OLD DAYS
THESE ARE PICTURES FROM THE OLD DAYS OF THE NEWTON FIRE
DEPT WHEN THERE WAS
IRON MEN AND WOODEN LADDERS
Blizzard of 78 Eng 2 L-R Mac McCarthy, Joe Oliveto, Dave Lyons, Al
Mazzola
Some of the old guard
Ladder 1 in the year 1881
(photo Capt Roche)
Photo from Brenda Clossey, picture is of her great grandfather Frank
Turner
who is famous for working 43 years and never being off duty sick
circa 1901 , picture taken in front of Hose 8 corner of
Bridge and Watertown st Nonantum
When Deputy Chief Israel Jimenez decided to get married he invited the
guys from the station (naturally free beer and food)
standing L-R Hugh Sheridan, Brian McCabe, Larry Mazzola, Chuck Pendergast, Rich
Geary, Israel,
Joe Olivo, Jim Demeo, Frank Vona, Bob Rogers
Kneeling L-R Ralph Calderone, Greg Hudak Ed Goudeau,Joe Cappello, Jim DeAngelo,
Ray McNamara
Old Eng 3, Eng 6 crew l-r Joe Olivo, Joe Cappello,Rich Williams, Ray
Mac,Larry Mazzola
Jim DeAngelo, Butch Cadman
You work with someone for a long time and you think you know him,then you
receive something like the following and find out you
don't,left; Capt smith as a private receiving a medal from the US NAVY at
station one,the following is from his son EDDIE
Jay, I do not know what the medal was awarded for. My guess is that The Navy was doing a bit of catch up soon after the war was over. Over 10 years ago I requested copies of his USMC and USN records and I made interesting discoveries in both. In brief; after 5 years as a marine he was released from active duty from The USS New Mexico at Bremerton Washington and returned to Newton and was appointed to The NFD approximately 1938. Shortly after Pearl Harbor he took leave from NFD and reenlisted in The USN at The Charlestown Navy Yard and was sent to the west coast. In the early, "dark days" of the war he was a crew member of The USS O'Bannon, captained by Captian Donald MacDonald; the most decorated naval officer of the war. Several books were written about The O'Bannon, and my dad was mentioned for jumping over the side to rescue a drowning survivor of the sinking The USS Helena during the battle of Kula Gulf. Sometime after he was transferred to the large Anti Submarine Training Command in Miami Fl., where he was part of the base fire department. He was awarded a medal there by The Fleet Admiral for actions to save a ship about to explode...two men died before him trying to do the same thing. Of note; he and other firefighters on The Navy FD worked on the side as City of Miami Firefighters as the city was rapidly growing, and was offered a position with The Miami FD. So I am quite sure the ceremony at Sta. 1 was after the war when he rejoined NFD because he was in Miami on VJ Day. Any idea who the sharply dressed man with the fedora hat on was?
Back in day before Chaulk, Amr, Cataldo we had Newton Fire Dept
ambulances
run by the firefighters, here are two Jimmy Swift,and Ricky Triss
1942 MAXIM QUAD LAD 4
Newton Fire was the first Dept in the USA to use motorized equipment ,
1913 the Chief and his driver
on a Stanley Steamer- right old eng 4 a Ward LaFrance
Old eng 7 lad2 crew
Who is this debonair raconteur
Promotion time Left to right, Mayor Mann,Bob
English,Vin Sturniolo,Frasier Gruchy,
Ron Palkey,Mark Roche,Bob Barbato,Joe Muzi,Ed Daly
Back in the days when Fire Alarm was in HQ,on the
right one of the better
Fire Alarm operators Bobby McDonald,left Bill Bianco
Nov 1943 church on the corner of comm. ave and auburn st-- general alarm
Can you imagine what would have happened if they proposed
the 24 hr shift, note it took another 8 years after this interoffice
to get the 42 hr work week
Feb. 1965 General Alarm ,the Bleachery on River st Waltham
Dick Beecher--John Coffey
(note the rubber pants known as a night hitch)
June 1952 retirement party for Jack Scott at Blinstrubs Village S. Boston
(3rd from the right a young Chief Perkins as a Captain)
1962 J.Coffey,D Beecher,A Ferrera,J DeLoffi, Lt P Jones, T Sbordone
A couple of photo's of old Eng 8, photo's courtesy of the present
owner Brian Anderson
Old Lad 3 open cab American La France at old Sta 1
Eng 3, A 1965 Mack; 8/15/1975 3rd alarm Watertown st and Nevada st
(from the A.French collection)
Calderone Bros. Nick and Ralph
Ex C2A Johnny Dunn,(grandfather of Johnny Morris)
Mr. Engine 3 Franny Coffey
(lookee here brother)
Old Lad 2 Station on Route 9,now the site of Gas station and Dunkin
donuts
(note when lad 2 came out of the station they were facing the on coming traffic
on Rt. 9)
L;Retired Brothers Bill & Kevin Hough R;Joe Cucchi,Kevin Timmons
Sunday mass televised 1960's and the men sitting very piously
Angie Falcone--Frank Vona ,Asst. Chief Tom Sweeny
Lt. Bernie Frechette
Retirement party for Leo Geraci Sept. 1996
Some old Eng 10 crews L-R, Capt Lombardi,Harold Green,George Malkasian,
Kevin Mcardle
Tony Lombardo
Goofing off at old sta 2 on washington street Left;Lt Bob Demons,Joe
Bibbo,Eddie Clark
Right; Lt Demmons ,J Bibbo,Frank Whalen
(for you sparks its a 1932 Maxim)(photo's Frank Whalen)
Left: retirement party for Sta 2 Capt B Clarke L-R G Malkasian,N
Fontano,F Whalen,
R Cavallo,J Kennedy,W Clisham,B Trainor,J Smit,B Clarke,B McCarthy,J Glass,
D Lyons,B King,P Mann,E Reilly,B Keegan 1960's
right pic;Capt Barney Clarke, Asst Chief John "bull" Martin
(photo's Frank Whalen)
Former Chief of Dept. Ed Murphy's first day on the job
and journal entry stating such-- Nov 28,1961
newspaper article about Sta 7 crew and upper falls
Left,former Chief Perkins-right sta 4 circa 1950's little boy 3rd from the
right
is Chief Perkins son Richard
(photo's Chief Perkins daughter Dotty)
Pictures are from the daughter of Guy Litchfield who is 2nd from the
right in the
left picture-her grandfather Frank Turner is 2nd from the right in the right
picture,
Frank is famous for 43 years of service and never taking a sick day
newspaper clipping of when frank turner died
A couple of postcards of unknown Newton fire's 1920's
Goody Leone former C2A
L-R Joe Keefe,Jimmy Notartomaso,Eng 9 in quarters
photos R Malone
Lt. Inmann,Jiggs Coffey,Bob English circa 1960's--crew of sta 7 1961
1952 Ford/Gerstenslager Lighting Plant
the above picture was sent to me by
Scott Mattson from Point Pleasant, NJ
The following 25 photo's courtesy of Pat Belliveau
Sept 1982
Centre st 1982 (started out as a waste paper barrel fire)
1982 overturned truck
Feb 1982 bridge st 2 alarms
July 1981 warehouse fire California st
left; Newton corner block ,right; Boston tower working at Newton corner
left. Newton corner block, middle. last day of the Newton fire dept
ambulance right. unk
centre st opp cresent st 2nd alarm
couple of accidents in the 70's 1. unknown 2. rt 9 3. nonantum rd
The year 1979,3rd alarm Columbus Hall,Temputure 5 degrees,
men freezing Joe Cucchi,Geo McMann
Old Station 7 on Pettee St Upper Falls,1910 Stanley used by Chief W.Randlett
(photos M. Baker)
Some auto accidents from the late thirty's early forty's-except for the
first pic. 1949 standing
in front of the old paramount theater looking at station one on Washington
st.
photo's courtesy of Officer Bob Fitzpatrick
L-R Helen Martin,Dick Hay,Virginia Murphy
1957 working with new Lad 3 at the Brookline drill yard
FF Paul Colantonio sitting in Lad 3 holding his
son John who is presently assigned to Lad 2
BEFORE & AFTER
In the old days when it snowed they used a "PUNG" to haul hose and
equipment
around, the above pung was built in the late 1800's and was used until the late
1940's.
It was donated by the late Norman Aronson and restored by the boys at Newton
North High School
The following 14 pictures are courtesy of H.A."Bill" Bailey jr. Ret. Lt NFD
E9 1954 amer. lafrance,Hose 8 1933 Maxim
Marston & Wells Fireworks factory fire 1950"s site is now Marshalls
parking lot Needham St
L-R E3,Ramp- L2 looking towards Woodward&rt 9-L2 shovel brigade
L-R E1 1940-E9 1935-L2 1930"s-L3 returning from covering L2 1930"s
(note E1 had a roof then)
Left Bill Bailey-B Fitzgerald,E McDade,B Bailey
L-R former Chief J Daniele,D Hay,B Doherty,P DePasquale,Capt Pete
Forte,former Chief
H Preble
L-R F Coffey, J Coffey, N Cadman, T Cucchi, W Clisham
L-R C Cerrone,D Carducci,D Corrigan, E Clark
Cape Cod 1973 L-R Hugh Sheridan, shag mazzola,mike Greeley, Fran
dalicandro,standing chief ed Murphy then Capt. Murphy),far right Capt. mazzola
left M.Mullen-right F Coffee
l-r J Flagg-D Murphy-E Daley-Lt Madden L Murphy H DeMichele
l-r J.Coffee-J Cedrone-Leo Murphy,Lt Madden-T Moran,Lt Pescosolido
Left;A/C Francic Linnehan Right; unknown
L-R Sta 3 1943,Eng 5, members of Eng 7 Lad 2 circa1954
picture's courtesy of Frank Swett Jr
Old E-4&E-8 Crew Circa Early 1970's
OLD ENG 8&4
Sta 2
Eng-2
Eng-2
C-2? old
city hall hose-2
Sitting room old sta 2 -Roll Call Sta-2
L-R 43 years never sick,mutual aid to waltham
main+moody,right- going the wrong way with wages
marching on memorial day
The Man former Chief Fred Perkins
LIEUTENANTS PRACTICE EXAM FROM 1947,
(courtesy of the files of former chief of dept John Corcoran)
John Corcoran-1943 church fire
The Flying EMT's,-- An old Training session
Retirement party for Guy Litchfield
L-R John Boudreau,Bob Hodgeton,Jim Kennedy,Nick Gentile
Cy Civetti,Al Moore,Leo Hogan,Boonie Trainor,Bob Macarthy
Reno Serra,Bob Doucette,Dick Hay,John Pesky,Larry Smith
Dexter Briggs.at the Normandy Room Norumbega
Eng-8 Watertown & Bridge st
L-R BILL GREELEY, CHARLES DAMON PALKEY,M CONNERNY,S SAUNDERS,B HOUGH
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