VETERANS DAY 2022 - FF LODDs & SALUTE TO FF MILITARY VETERANS

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Charles Hickey - LODD - US Navy Reserve LT -Plane crash Japan - 9/22/1945 - US Army WWI - FDNY L 37
Navy Legion of Merit Medal
FDNY MJ Delehanty Medal 1936






FF Hickey was killed in a plane crash over Japan. He was a Lieutenant in the Navy, an overseas Army veteran of the 1st World War. In 1936, FF Hickey was awarded the MJ Delehanty Medal for rescuing a child from a tenement fire. In WWII, Hickey was awarded the Navy Legion of Merit Medal for 'Keeping afloat and making possible the salvage of valuable equipment in 3 vessels seriously damaged by fire by enemy action'. He was buried in Yokohama, Japan. He left a widow and 4 daughters.

 

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Vincent Schmitt - LODD - US Army PVT - KIA Belgium - 1/6/1945 - FDNY E 292






Vincent A. T. Schmitt was a member of the New York City Fire Department, Engine Company 192. He enlisted in the United States Army Infantry as a Private. His Armed Service Number 42131161. He died on January 6th 1945. He was returned from overseas and interred at Long Island National Cemetery, Section H Plot 8200.

 

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James Farrell - LODD - US Army Air Corps - Killed in plane crash - Marana Army Airfield, AZ - 2/14/1945 - FDNY - E 66 (Fireboat McClellan







Fireman Farrell was killed with another flier on a training flight. They were based at Marana Army Airfield, north of Tucson, AZ. Both men were killed instantly when they struck a mountain.

 

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Thomas Shortell - LODD - USMC 3rd Marine Division - KIA - Iwo Jima - 6/27/1944 - FDNY L 157





Thomas Francis Shortell (known to friends and family as Tommy or Tom), was the son of a New York City Firefighter. He was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1914. He was appointed to the Fire Department of New York City on June 6, 1938 and was assigned to Engine 316. On January 1st 1941 he was transferred to Ladder Company 157, where he worked until his enlistment in U.S. Marine Corps on June 27th 1944. Tom served with the 3rd Marine Division in the South Pacific. He made the ultimate sacrifice for his country when he was killed on Iwo Jima on March 8th 1945.

 

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George Weill - LODD - US Army 1LT - KIA - Iwo Jima - 2/22/1945 - FDNY L23
Purple Heart
Silver Star



FF Weill was a Lieutenant and assigned to the 473rd Amphibious Truck Company, listed as MIA in Iwo Jima. He was awarded the Purple Heart and Silver Star.

 

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Robert Pettit - LODD - US Army Major - POW - Killed when ship sunk - 1/6/1945 - FDNY E 303
Bataan Death March




FF Pettit died near Taiwan aboard a Japanese prisoner of war ship when Allied airplanes attacked it. He survived the Batan Death March and was imprisoned at the dreaded Cabanatuan Prison Camp. As General MacArthur was landing on Luzon, Pettit and some 1,600 POW's were loaded aboard Oryoko Maru on December 13, 1944. The ship was attacked and badly damaged on December 15 and sank within 500 ft of shore. Wounded in the air attack, Pettit swam back to shore and was placed aboard the Brazil Maru and taken to Taiwan. There he changed ships on January 6th. American planes attacked the ship on January 9th and inflected heavy damage to the forward part of the ship where Pettit was held. Over 150 men including Pettit were killed in this attack.

 

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James Hughes - LODD - US Army - Killed World War II - 11/19/1944 - FDNY Military Service Squad



James A. Hughes was a New York City Fireman assigned to MSD (Military Service Unit). He was inducted into the United States Army from New York. His Armed Service Number was 32707146. He was KIA on November 19th 1944.

 

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Harold Holsten - LODD - USMC 1st Marine Division - KIA Okinawa - 5/12/1945 - FDNY E 19





May 12, 1945. FF Holsten was machine-gunned across the chest while serving with the Marines in Okinawa. He was a member of the First Marine Division.

 

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^^^^ FF Joseph O'Flaherty was the Father of RET FDNY BC Brian O'Flaherty.

 

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Charles Johnson - LODD - Killed World War II - FDNY Inspector of Combustibles

 

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James Hickey - LODD - US Army Air Corps Engineer - KIA - Plane hit by flak - Schouwen Holland - FDNY Military Service Squad

FF James R Hickey, MSS, US Army Air Corps. FF Hickey was an engineer/top turret gunner on a B-24 Bomber. His plane was hit by flak and crashed on the Isle of Schouwen off the coast of Holland.

 

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Stephen Marangas - LODD - US Army Air Corps 1LT - KIA - Plane hit by enemy fire Norway - 4/20/1945 - FDNY E 62









FF Marangas was a Navigator on a B-24 bomber operating over Norway, delivering supplies to the Norwegian underground. THe plane was hit by enemy fire and losing altitude. The plane would not make the trip back to it's base in England and it was decided to bail out over Larvik, Norway. FF Marangas was preparing to bail out and found his parachute was missing. He jumped with another member of the plane holding on to his back. When the ripcord of the parachute was pulled, FF Marangas lost his grip and fell to his death. He was the only member of the crew to lose his life.

 

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Herman Staton - LODD - US Army - Killed Schmidt, Germany World War II - 2/8/1945 - FDNY Military Service Squad

Herman Stanton was in the Army when he was called for the Fire Department and assigned to Military Service Squad. He was assigned to the 310 Infantry Regiment, 78th Infantry Division in the US Army. He was killed in Schmidt, German but the cause of death is unknown.

 

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Robert Johnson - LODD - US Army - Died acute appendicitis - San Marco, Texas - 12/31/1943 - E 293




FF Johnston died on the operating table from acute appendicitis in San Marco Army Airfield, Texas.

 

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John Leary - LODD - US Army 1LT - KIA Luxembourg - 1945 - FDNY L 122
Silver Star













FF Leary was killed in Germany while leading a patrol. As an Army Lieutenant, he was crossing the Our River from Luxembourg into Germany to knock out 2 German Bunkers. The 1st bunker destroyed, he was wounded in the 2nd attack with small arms fire to the chest. The Germans were reinforcing the bunker and the American's position was being overrun. Leary stayed behind and gave covering fire so his men could escape. His body was not recovered.

 

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John Russell - LODD - US Army Air Corps Navigator - KIA - Bomber shot down Brandenburg, Germany - 1/15/1945 - FDNY Military Service Squad





FF Russell was a navigator of a B-17G Flying Fortress enroute to Brandenburg, Germany on a bombing mission. A burst of flak hit the aircraft. The explosion of the shell tore the outer panel of the wing next to the outboard engine nacelle. The aircraft spiraled to the ground.

 

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Edwin Hovey - LODD US Army Air Corps - Plane shot down by enemy fighters - Tarawa - 1945 - FDNY E 37





FF Edwin J Hovey, E-37, US Army Air Corps. FF Hovey was a member of a B-24 bomber crew out of Tarawa. 12 Japanese Zero airplanes jumped the formation on their return trip home. They shot 20mm cannon fire into the formation hitting Hovey's plane. The exploding cannon fire hit the waist and tail gunners' area probably killing them all. The plane was last seen flying on 3 of the 4 engines and was presumed lost at sea. FF Hovey's body was never recovered and the war department listed him presumed dead on January 16, 1946.

 

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Frank J Molinari - LODD - US Army Air Corps - Captured, tried and beheaded by enemy - Samarinda, Borneo - 4/15/1945 - FDNY Military Service Squad
POW



FF Molinari was in an aircraft crash in Borneo January 12, 1945. He was captured by the Japanese along with 2 other fliers. They were beheaded near Samarinda, Borneo. 4 Japanese Naval Officers were put on trial for war crimes in Manila on May 27, 1946. His body was not recovered and the War Department listed him as presumed dead on January 13, 1946.

 

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George M Williams - LODD - US Army Corporal - Car accident - India - 1/11/1946 - FDNY L 49




FF Williams was killed in a car accident while serving with the US Army in India.

 

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FF John J Sheehy - LODD - US Navy Reserve - Plane crash Boston, MA - 11/1/1944 - FDNY Military Service Squad



FF Sheehy was killed when he crash landed his F-6-F Hellcat fighter plane into a river. He reported engine trouble shortly after takeoff. Instead of bailing out and letting it crash in a heavily populated area, he crash landed into the Neponset River in Boston