Bin Laden Dead: Our Brooklyn Heights Heroes Got Some Justice Tonight

By on May 1, 2011 11:53 pm in News

Upon America’s successful assassination of Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden today,  please take a moment to remember the firefighters of our Engine Company 205 / Ladder Company 118 “Fire Under the Bridge”.  The Middagh Street station lost 8 men on 9/11/2011  including 6 who died together in their firetruck crushed under the rubble.

BHB reader @epc tweets tonight:

Bit of an emotional mess tonight…wishing I was home in Brooklyn and not on the road. Remembering my FDNY neighbors from 118/205

Brooklyn Heights, New York City and the rest of the world will never forget these fallen heroes:

Lt. Joseph Agnello

Firefighter Vernon Cherry

Firefighter Scott Davidson

Firefighter Leon Smith Jr.

Firefighter Peter Vega

Lt. Robert Wallace

Lt. Robert Regan

Captain Martin Egan

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  • Livingston

    RIP, BH Heroes. Rot in hell, Osama.

    (–from one who lived through that morning, start to finish)

  • Teddy

    Those who lost someone on 9/11 will feel just a little better on the 10th anniversary of those attacks knowing that the devil responsible for their loss no longer breathes. I think Barack Obama just won the 2012 Presidential election. Take take, Donald Trump, who probably won’t believe it until he sees Osama’s long-form death certificate.

    As an eyewitness to that tragic day, I’m so relieved to witness this historic moment. News headline tomorrow: Obama got Osama!!!

  • Heightser

    As someone who lived in BH during 9/11, I have a hard time understanding the celebratory reaction of the crowds – popping champagne and behaving as if we’d won the World Series. If feels strange and a little disrespectful to me. To me this is somber day; a reminder of what Bin Laden caused and the unimaginable grief felt by those who lost their loved ones that tragic, horrible day.

  • Bongo

    @Heightser. Agreed. This mawkish display is offensive and stupid.

  • Alana

    Cherry was an amazing person and he is duly missed. Having knowing his family, I am sure this news helps with some closure. I agree that we shouldn’t be celebrating as its due to tragedy in NY and unfortunately I am afraid of what’s yet to come.

  • AL

    Heightster and Bongo – Totally agree.

  • Heights

    Heightster – couldn’t agree more. Totally inappropriate.

  • Tara

    @ Heightser: I’m in total agreement. At first it was reminiscent of the Palestinian reaction to 9/11, dancing in the street. It felt very mob mentality. Very Third World. I was almost expecting guns firing into the air. And where did all the American (flags etc) suddenly come from? Upon consideration, I think the administration used its considerable strategic expertise and helped orchestrate the response via email and Twitter. It felt very inauthentic and forced. This was about poll numbers and the debt ceiling. I know I’m not alone in thinking Bin Laden’s been dead for years. Having “confirmation” that he’s dead did absolutely zero to allay my grief for having known five people (including two police officers) who were murdered ten years ago.

    One story from last night that was of note involved MSNBC reporter Nora O’Donnell who had a MAJOR faux pas. Wondering what her punishment (if any) will be.

    http://www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2011/05/report-nbc-reporter-accidentally-tweets-obama-killed

  • Heightsman

    Massive celebrations took place after Hitler killed himself….why not now? Many lives were lost at the hand of Hitler and many lives were lost at the hand of bin Laden.

    And no, I am not trying to make an apples to apples comparision of September 11th and WWII.

    I am only advocating that everyone is entitled to express themselves. That’s what makes America. (and yes, I know that’s what we are doing on this blog, just don’t judge)

    PS: For the record, I am not out celebrating or toasting champagne (although I do like it)

  • MadeInBrooklyn

    As I wrote elsewhere; I understand the desire to congregate and share in a very emotional moment, it’s just the pack-mentality that bugs the hell out of me; the chanting and rah rah bullsh*t. Look, I am happy that bastard is dead and consider myself patriotic, but it also brings back a ton of sad, awful memories, like the thought of these eight heroes, all the others who died and our forever altered skyline… I feel more reflective than jubilant.

  • Gerry

    Brooklyn Heights on 9/11 the day began with a wonderful sunshine blue skys on Montague Terrace my new blue car was clean by days end the world had changed my car and faces on people who had been on the Promenade all day long were filthy covered with black soot — and now Bin-Laden is dead.

    I still feel horrible.

    I will never forget how Brooklyn Heights was impacted by the 9/11 attacks as bridges closed, ATMs ran out of cash, resturants and grocery stores ran out of food and black soot was all over everything.

  • Monty

    I’m a little conflicted, but the celebrations don’t bother me. He was evil and he got what he deserved. I think a little jubilation is understandable if crude. When Palestinians celebrated, they celebrated the mass slaughter of civilians. You can certainly argue the have suffered indirectly as a result of US policy, but massacring civilians is not a justifiable response. We celebrate the targeted killing of an unequivocally evil bastard.

  • AEB

    A major villain is dead–good!

    But I too have trouble with the celebration of (state-sponsored) murder, and with the element of blood-thirstiness that seems part of the package.

    Has to do with the eye-for-an-eye mentality, which, usually, I don’t share. Murder is irrevocable; murdering another doesn’t erase the act (although of course I see the danger of allowing someone to continue to kill or terrorize).

    Also, I’m always skeptical when people claim that events like the killing of BL bring about “closure.” That thing, if and when it occurs, must be the result of an ongoing internal dialogue not a single act.

  • bornhere

    I’m thinking that the majority of “celebrants” were college-aged people — all the reports I’ve seen seem to show young crowds. I also wonder how many of them were in New York at the time. But all of this is, for me, too complicated and personal an event to get too caught up in assessing reactions of others.

  • AEB

    PS, MY jubilation has to do with the “this is good for the Jews” factor–that is, for Mr. Obama.

    Now–can we leave Afghanistan? Please? Pretty please?

  • T.K. Small

    I am relieved that Osama bin Laden has been neutralized, but I think that the public celebrations are counterproductive. It’s time for the troops to come home and start moving our country forward. Enough blood and treasure have been spent.

  • Monty

    Re: troops coming home, they are. Drawdown in Iraq is still scheduled to be complete by end of this year. Drawdown in Afghanistan begins in July. This was scheduled before bin Laden’s death, and will only accelerate now.

  • Thomassabo

    It’s not means the terrorist attacks stop.I think.Americans will may be more attacks by terrorist ,special who oversea .

  • Brooklyn Tea

    RIP heros. God bless you and your familes. You are all missed and remembered.

  • T.K. Small

    Last night, Anderson Cooper specifically mentioned Leon Smith Jr. in his personal commentary.