The 343

RodgerThat

New Member
The 343


Ask any firefighter, and he will say
And the Brothers all agree;
We know that day, and it won't go away,
When we lost our 343.
Where were you when the Towers came down,
The cry will be heard through the years;
Where were you when the Twin Towers fell,
And we realized our worst fears.
The old man asked of the young boy he met,
The lad looked up and answered politely,
"My daddy's a fireman, and he died that day,
But I still say a prayer for him nightly."
The old man moved on, and he found a young girl,
And he asked the same question of her,
She answered so slow, "I don't think I know,
For you see, I wasn't born yet sir."

But ask any firefighter, and he will know,
The day, the time, and the year;
For those of us who fight smoke and fire
And have no time for fear.
We know that day, and it won't go away,
When we lost our 343.

So when you see a firetruck speeding by,
Manned by the men who fight the fight,
Or you hear a wailing siren, in the middle of the night,
It seems so far away, on some lonely thoroughfare,
Pause for just a moment, and think a silent prayer...

-William Mackle
FDNY Retired


I was a young boy when it took place but when thousands were running out a few hundred that ran in. These men were husbands fathers and sons just alike every other person in those towers, 343 did not get to come back out of the towers they ran into. I'm not American but that day changed my life and set me on the path I am on now. Every man of age remembers where they were the moment they heard, I was sitting on my porch waiting for my
Mom to drive me to school when she came out crying. I will be climbing the towers today with a 70lb lead vest on to simulate the gear the men wore climbing up those stairs, that is my tribute to them.
 
The 343


Ask any firefighter, and he will say
And the Brothers all agree;
We know that day, and it won't go away,
When we lost our 343.
Where were you when the Towers came down,
The cry will be heard through the years;
Where were you when the Twin Towers fell,
And we realized our worst fears.
The old man asked of the young boy he met,
The lad looked up and answered politely,
"My daddy's a fireman, and he died that day,
But I still say a prayer for him nightly."
The old man moved on, and he found a young girl,
And he asked the same question of her,
She answered so slow, "I don't think I know,
For you see, I wasn't born yet sir."

But ask any firefighter, and he will know,
The day, the time, and the year;
For those of us who fight smoke and fire
And have no time for fear.
We know that day, and it won't go away,
When we lost our 343.

So when you see a firetruck speeding by,
Manned by the men who fight the fight,
Or you hear a wailing siren, in the middle of the night,
It seems so far away, on some lonely thoroughfare,
Pause for just a moment, and think a silent prayer...

-William Mackle
FDNY Retired


I was a young boy when it took place but when thousands were running out a few hundred that ran in. These men were husbands fathers and sons just alike every other person in those towers, 343 did not get to come back out of the towers they ran into. I'm not American but that day changed my life and set me on the path I am on now. Every man of age remembers where they were the moment they heard, I was sitting on my porch waiting for my
Mom to drive me to school when she came out crying. I will be climbing the towers today with a 70lb lead vest on to simulate the gear the men wore climbing up those stairs, that is my tribute to them.
Awesome bro. And great tribute. That day will never be forgotten. I was in tears. My dad worked three blocks away and did what he could to help. He volunteered after to help with the clean and recovery. My dad said the smell of burnt bodies reminded him of Vietnam.
 
Today is a day that will never be forgotten. I lost 2 good friends in that attack as well.

RIP for all those who have fallen to save others.
 
Thanks Rodger. This morning, I made sure my rookie knew to put the flag at half mast. He did. I remember that day clearly like it was yesterday. I was off duty, my guys were watching tv when I walked into the office. I asked them sarcastically if their duties were done and they looked at me and said a plane just went through the first tower. As we were watching, that's when the second tower got hit. Then the phones began to ring. I made them do an all call to see where everyone was at. We were put on standby to go to Ground Zero for search and rescue. Then they called back the next day and we were put on stand down. I'll always remember that day for as long as I live.
 
Thanks Rodger. This morning, I made sure my rookie knew to put the flag at half mast. He did. I remember that day clearly like it was yesterday. I was off duty, my guys were watching tv when I walked into the office. I asked them sarcastically if their duties were done and they looked at me and said a plane just went through the first tower. As we were watching, that's when the second tower got hit. Then the phones began to ring. I made them do an all call to see where everyone was at. We were put on standby to go to Ground Zero for search and rescue. Then they called back the next day and we were put on stand down. I'll always remember that day for as long as I live.
All flags here are half mast as well. I remember going to the academy and being the one to change the flag to half mast during roll call, every other recruit yelled at me for stepping out of line while the T.O was walking towards us but when he showed up with me standing beside the flag and asked the class why I did it they all blamed me for freelancing it. Was the first time I stood out in the academy and it was a good moment to stand out when I was asked by the T.O why I did it and I said "for the 343" first and only day during the academy we didn't have to do push ups.
 
Nice. It's all about the brotherhood! Sometimes some guys just don't get it or will not ever understand what truly means "Brotherhood". You would not have gotten reprimanded by me that's for damn sure. I prob would have made the others do something for not supporting you
 
I was in first grade when it happened o_O

I still got to aid in sending haj on his pilgrimage though.

I'm sure a decade from now all these fuckin snowflakes will turn this day into an apology to Islamic extremists.
Really? 1st grade? Goddam. I was in my last yr of HS when it happened. I turn 33 next week! Reminds you of how long that ordeal lasted. Im 10yrs older than you?
 
Sad thing to me is that brought the whole country together as one for tge first time in a long time. Sucks that something like that has to happen.
 
Sad thing to me is that brought the whole country together as one for tge first time in a long time. Sucks that something like that has to happen.
Crying shame how fast we forgot what it meant to feel like that. To not have party lines, racism and all around social chaos was nice. Feeling united was nice. Fucking shame how fast we forget
 
Yeah a buddy of mine who worked in Tower 7 took that day off for a dentist appointment. He said that whole week, NYPD did not respond on any crimes. It's like for once NYC was actually trying to concentrate on Ground Zero and everyone effected. More and more stair climbs are being closed for participants due to maximum capacity. The one in OKC closed registration on the second day. It had already filled up all 343 spots. I was pissed but proud of my fellow brothers at the same time. It sold out so fast I never got the email to participate. That's ok. 4 yrs in a row was solid and others need to do the challenge atleast once in their career.
 
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