Fire Fighter as Marine 5 in 1955. Photo courtesy of the John Landers – Beth Klein Collection, sourced via http://capecodfd.com/

A Short Assignment


Originally intended to move from her post at The Battery in Manhattan to the Bush Terminal in Brooklyn at the end of 1954, the sudden decommissioning of the East-river based fireboat  Cornelius W. Lawrence in 1955 left a large portion of the upper East and Harlem Rivers without adequate coverage from the FDNY Marine Fleet which Fire Fighter was tasked to fill on an interim basis. Reporting to the quarters of Engine 78 at the foot of 90th Street on the East River just outside of Hell Gate, Fire Fighter would operate as Marine Unit 5 for the majority if 1955, responding to only a handful of routine calls during her time on station. It was during this period however, that she lost her original black-hulled paint job and was given her current white topside, red hull, red stack paint scheme.

By years end Fire Fighter was released from her post at Marine 5 and relieved by the fireboat Thomas Willett.