80 | Chapter Four Chapter Four 1940-1949
During the 1940’s the world was at war and operated. District chiefs would get two way Houston was helping to win that war. Liberty radios in their vehicles and Fire Fighters would ships were floating out of Todd Shipyard and in get a new tool, a fog nozzle, to help battle the 1942 over one thousand men stood up on Main blazes. Street and volunteered for the Navy. On April 16, 1947 the “Grandcamp”, a ship Houston had 820 fire alarm boxes scattered loaded with ammonium nitrate fertilizer blew across a city that was approaching a half a mil- up at Texas City creating the largest industrial lion citizens. Keeping up a long standing tradi- disaster in American history. The explosion was tion of community support the Fire Department felt as far away as Houston and over 500 people teamed up with the War Chest (United Way) to were estimated to have perished. Houston, like help raise money for community projects. many other surrounding communities, sent The war would eventually end, but the loss Fire Fighters to aid with the search and rescue of life due to fires in Houston would hit an all operation. A second ship, the “High Flyer”, time high of 80 in 1943. The Gulf Hotel fire was exploded later that evening creating fires that the single largest contributor to that grisly record would take days to extinguish. with 55 deaths. The war was over and returning Fire Fighters Fire Fighters would experience upgrades in would resume their positions held by the equipment like the 1945 American LaFrance auxiliaries. 85 foot ladder trucks that were hydraulically
Fire Chiefs: Line of Duty Deaths: George W. Richardson William “Molly” Walker Roy B. Whittlesy Hoarrace O. Gassoway Charley A. Middlekauf James E. Lowth John “Red” B. Adams Vernon J. Dorsett Robert “Bobby” W. Milburn
Left and Following Page: The Samuel Hart Gallery, a popular antique furniture and art gallery caught fire in the early evening of September 11, 1947. The store, located 1855 Main Street, had just closed for the day. By the time the owner, Samuel Hart, arrived home he was summoned back to the Gallery. The fire spread very quickly. The store was in a shopping center and was attached to other businesses. The Fire Fighters at the scene did a excellent job of saving the other businesses, however the Hart Gallery was completely destroyed. The photo on this page shows the front of the Gallery and was taken by 23-year-old Ronald Conn, an avid fire buff, who in the mid-1980’s was President of the Houston Fire Museum. The photo on the next page shows the Rosedale Street side of the fire and shows how intense this fire was. The photo was taken by a professional photographer who just happened by the scene. (The Family of Ron Conn Sr.) Chapter Four | 81 82 | Chapter Four Left: A group of employees from Humble Oil Corporation partner with the Fire Department to help promote the War Chest (United Way). Photo taken 1940’s in front of the Humble Oil Company Headquarters. (The Story Sloan Collection)
Below: J. B. Martin with one of the many of the “Fire House Mascots” he had during his career. (Family of J. B. Martin)
Below Left: Houston Fire Department participating in a World War II paper drive with two Boy Scouts helping with the effort. Photo taken 1942. (Family of Vernon Dorsett)
Opposite Page: Hart Gallery Fire, September 11, 1947. (The Story Sloane Collection)
Chapter Four | 83 84 | Chapter Four Above Left: In 1944, Earl McWilliams, third Fire Fighter from the left entered the Houston Fire Department. His first assignment was at Fire House No. 26, 3813 Broadway. Shortly after this photo was taken he was drafted into the army to serve in WWII. The driver is J. B. Martin who is Chief “Whitey” Martin’s uncle. The man sitting next to J. B. is Arnold Teets. The other Fire Fighter far right is Floyd Russell. The fire truck is a American LaFrance. Photo taken 1941. (Family of J. B. Martin)
Left: Earl McWilliams had returned home from the military and entered his life once again as a proud Houston Fire Fighter. The names of the Fire Fighters in this photo are left to right, Driver J. B. Martin, Captain Mike Lathrop, who in this photo is a 27-year veteran of the Houston Fire Department. The next man is Wilson Snow, who had also just returned from the Army and was a POW in Japan. The last man on the right is Robert “Bob” Jacobs Sr. The other crew members not in the photo are Earl McWilliams and James Lowth. Sadly, very soon after this photo was taken, Engine 26 was involved in a “Train versus Fire Truck” crash. All the crew members were severely injured, and James Lowth did not survive the accident. See Chapter 8, page 208 for more details of this accident. Photo taken January, 1947. (Earl McWilliams)
Opposite Page: On July 13, 1945, the Aragon Ballroom and an adjacent building were heavily damaged in a four- alarm fire. It took Fire Fighters four hours to extinguish the fire. Twenty-three people were injured, including several Fire Fighters. Hundreds of guests at the Cotton Hotel, next door on Fannin and Rusk, were evacuated during the fire. Property loss was estimated at $250,000. (Houston Fire Museum) Chapter Four | 85 The afternoon of June 25, 1946 the Fire Department was called to the H. J. Cohn Furniture Warehouse located at 201 San Jacinto. When the Fire Fighters arrived, the business was heavily engulfed with fire and smoke. Estimated damage was $40,000. The business’ furniture, mattresses, and other items were completely destroyed. The fire took several hours to control and 18 Fire Fighters were injured. A young man was arrested in connection with the fire. He had already been questioned for a fire at the near by Ambassador Hotel and the Majestic and Texan movie houses. (Houston Fire Museum)
86 | Chapter Four Chapter Four | 87 88 | Chapter Four Above from Top Left to Bottom Right: Houston Fire Department Fire Chiefs 1940-1949. (All Photos Houston Fire Department ) George W. Richardson, Fire Chief, 1947 Roy B. Whittlesy, Fire Chief, 1947-1948 Charley A. Middlekauf, Fire Chief, 1948-1951
Above Left: Fire House No. 6, Henderson and Decauter. Captain Leo Edmonds is in the middle of the photo. Far right is Claude “Froggy” Hughes. The name of the Fire Fighter under Engine 6 is not known. Photo taken 1944. (Family of Leo Edmonds)
Left: Fire Fighters relaxing after a fire. Chief Vernon Dorsett is the Fire Fighter sitting on the curb. Photo taken around 1945. (Family of Vernon Dorsett)
Opposite Page: The Crew of Fire House No. 2 in 1945. Top row from left to right, Robert “Slim” Templeton, Homer Lyles, Harrison McLean Jr., George Radcliff, Johnnie Brooks, Unknown, Unknown, Fred Hooker, Lester Carl Price and Thomas Cudd. Bottom row, James “Buddy” Walker, Bennett Cook, Unknown, Unknown, Robert “Bobby” Greer, Unknown, and Claude Konetzke. (Family of “Slim” Templeton)
Chapter Four | 89 San Jacinto High School photographer, Story Sloane, Jr., captured this sequence of photos on his way home from school. The photos show a home fire in the Montrose area of the city. Shown in the photo opposite page holding the ladder is Fire Fighter Bull Hooper. All photos: (The Story Sloane Collection)
90 | Chapter Four Chapter Four | 91 This group of 1941 Mack pumpers are being tested by The Houston Fire Department. The engines in the photo are drafting water from an unknown source. (Family of Mike Lathrop)
Delivery photo for the Houston Fire Department’s new apparatus, taken in front of the Music Hall. The first three trucks are 1941 Mack 750 GPM pumpers. From left to right are Engine 29, Engine 27 and Engine 28. The other two are 1941 Mack Service Trucks. (Family of Ralph Grant)
92 | Chapter Four Left: Two types of Ladder Trucks in front of Fire House No. 2. The one on the left is a 100-ft. 1952 American LaFrance Aerial and the other one is a 85-ft 1945 American LaFrance JOX Aerial. The 1945 Aerial was one of the first mechanical Aerials bought by the Houston Fire Department. Before this hydrolic model was introduced, the older version required the Fire Fighter to “hand crank” the ladder. Photo taken 1955. (Houston Fire Museum)
Top: 1945 American LaFrance JOX 85-ft Aerial. (Wayne Droxial)
Above: 1941 Mack Service Truck 34. (Houston Fire Museum)
Chapter Four | 93 94 | Chapter Four Left and Above Left: The ship the “Grandcamp”, loaded with ammonium nitrate fertilizer, blew up the morning of April 16, 1947 in Texas City. Gunpowder from WWII was being made into fertilizer to be shipped up north. The ship was docked at the Monsanto Company’s private docks. The Company Headquarters was totally destroyed by the initial blast of the “Grandcamp”. Every car in their parking lot sustained substantial damage. (The Story Sloane Collection)
Opposite Page: Men from the three HFD Engine Companies - 27, 3 and 17 - were sent down to Texas City for mutual aide. The Training Chief, Grover Adams, and the Houston Fire Department Photographer, J.D. Robinson, were also sent to help with relief efforts. (Houston Fire Department Photographer J.D. Robinson)
Chapter Four | 95 Right: Every home and business in Texas City received substantial damage from the blast. This store’s windows, miles from the blast, were shattered by the explosion. (The Story Sloane Collection)
Right: Smoke from the Monsanto Chemical Plant can be seen billowing in the distance from the Fire Department staging area. (Houston Fire Department Photograher J.D. Robinson)
Opposite Page: Part of the bow of what was left of the “Grandcamp” rests against a barge that was lifted out of the water by a tidal wave caused by the explosion. Upon closer inspection, parts from the Texas City Fire Department trucks can be seen in the wreckage. (The Story Sloane Collection)
96 | Chapter Four Chapter Four | 97 One of the worst hotel fires in Houston’s history occurred at the Gulf Hotel, 314 Louisiana at Preston, on September 7, 1943. Fifty-five people lost their lives, most due to smoke inhalation. Thirty-six people were injured. It is believed the fire was caused by a mattress ignited by a cigarette. The Houston Fire Marshall’s Office had issued previous citations to this hotel regarding a lack of fire safety. (Houston Fire Museum)
98 | Chapter Four Top Left: Fire House No. 26, 3813 Broadway. In 1941, the city of Houston annexed the area called Park Place. The city took over the city hall and converted it into a Fire House. They breeched the center of the building to make an apparatus room and one of the wings served as the lounge and kitchen area, the other wing served as a dormitory. In the early 1950’s the building, which was built in 1930, began having problems. In 1953 the city was able to relocate the Fire House to 7111 Dixie Drive which still serves the citizens of Houston. (Earl McWilliams)
Above: Chief Vernon Dorsett in front of Fire House No. 2, located Bagby and Capitol. The dedication plaque for the building is seen behind the Chief. This plaque did not make it to HFD storage after the building was torn down when it closed in 1965. It is still missing after 39 years. This photo was taken in 1943. (Family of Vernon Dorsett)
Left: The crew of Central Fire Station. There are 37 Fire Fighters in this photo but there were 57 assigned to the Fire House. This included the Fire Chief and his Assistant Fire Chief and two Deputy Chiefs. The apparatus assigned to this Fire House was as follows: Fire Chief’s Car, Assistant Fire Chief’s Car, Deputy Chief’s Car and the off duty Deputy Chief’s car, one Engine, one Reserve Engine, Service Truck, Aerial Truck, Water Tower, Gasoline Truck, and a Service Car. (Family of Robert Edwards) Chapter Four | 99 100 | Chapter Four Top Left: Fire House No. 18 in 1947, located 5000 Telephone Road. The first two Fire Fighters from left to right Captain Andrew “Tiger” Tipps and John “Red” Adams. (Family of “Red” Adams)
Above: Fire House No. 17 located 519 Sampson. Fire Fighter on the left is Alvin “Buster” Green. This was very early in his career. (Family of “Buster” Green)
Left: Fire House No. 26 in 1944, located 3813 Broadway. The Fire Fighter on the left is Robert “Bob” Jacobs Sr. The Fire Fighter on the right is Walter Rector, he retired shortly after this photograph was taken. (Earl McWilliams)
Opposite Page: The crew of Fire House No. 10, From left to right, Pavlicek, civilian HFD Painter, Captain Wyne Legg, “Red” Evans, Doyle Ebel and Bill Brinegar. Photo taken 1949. (Doyle Ebel)
Chapter Four | 101 Above: J. B Martin in front of Engine 26, 1928 American LaFrance. Photographed in the apparatus bay of Fire House No. 26 in about 1946. J. B. proudly served the Houston Fire Department from 1931 to 1970. (Family of J. B. Martin)
Top Right: Fire House No. 27 built in 1940, located 6302 Lyons Avenue. When it opened it housed a 1940 Mack 750 GPM Engine. The crew consisted of one captain, one driver and five Pipe and Laddermen (Fire Fighters). (Houston Fire Museum)
Right: Fire House No. 31 built in 1947, located 522 Crosstimbers. When it opened it housed three trucks. 1944 American LaFrance 750 GPM Engine, 1940 Mack City Service Truck, and a 1946 White Water tank truck, with water capacity of 2,500 gallon. The crew consisted of two captains, three drivers and 10 Pipe and Laddermen (Fire Fighters). (Houston Fire Museum)
Opposite Page: Class of trainees that started February 1949. The group had just finished “Smoke School”. It was an HFD tradition to take a group shot of the men upon completion of the day’s activities. The Fire Fighter sitting in the front of the photo on the right was W. D. “Birdie” Thompson, whose outstanding career spanned 42 years. (Houston Fire Department)
102 | Chapter Four Chapter Four | 103 The crew of Engine 10 doing a hose drill. Two of the Fire Fighters are seen using the new, more efficient fog nozzles which replaced the old standard straight steam nozzles. Identified in this photo from left to right, Dee Leonard, Captain A. P. Hartman, Floyd Wilburn, Chauffeur Orville “Slim” Roberts and Robert “Shorty” Sullivan. Photo taken 1947. (Family of A. P. Hartman) 104 | Chapter Four The dynamic skyline of Houston would remain basically unchanged for the next 20 years. Stone and brick would give way to glass and steel as the downtown district would grow upward instead of outward. (Library of Congress) Chapter Four | 105