seat in Bn 4 in 1969 driving Chief Frank Woods. What a great area to work in, especially when I had spent my younger days buffing with my Dad and getting to meet some great men.
I eventually transferred out to St. Albans with BC Woods and stayed in the 54 Battalion for a few years. Wound up driving DC Woods in the 4th Div. in the qtrs. of Eng. 53 & Lad. 43 on 3rd Ave. and 102nd St. I left Spanish Harlem in 1979 when the Div. was disbanded and spent the last six years in Lad. 135 in Glendale and retired in 1985. I've been in Cave Creek, AZ since 1997 and continued my career as a sports writer in a few local papers. Attached is a photo of some of the guys in Eng. 9, I am standing, first on the left. The year is unknown but it has to be in the late 60's. We have group out here in Phoenix of about 73 names of retired guys.
Joe Pecoraro from Eng. 28 is about the only other guy from the LES. Only about 20 guys are active since we are spread all over the state. We meet in a vintage Antique Auto Museum with about 60 cars from Duisenberg's to Shelby's and in between. Hope everyone is doing well at Ft. Pitt. Been a long time since I was in the hood. Hard to believe 17 is gone, but, then again, many other companies have gone the same route. I used to love to stand on the corner of Pitt St. before the new house was built, and watch 28 &11, 17 &18, 15, Bn. 4, all respond at the same time. A very unique place to work. Stay well and have a Happy Holiday season."