50 star U.S. Flag - Ladder 4 Fire Department of New York.
This 50 star, machine sewn, United States polyester flag is a 9/11 Associated flag. It was not present at the 11 September 2001 terrorist attack on the World Trade center, but is connected with that tragedy through its use by the Fire Department of New York (FDNY).
From 1865 until 2001, FDNY saw 775 of its members die in the line of duty. On September 11, 2001, the Department lost an additional 343 firefighters, victims of the Al-Qaeda terrorist attack on the World trade Center towers. This flag belonged to The Pride of Mid-Town, Battalion 9. This firehouse lost 15 men on that infamous day. Ladder 4 had originally been organized on September 18, 1865.
Beginning at the end of 2001, this flag was constantly displayed on Ladder 4 in solidarity with the nation and deceased patriots.. It was retired only in March of 2003. During the recovery effort, rigs from Battalion 9 continued to travel to the World trade Center site in order to recover the remains of fallen brothers and other victims. Thus, this is an important 9/11 Associated Flag, given its connection with the role of this Manhattan battalion during and following the terrorist attack. Before the tragedy, many of the fire rigs operated by the FDNY had routinely flown the United States flag, but since then this practice has become more widespread.
Exhibition History
Ladder 4, NYC
NYFD during recovery operations at World Trade Center site
2001- 2005
Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection in 2006 as a gift from Chief Williams and Lieutenant Robert Jackson, Battalion 9, "The Pride of Mid-town", Fire Department New York.
ZFC Important Flag
Sources:
Fire Department of New York, 10 May 2012, from: http://www.nyc.gov/html/fdny/html/home2.shtml
History and Heritage / MANHATTAN COMPANIES, Fire department of New York, 10 May 2012, from: http://www.nyc.gov/html/fdny/html/f_a/mand_hist.shtml
Image Credits:
Zaricor Flag Collection
(Formerly in the World Trade Center Sub-collection.)
