Uncle Sam's Warriors

Uncle Sam's Warriors The photographic history past & present of the Troy, NY fire department. [email protected]

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Friday morning, July 24th, 1987, 3rd platoon at 02:07hrs, 2-2-518 was transmitted for two, 2 story frame dwellings at th...
07/24/2026

Friday morning, July 24th, 1987, 3rd platoon at 02:07hrs, 2-2-518 was transmitted for two, 2 story frame dwellings at the corner of President & Douw Streets.

The buildings were fully involved & through the roof (obviously), and damage was done to another building on the President Street side.

Engines 4, 5, 1, 2, Trucks 1 & 2, Medic 2, RS & Bttn Chief Reardon responded with the chiefs. Engine 3 covered at North Street & the outtap was transmitted at 05:45hrs.

Photo credit to a medic from Troy Ambulance Co., I'm sorry I forgot your name.🤔

July 16th, 1968.Plans for new firehouses, One next to Troy High School, a new Fire & Police HQ on the site of the old St...
07/24/2026

July 16th, 1968.
Plans for new firehouses, One next to Troy High School, a new Fire & Police HQ on the site of the old Stanton Brewery, and mentions of a site at Bouton & 15th.

July 24th, 1953, Boat 1 placed in service at HQ with a 1953 Feather Craft aluminum boat & Mastercraft boat trailer.
07/24/2026

July 24th, 1953, Boat 1 placed in service at HQ with a 1953 Feather Craft aluminum boat & Mastercraft boat trailer.

ENG9️⃣INE in service at ENG6️⃣INE🚒It'll be there for a bit...🚒
07/24/2026

ENG9️⃣INE in service at ENG6️⃣INE🚒
It'll be there for a bit...🚒

July 23rd, 1968, Pumper 7 was special called to stand by at the demolition of the smokestack at the former Albia Paper B...
07/23/2026

July 23rd, 1968, Pumper 7 was special called to stand by at the demolition of the smokestack at the former Albia Paper Box Company at Pawling & Winter.

The stack had become unstable after getting hit by lightning and was in danger of falling onto the corner gas station.

And, a Niagara Mohawk crew changes out a flat tire for a stranded lady with a carfull of children.

A horriffic fire on today's date, Saturday, July 22nd, 1961 at 3-3-236, factory buildings from 1931-1939 6th Ave at 14:4...
07/22/2026

A horriffic fire on today's date, Saturday, July 22nd, 1961 at 3-3-236, factory buildings from 1931-1939 6th Ave at 14:44hrs.

The fire began in the 4 story Novelty Manufacturing Co. at 1939 6th Ave, between Grand & Fulton and extended to the Carhart's Laundry Building, and an adjacent storage building.

The owner of the Novelty Co., Joseph Scully, was trapped on the 3rd floor, he was able to make it to a window, where firemen Emil Hug, Frank Magnetto, Capt. Mike McGill and Bttn. Chief Edwin Moore tried to rescue him.

Firemen had extreme difficulty getting to the man, several members were blown down a stairwell during the first rescue attempt, and phone, telegraph, power lines, and train tracks hampered the raising of ladders.

Firemen Magnetto and Hug were seriously burned while climbing the ladder, which had become enveloped in flames shooting out the lower floor windows.

Newpaper accounts mention the horrified onlookers watching as the man became engulfed in flames at the 3rd floor window.

He was finally rescued via rope in the rear on the Union Street side, and lowered to the ground where he was given last rites, before dying.

Pumpers 1, 2, 8, 5, 3, 6, Trucks 3 & 2, Squads 1 & 2 responded with special calls for Pumper 7 and 11. Pumper 12 and Truck 1 relocated to HQ, and the off duty 1st platoon was recalled to staff spare rigs, and rigs not being used at the fire.

55 firemen used 6,400 feet of hose, several deluge sets and 1 ladder pipe. The outtap was transmitted at 21:00hrs

Today, the area looks totally different.

Today on Friday afternoon at rush hour, July 22nd, 1977, the day tour of the 2nd platoon members were returning from a f...
07/22/2026

Today on Friday afternoon at rush hour, July 22nd, 1977, the day tour of the 2nd platoon members were returning from a false alarm at 16:10hrs, with the Rescue Squad's 1962 ALF pumper coming down Hoosick Street.

Above 15th Street, fireman Frank Malone realized that the pumper's brakes had failed. The rig picked up speed going down the hill and crashed into a slew of vehicles at the 15th Street intersection, with one ending up inside the front of Ned Abbott's News.

Firefighter Malone attempted to steer the pumper out of traffic, the rig jumped the curb west of the 15th St. intersection and slammed head on into the side wall of a 2 story brick home at 171 Hoosick.

All 4 firemen on the pumper, including Malone, Mike Hetman, Bill Minahan, and Capt. Bill Tashjian were injured and taken to the hospital. Capt. Tash was most serously injured, and was in critical condition for several days.

Public Safety Commissioner George OConner said the failure of the pumper's hydraulic brakes was due to possible corrosion or dirt in the lines. Firefighter Malone had noticed a problem with the pumper's breaks eariler in the day, the pumper was taken to the shops and checked out, and found to have had "no issues."
Yea, sure.

All 4 firemen returned to duty and had long careers in the dept, with I believe 2 of them being members of this group.

The 1962 ALF, the former Pumper 1, was totaled and scrapped.

Today on July 21st, 1960, at 08:00hrs, the Beman Park firehouse, Pumper 9 was closed and disbanded.Their 1947 Mack was a...
07/22/2026

Today on July 21st, 1960, at 08:00hrs, the Beman Park firehouse, Pumper 9 was closed and disbanded.

Their 1947 Mack was assigned first to Pumper 5 to replace their 1943 ALF pumper, and in 1962 the Mack was again reassigned to Pumper 6 at Mill Street.

The 9 men from the 3 platoons at Pumper 9, commanded by Capts. Harold Hupe, Joseph O'Bryan and Joseph Flynn were reassigned to activate Pumper 2 at HQ downtown, which up until then was only in service pending manpower.

The still district of Pumper 9 was rezoned and split between Pumper 8 and Pumper 5, and the firehouse was turned over to DPW to house street sweepers in the summer and a sander in the winter.

RPI owns the building today, and thankfully, it's in decent shape.

Photos below are Pumper 9's 1921 Seagrave and the firehouse a few falls ago.

7-22-1964.For awhile in the 1980s, the parks dept. commissioned one of the old Wards for watering the greens.
07/21/2026

7-22-1964.
For awhile in the 1980s, the parks dept. commissioned one of the old Wards for watering the greens.

Sunday evening, July 21st, 1974, 1st platoon, 4-4-252 was transmitted at 18:44hrs for a fire in the rear of 413-415 Gran...
07/21/2026

Sunday evening, July 21st, 1974, 1st platoon, 4-4-252 was transmitted at 18:44hrs for a fire in the rear of 413-415 Grand Street.

Fire was set in sheds in the rear of the 3 story vacant brick buildings and extended left, right, front, and back to several other vacant buildings from 407-415 Grand Street, and to the vacant former Leo Sanders Wholesalers building at 458 Federal Street.

The Federal Street building contained a large amount of rubber goods, rain gear and luggage, which created an incredibly thick, dense, oily smoke condition.

A general alarm was transmitted at 19:51hrs and recall personnel staffed Truck 2 and Pumper 2 which were sent to the scene. Other members staffed reserve pumpers to cover the city, as well as the fuel truck, which was also sent to the scene.

Bttn Chief John Walsh, Dep. Chiefs Russ Sheehan & Tom Nash and Chief Phoenix commanded the troops at the scene and Bttn Chief Frank Fitzgerald was in command of the recall members.

The outtap was transmitted at 00:48hrs with crews remaining at the scene throughout the night.

Troy patrolmen Jack Bates, Nick Gulli, James Mantello and plainclothesman Charlie King later arrested a 17 yr old male who was identified by a future Troy firefighter, who saw him at the scene bragging about setting it. This tattletaler later became the legendary chauffeur of Truck 2....

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