Clyde Williams, L 25, was part of a difficult scaling ladder rescue in 1967:
"The Morgan Post Office on 9th Avenue was the scene of a five-alarm fire on the night of Dec. 15, 1967. The 10-story building covered an entire city block and nearly 60 companies would be needed to control the fire that raced through the chutes used to move mail bags from floor to floor. Above the command post three postal workers appeared at a sixth-floor window (with the high ceiling design of the building it was the equivalent of 10 stories).
Ladder Company 25 positioned itself on the sidewalk and even with it's 100 foot aerial fully extended it was realized it would not reach. Fireman Gene Dowling climbed up onto the aerial followed by Fireman Clyde Williams and together they made their way to the tip off the ladder. The first attempt to seat the scaling ladder was frustrated by the ornamental masonry surrounding the window. Operating on the tip of the ladder was further complicated by 30- mph winds that pulled at the men as they tried to hold the scaling ladder over their heads. Their second attempt at placing the scaling ladder's hook into a climbing position was successful.
Dowling crossed from the aerial ladder to the single-beamed ladder and ascended into the wind-whipped darkness above. At the top, Dowling helped one of the trapped workers onto the ladder and started down. Waiting at the tip of the aerial was Williams, who took charge of the first victim while Dowling started to climb again. For a second time, he returned to the top of the scaling ladder; this time, however, he faced the additional problem of dealing with a nearly hysterical victim. Dowling calmed the person as he retraced his route to the tip of the aerial.
Fireman Don Pizzuto had joined Williams and helped to hold both the scaling ladder and the victims steady in the frigid wind. Dowling returned with the third victim down and each of the firemen started down with a cold, frightened but now safe postal employee in his charge.
Seven months later, the trio of brave firemen joined the ranks of the Bravest on the steps of City Hall, where all were decorated for their bravery." - Firehouse.com