By August 2002, it seemed that the three mens families would get their wish. After bills passed in the State Assembly and Senate, Governor George Pataki signed into law Chapter 468, which reinstated the men, presumably making them eligible for special FDNY memorials and pension benefits.
When the planes struck the World Trade Center, retired firefighter Captain James Corrigan did what came naturally to any of New Yorks Bravest: save lives. And his family wants the city of New York to recognize that.
"He was a firefighter for almost 30 years," said Corrigans son Brendan, reflecting how those years of service never leave a veteran. "You dont just walk away from that."
Captain Corrigan died while evacuating people from the towers when they collapsed. After his death, Corrigans family, who live in Little Neck, assumed he would be treated like the other firefighters killed that day, but slowly and informally they learned this would not be the case. The retired captain was not mentioned in reports on the number of firefighters killed. His family did not receive newsletters and mailings sent to other families of lost firefighters.
As a result, in April 2002, the Corrigan family his wife Marie and sons Brendan and Sean began a campaign and petition drive called Forgotten Heroes of 9/11. The purpose was to have their father and two other retired firefighters, William X. Wren and Phillip T. Hayes, who also died helping out that day, posthumously reinstated to full active duty for their valorous service. The Corrigans believed the only proper memorial for their father, Wren and Hayes was to have them recognized with the same status as their fallen comrades.
"He died as he lived, as a New York City firefighter," said Brendan Corrigan about his father. "He should be remembered as a firefighter."
Yet, though they agreed to provide the families with benefits, the city and FDNY have not acknowledged the three men as firefighters who died on the job.
"The [fire] department said the legislation was for pension services only," said Marie Corrigan, bemused at FDNYs decision. "It claims that they were working for other companies at the time and that memorials are a tradition for active duty members only. But the governor returned them to active duty!"
In the months after the disaster, when the city and FDNY held a ceremony to honor the firefighters who perished, the relatives of the three men were invited to attend. While other families received a box with special 9/11 medals, the Corrigans, Wrens and Hayes were given empty ones.
Despite Chapter 468 and the support of the firefighters union, no efforts have been made by FDNY to add their names to its memorials including the "wall of heroes" at the departments headquarters.
"I dont know why they wont give some recognition," said Brendan Corrigan about the wall. "Even if the official count read 343 firefighters plus three retired died as long as they acknowledged that they were there."
Marie Corrigan wonders why rules have been amended for other retired servicemen who died on September 11 but not for her husband, Wren and Hayes. She cited Captain Charles Frank Burlingame III, a navy reservist, who was piloting American Airlines Flight 77 before terrorists hijacked the plane and crashed it into the Pentagon. Since he was younger than 60, his age made him ineligible for burial in Arlington, yet Congress passed a law that permitted it.
As a captain in the FDNY, James Corrigan spent many years working at Ladder Company 10 on Liberty Street just across from the twin towers. He worked another three at the Francis Lewis Boulevard Firehouse. After 26 years on the force, the veteran decided to retire in 1994. Not straying too far from his metier, he took a job as security manager and director of fire safety at Seven World Trade Center. There, he was an expert in high-rise structure fires and wrote the buildings fire evacuation manual.
When the planes hit that Tuesday morning, Corrigans instincts took over: Once a firefighter, always a firefighter. He joined his fellow Bravest, many of whom he had trained, in evacuating buildings. "He was doing what was in his blood," said his son Brendan proudly. "A lot of the guys still called him captain."
The retired firefighter helped children escape the day care center at building five of the World Trade Center, which was later destroyed by the collapsing towers. He then went with Battalion Chief Joseph Grzelak to the south tower to evacuate both civilians and firefighters. Since firefighters radios were not working, the men were trying to use an old intercom system to communicate with them.
Captain Corrigans son Brendan was on the phone with him when he died. He remembers his fathers final moments. "He said it looked like a war had gone on," recalled Brendan Corrigan. His dad told him to stay safe at his Credit Suisses midtown office. When the towers collapsed, Captain Corrigans son heard a rumbling sound and then there was just static.
"If he was a civilian, they would have evacuated him," said his son.
Almost two years since the disaster, the Corrigans campaign continues. A new bill has been introduced to the state legislature to bolster the three mens cases. It specifically details their reinstatements and their entitlements for inclusion in FDNY memorial plans.
"Because it was an extraordinary event, there should be extraordinary legislature," said Marianne Maltese, a staff member at Assemblywoman Ann Margaret Carrozzas office. When Marie Corrigan spoke to Carrozza about her crusade to get her husband recognized, the assemblywoman decided to co-sponsor a new bill with Assemblyman Peter Abatte Jr. "Through legislation or through the power of persuasion, we will make sure these men get recognized," said the assemblyman.
Though the Senate version of the bill passed unanimously, the last legislative session ended before the assembly could vote on it. Carrozza and Abatte expect it to pass in the next session.
