So I am starting a new blog. "James Joseph Kelly #1 FDNY Retired"
It will dedicated to the memoirs of my father-in-law who was a fireman from 1960 to 1980 in NYC.
At every family gathering he would tell us stories of his adventures and the things they used to do so we decided to tape him telling the stories and I transcribe them into blog posts.
He was in a lot of crazy places. The fire on the Air Craft Carrier "The Constellation" that burned in the Harbor (pictured above). The plane crash on Sterling Place in Park Slope. His company was in Brownsville during the riots in the 1960's. Lots of war stories with blood, gore, fire and comedy.
It will be a lot of fun. We did the first taping today.
I will keep you up to date and give you a link.
17 comments:
Firemen are crazy when they party. I was in Wildwood, NJ when the Firemen and Shriners were in town (off season in October). Firemen were bringing kegs to their rooms with hook and ladders. Then some firemen (well I assume it was firemen) went to the Shriner camp and let their camels run free. Well at least that is what I heard. I did not see the camels running down the boardwalk.
But I was very hungover when I saw the Shriners driving their tiny mustangs.
Good times. Good times.
The thing I remember most about the fire hall in our little town I grew up in was the refrigerator FULL of beer. Nothing else in it. Fred's right...firemen are crazy when they party.
And firemen are the only guys who can get away with sporting a mustache these days. Everyone else who tries to wear one looks like a 70s porn star.
We spent all day taping and found a bunch of great photo's from the 1960's and 1970's of fires and the men who fought them.
Much more productive than spending all day talking about pervert assistant coaches or horny pizza executives. Just sayn'
I like the dates 1960 to 1980 which exactly covers the first 20 years of my life. I look forward to the series.
You know I loved your series about the letters your father wrote while he was in the service. I have never missed one.
I always thought that they would be great as a stand alone blog. Someone might read them and even want to publish them.
I hope to do the same thing with my father in laws stories so his grandchildren and great grandchildren can read about it.
Just as your kids can read about what your Dad did.
Fred, Oh those Wildwood Days. I worked the summers of 1973 and 74 working @ The Hotel Roosevelt. Spent many a night @ The Shamrock drinking 7 taps for $1.
Trooper, looking forward to the new one.
Thanks Troop,
I commend you in advance. I just hope you don't find yourself overwhelmed with the transcription part. I was working from handwritten letters (mostly brief ones) and I stuck to a schedule of publishing them only about as fast as he wrote them--once a week or so. I'm a shitty typist.
We spent all day taping and found a bunch of great photo's from the 1960's and 1970's of fires and the men who fought them.
You could make each photo a separate blog post. Have him tell you as much as he remembers about each one. That could be one way to bring some order and focus to a great idea.
What a good son in law you must be Trooper, I can't wait to hear about him and his career. I used to deal with firemen and paramedics all the time, back in my nursing days, not only were they smoking hot, they knew their stuff. When they came into a patients room, we nurses stepped back and let them do their thing.
I haven't decided if I will be joining this endeavor.
I am still devastated over the Boston bashing.
So rude.
FIREMAN were notorious for stealing stuff from houses and stores that were just on fire. They would help themselves to what ever what was left after the flames went out. Jewelry, cash, coins. Also they are the only city agency that seems to encourage drinking while on duty or bashing in your fellow fireman's head discussing Elvis. Just sayin....
You mean the same guys who think it's fun to climb up ladders and run around on top of burning buildings also like to party?
Who knew?
All the firemen I know have a streak in them that screams .... CRAZY.
I forgot to congratulate you on the upcoming berth of the new blog. It's actually a blessed occurrence. You have proven yourself to be not just a prolific blog daddy but also a responsible blogfather.
Long live the new blog!
Taping the memories and stories of our parents, grandparents is a wonderful idea. So much knowledge is lost if we don't. How people lived, what they thought about and what they did.
All I have from my grandparents lives and my parents, other than some mementos and family heirlooms, are the fading memories of stories that we had heard as children. As time goes by, those memories are lost or distorted. I would dearly love to hear my mother's voice again.
Great idea!!
What a wonderful idea! I am really looking forward the new blog.
There better be tits in it.
Good luck on the new blog!
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