Our FDNY Company Assignments - Proby Class 1985

jbendick

jbendick

Administrator
Joined
Mar 5, 2007
Messages
117
54 years ago today we were released from proby school to go to our assigned companies. Mine was Engine 96. This class included myself, Jack Kleehaas, and Tom Kuefner along with over 240 others.
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N

nfd2004

Joined
Jun 22, 2007
Messages
5,744
54 years ago, October, 1968, the FDNY Years were in it's beginning stages.

Nobody knew how bad things would really get as entire blocks of buildings would be burned out.
Numerous injuries and even deaths, with arson fires on the rampage.

All Three Firefighters were promoted.
They received numerous citations and medals while doing their job.

I didn't know them then but I do now, and I can tell you in totally honesty, I know the companies that they worked in.
No doubt some of the busiest in the city during the busiest time of heavy fire activity in the City of New York.

Of course we are happy that they are members of the site (with John being the owner and administrator of it).

"jbendick", "68jk09", and "Lt Q", enjoy your well deserved retirement with many happy and healthy years to come.

THANK YOU
 
D

den114

Joined
Nov 25, 2015
Messages
486
nfd2004 said:
54 years ago, October, 1968, the FDNY Years were in it's beginning stages.

Nobody knew how bad things would really get as entire blocks of buildings would be burned out.
Numerous injuries and even deaths, with arson fires on the rampage.

All Three Firefighters were promoted.
They received numerous citations and medals while doing their job.

I didn't know them then but I do now, and I can tell you in totally honesty, I know the companies that they worked in.
No doubt some of the busiest in the city during the busiest time of heavy fire activity in the City of New York.

Of course we are happy that they are members of the site (with John being the owner and administrator of it).

"jbendick", "68jk09", and "Lt Q", enjoy your well deserved retirement with many happy and healthy years to come.

THANK YOU
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entropychaser said:
I'll bet it feels like yesterday. Congratulations to all!
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Congratulations to all, was promoted to LT. with Jack & Tom & they continued on to a great career.
I’m right “behind” you, July of 1970.
Stay well.
 
68jk09

68jk09

Joined
May 6, 2010
Messages
16,190
A GREAT DAY !...... There were 250 probys in the class that site owner John Bendick & also poster Tom Kuefner were in with me..... In proby school I carpooled with Richie Wegener who was former NYPD & a friend from my neighborhood .....Rich spent his whole time as a FF in ENG*95 & has since Passed To a Higher Level.....Roy Leveque was appointed to ENG*58 & later was a long time LT in ENG*42 ....he Graduated Grammar School with me.......in Ranks I stood next to Bob Gass who was appt to SQ*3 in the next FH over from mine ....I was appointed to 108 then on Siegel St bet Humboldt & Graham in Williamsburg......Bob Gass was later a BC in BN*19 & was with LT Jim Gill LAD*33 (a former 108 proby) when they were both badly injured in an CO explosion in a cellar when an electric junction pan blew off the wall hitting them......Pete Ganci RIP 9-11 as the COD & Dennis Conway were both in our class & both got assigned to ENG*92 & after awhile both transferred to LAD*111 another adjoining Truck to 108 who we worked with often.....most all the ENGs around me had at least one Member of our class....I hesitate to start listing them as I do not want to leave some out .....some of the assignments in Units around me seemed alphabetical as 216 got Hauber & Hauck.....218 got Decker ..Degan & Dugan ......230 got Lawrence...LeBow & Lopez for example........( for the 50th Anniversary that I put together I made a copy of the assignment order & gave one to each attendee but now I can't seem to find my original or I could ask someone to post it as there are so many names that would be familiar to others ) .... as far as highest Ranking from our class Frank Cruther's Jr. was in our class he later was the COD & for awhile a Commisioner ..... ( his Father Frank Sr. was also a COD )....when I went to Chauffeur School in March '72 proby Classmates Steve Cadette LAD*19 RIP & Joe Nallan LAD*104 where in my LCC Class & Joe Callahan ENG*245 was in the ECC Class......when I was in R*2 I worked with Classmates Pete Bondy...Frank Hauber....Jimmy Lopez & Jimmy Reilly ....... there were so many in the class which only lasted 6 weeks so you really did not get to really know everyone .......years later I would meet someone OTJ & in conversation we would find out we were actually in the same class....I don't know the exact number who have Passed To A Higher Level however just recently in Sept. 2022 a Member & sometime site contributor Steve Whalen appt to LAD*105 was added to the list......Rest In Peace to those Classmates no longer walking this Earth & Wishes for Good Health to those that still are.
 
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T

t123ken

Joined
Sep 8, 2013
Messages
728
Frank Cruthers was COD twice and later on the First Deputy Commissioner.
He was assigned to L-110 out of the academy and also spent some time in TCU 731, I think that was before he went to L-120.
 
M

mack

Administrator
Joined
Aug 8, 2009
Messages
13,431
68jk09 said:
A GREAT DAY !...... There were 250 probys in the class that site owner John Bendick & also poster Tom Kuefner were in with me..... In proby school I carpooled with Richie Wegener who was former NYPD & a friend from my neighborhood .....Rich spent his whole time as a FF in ENG*95 & has since Passed To a Higher Level.....in Ranks I stood next to Bob Gass who was appt to SQ*3 in the next FH over from mine ....I was appointed to 108 then on Siegel St bet Humboldt & Graham in Williamsburg......Bob Gass was later a BC in BN*19 & was with LT Jim Gill LAD*33 (a former 108 proby) when they were both badly injured in an CO explosion in a cellar when an electric junction pan blew off the wall hitting them......Pete Ganci RIP 9-11 as the COD & Dennis Conway were both in our class & both got assigned to ENG*92 & after awhile both transferred to LAD*111 another adjoining Truck to 108 who we worked with often.....most all the ENGs around me had at least one Member of our class....I hesitate to start listing them as I do not want to leave some out .....some of the assignments seemed alphabetical as 216 got Hauber & Hauck.....218 got Decker ..Degan & Dugan for example........( for the 50th Anniversary that I put together I made a copy of the assignment order & gave one to each attendee but now I can't seem to find my original or I could ask someone to post it as there are so many names that would be familiar to others ) .... as far as highest Ranking from our class Frank Cruther's Jr. was in our class he later was the COD & for awhile a Commisioner ..... ( his Father Frank Sr. was also a COD )....there were so many in the class which only lasted 6 weeks so you really did not get to really know everyone .......years later I would meet someone OTJ & in conversation we would find out we were actually in the same class....I don't know the exact number who have Passed To A Higher Level however just recently a Member & sometime site contributor Steve Whalen appt to LAD*105 was added to the list......Rest In Peace to those Classmates no longer walking this Earth & Wishes for Good Health to those that still are.
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Congratulations Chief. What a terrific career! USMC. NYFP. FDNY. Thank you.
 
J

johnd248

Joined
Jul 14, 2007
Messages
4,565
Chief K, quite a list of notables in your class. I rode with E 248 as an Auxiliary from 1964 to 1973 and remember when Mattie Baiamonte came to the company as a probie. I know he made LT and believe he worked in E 15 on the lower East Side, before they moved to L 18.
 
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