April 19, 1995
10:15 AM
The phone rang and Lt. Johnson picked it up in his office.
"Yes sir." He said as he hung up the phone.
He walked into the lounge and turned the TV on.
"What's going on boss?" Walsh asks
"There was a bombing in Oklahoma City." Lt. Johnson said
All of the members of the Squad gathered around and they stared at the TV, not saying a word.
"I am standing in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal building in Oklahoma City, where a bomb has exploded. Preliminary reports indicate that al-Qaeda may be responsible for the attack. This building houses many Federal Offices and has a Day Care center." The reporter said, "At this time we are not able to confirm the number of casualties but rescue efforts are underway."
They flip the channel and another reporter is interviewing a witness who worked in a building nearby.
"The ground shook and things fell off the shelves and the windows shattered. They immediately evacuated the building." The witness said
"Who would do something like this?" Walsh asked
"Yeah the cowards…" DK didn't get a chance to finish his sentence
The alarm sounded
"Squad 55 Ladder 100 Adam 55-3 Boyd 55-3 respond for police standby at 1112 Amsterdam"
"Let's go." Lt. Johnson says
The pull up on scene to find 55 David, 55 Charlie and ESU units on scene.
"What do we got?" Lt. Johnson asks
"Bomb scare. Bomb Squad's sweeping the area." Sully says
"Alright." Lt Johnson says as he turns to his squad. "Be ready."
They sat and waited for what seemed like hours. They talked amongst themselves, looked at the crowd gathered along the street that had been closed off.
"Think they'll send any of us?" Lombardo asked
"Maybe." Tommy Doyle replied
"I still can't believe it happened." Walsh added
"I still think they are cowards for what they did." DK chimed in.
Finally, members of the Bomb Squad walked out of the building.
"False alarm." One of them yelled and it was repeated over and over again.
"Well I guess that's it." Lt. Johnson said as the guys started to climb back into the truck.
They headed back to the house and changed out of their gear, moving back to the lounge. Lt. Johnson sat quietly in his office when the phone rang again. He answered it…
"Squad 55, Ladder 100, Lt. Johnson speaking." He said into the phone and then listened.
"Are you sure?" he asked
"Okay, thank you for the call." He said into the phone.
"Whatever you need us to do." He added
"Talk to you soon." He concluded the call.
He put the phone back on the hook and took a deep breath. He looked at some of the pictures on his wall. He approached a group picture that had been taken after a fire one night. He stared at it, remembering that night.
DK, Walsh, Tommy, Jacob Wright, and Adam Miller were all pictured in it with him. DK and Walsh had made a rescue while Wright and Miller made one of their own- from the roof. They had all performed exceptionally that night and it earned them all commendations. Lt. Johnson bowed his head in prayer. After a moment he turned and went out to the lounge.
"What's up Lieu?" Walsh asked as he was the first to notice the solemn look on the Lieutenant's face.
Lt. Johnson swallowed hard. He had to think of how to say it. Finally he just started speaking and they listened, the guys from Ladder 100, the medics, the guys from the Squad- they all listened.
"1862, at Harrison's Landing Virginia, there was a skirmish between the Union and Confederate armies. Union Army Captain Robert Ellicombe heard the cries of a solider who was wounded on the battlefield in the middle of the night. He decided to risk his life to save that solider- didn't know whether it was one of his men or not. He crawled across the field while shots were being fired from both sides still. He got to that solider and began to pull him back to the encampment to get him medical attention.
He got back behind his own lines and discovered the solider was actually a young Confederate solider, but the solider had died. He lit a lantern and was shocked, numb at the identity of the solider. It was his son. He didn't know that his son had joined the army, he was away for school studying music when the war began."
He paused and saw that everyone's attention was focused on him. They were waiting for him to begin again. He cleared his throat and began again.
"The next morning he asked his superiors for permission to bury his son. He asked if he could also have the Army band. But, his son was the enemy. He was given the okay for one member. He chose the bugler and asked him to play a series of notes that his son had written down on a folded piece of paper in his pocket. The bugler agreed. He began to play them.
He trembled as he read the words that were written to accompany the notes…
Day is done ... Gone the sun .. From the lakes ...From the hills ... From the sky ... All is well . Safely rest .. God is nigh. Fading light .. Dims the sight .. And a star ... Gems the sky Gleaming bright ... From afar ... Drawing nigh . Falls the night.
Thanks and praise ... For our days .. Neath the sun ... Neath the stars... Neath the sky . As we go .. This we know .. God is nigh.
The words are to TAPS" Lt. Johnson paused again.and took a deep breath. "Jacob Wright was at the Murrah building this morning. He didn't make it." Lt. Johnson closed his eyes.
Walsh, DK, and Tommy all looked at each other. They couldn't believe it. They were numb.
April 26, 1995
Walsh, DK, Tommy, and Lieutenant Johnson stood in their dress blues. They were just outside of the canopy covering the grave and the family. The flag draped casket sat on a green carpet. The Priest said a few words before Lt. Johnson and Tommy Doyle stepped to the ends of the casket. With their white gloves they carefully picked up the corners of the flag and began folding it. When they were finished the field of blue with white stars was all you could see. Lt. Johnson placed the flag in between his hands, his right hand carefully placed on the top of the flag. He turned and carried it to Jacob's wife. He handed it to her as Walsh struck the bell. 5 strikes, followed by 5 more, then another 5, and finally 5 more.
Lt. Johnson and Tommy stepped back into their place in line as "Taps" played.
Jacob Young had moved away from New York and taken a job with Oklahoma City's Fire Department since his wife had been transferred there. His family had chosen to have him buried in New York. He had fallen in the line of duty- though he was no longer an official member of FDNY; he was still their brother. The dispersed from the graveside. It was Walsh's first fallen comrade. He had been to other funerals of firefighters who had fallen in the line of duty.
Lt. Johnson caught up to him.
"Hey Billy." Lt. Johnson said
"Hey Lieu." Walsh replied
"You alright?" The Lieutenant asked
"Yeah." Walsh responded.
"It's always hard to bury someone, but it's worse when it's someone you've worked with." Lt. Johnson said
Walsh nodded. "He was a big help to me." He shook his head.
"I know. I know." Lt. Johnson comforted, "But hey, you got one more guardian angel to look out for you now." He smiled
"Yeah." Walsh replied, "I know he'll be looking out for me, always did."
Lt. Johnson parted and walked a short ways and then knelt by his parent's graves. After a few moments he walked off towards his car and looked back. He got into his car and drove away. He pulled up in front of his house and then went in. He turned on the light and walked back the hall. He had loosened his tie. He looked around his apartment and went to change. When he returned to the living room he was wearing blue jeans and a t-shirt. He went to the refrigerator to grab a long neck and then returned to the living room. He grabbed the spackle and began to repair the wall.
On April 19, 1995 The Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City was devastated by a bomb in a Ryder Truck. Less than 2 hours later Timothy McVeigh was arrested.
His cowardly attack on America injured over 800 people. 300 buildings surrounding the Murrah Building were damaged in the attack. 168 people died including 1 Rescue Worker and 19 Children from the Day Care Center.
The Tragedy showed the Heart of America. Rescue and relief workers came in from around the country and world streamed in to aid. The response was overwhelming.
DEDICATED IN MEMORY OF THE VICTIMS OF THE OKLAHOMA CITY BOMBING