On this episode of Our American Stories William M Bill Feehan spent his life fighting fires in New York City He rose through every uniformed rank in the FDNY survived the department's brutal War Years of the s and became one of its most respected leaders Firefighting was also a family tradition For four generations the Feehans had answered the same call building a legacy of service that stretched back to the sons of Irish immigrants Brian McDonald author of Five Floors Up The Heroic Family Story of Four Generations in the FDNY shares the story of the Feehans and [... more]

On this episode of Our American Stories on September hundreds of thousands of people reached the southern tip of Manhattan and found themselves trapped between a city under attack and New York Harbor Then a call went out over the radio All available boats Ferries tugboats fireboats and private vessels converged on the waterfront and began taking people aboard By day's end an estimated to people had escaped Manhattan by water in the largest waterborne evacuation in American history Dr Mike McGee author of All Available Boats shares the story of the fireboats that answered the call including the John [... more]

The heroic evacuation of 300,000 people from Manhattan's island after the 9-11 attacks, and the bravery of the Fire Department of New York's fireboats, including the John J. Harvey and the John D. McKean, who played a major role in the evacuation, is a testament to the resilience and courage of the people involved. [... more]

The heroic evacuation of 300,000 people from Manhattan's island on 9-11, executed by a wide variety of boats, including the Fire Department of New York's fireboats, is a remarkable story of bravery and teamwork. The John J. Harvey and John D. McKean fireboats played a major role in the evacuation, despite facing numerous challenges and dangers. The story highlights the importance of preparedness and the resilience of the people involved in the rescue efforts. [... more]

On 9-11, a heroic evacuation of 300,000 people off Manhattan's island was executed by a variety of boats, including the John J. Harvey and John D. McKean fireboats, which played a major role in the rescue efforts, despite facing numerous challenges and dangers. [... more]

The Fian family has served in the New York City Fire Department for four successive generations, with members facing numerous challenges and tragedies, including the devastating 9-11 attacks, as told by author Brian McDonald in his book Five Floors Up. [... more]

Bass Reeves, born into slavery, became the first Black Deputy U.S. Marshal west of the Mississippi River, known for his exceptional skills in tracking and apprehending outlaws, and his ability to work across racial lines in the Indian Territory during the late 19th century. [... more]

The Fian family's four generations of service in the New York City Fire Department are chronicled in author Brian McDonald's book, 'Five Floors Up.' From the 1970s 'war years' to the heroism of 9-11, the family's story is one of courage and sacrifice. [... more]

On September 11, 2001, a heroic evacuation of 300,000 people off Manhattan's island was executed by a wide variety of boats, including the fireboats John J. Harvey and John D. McKean, which played a major role in the evacuation, despite being designed for commercial uses and not for transporting people. [... more]