Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Bergen Catholic alumni not only perished on 9/11, but many are living witnesses to history
This is a story that has been percolating for well over a month, and the more it's shared, the more people add to it. In the course of meeting with people and conducting interviews for Patch's 10th Anniversary 9/11 profiles, there emerged a Bergen Catholic connection. Almost every conversation included the phrase, "I/he went to Bergen Catholic and was at the World Trade Center." Those Bergen Catholic graduates whose stories I had the privilege to tell were: There is a memorial erected on the campus of Bergen Catholic honoring the eight alumni who perished in the World Trade Center, but how many are aware of the alumni who witnessed the terror attacks in New York City and the Pentagon? Alumni who held positions of authority within the Port…
Monday, September 12, 2011
The Great Gray Bridge
Through all of the 9/11 stories that we profiled over the course of the past two weeks it was clear that through all the loss, the pain, the uncertainty, and the chaos, that while all hearts were down at the World Trade Center, all eyes were on the George Washington Bridge – an iconic symbol of America. Long referred to as the jewel in the Port Authority's crown, just about all of Bergen County’s emergency services were focused on protecting the great gray George Washington Bridge on 9/11. Police Chief of New Milford, and executive officer of Bergen County’s Rapid Deployment Unit on 9/11, Frank Papapietro said, “There was the commitment of all law enforcement and agencies of government that at all costs the bridge would be protected.” …
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Fort Lee’s own Steve Napolitano talks about securing the bridge and keeping operations going on 9/11
Steve Napolitano, former Captain of Fort Lee Fire Company No. 3 and former General Manager of the George Washington Bridge and Bus Station on Sept. 11, 2001 remembers standing on the sidewalk the next day, staring at the American flag workers had just unfurled on the birdge "while car horns beeped as they drove beneath it." “It was really important that we do that; that we hang that flag," Napolitano said. "Not only for us to remember, but for all Americans to see.” Born and raised on 13th Street, a graduate of Madonna School, Bergen Catholic class of ’75, and alumni of NJIT, Napolitano laughs as he shares this memory: “When I first got my driver’s license, I’d pile my friends into my car, wait for the Port Authority cop to turn his back…
Thomas J. Dalton
4:44 pm on Wednesday, September 28, 2011
I too am a proud alumni of BC. I was awoken at home that morning by a telephone call and ordered into work in uniform.My squad and I had worked until 4:00 AM,processing arrests and I was deep in sleep at 8:45 AM.While driving into work,I took Rte. 80 East,going towards Rte.46 East,trying to get to HQ,via side streets. Iwill never forget seeing the heavy smoke rising over the river.Later in the … more ›