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Star Ledger - Letters to the Editor Posted July 15, 2007  

Dear Editor:     

I was saddened by the context in which the second article by

Brad Parks from the special series Crossroads places the deaths

of Newark Fire Captain Michael Moran and Newark Police Detective

Fred Toto. The reader is asked to consider that their deaths were

not caused by murdering snipers but by friendly fire as a result of

over aggressive police actions or frightened national guardsmen.

Are Moran and Toto any less worthy of being on the side of good? 

Were they not good guys? Or are they just stereo typed in the

article to make a point? These two fine men reported for duty on

the day of their deaths knowing full well what they were facing.

For years prior to that summer both men acted as they did the

night they died. They showed up for duty offering their lives to

the people of Newark. Now, 40 years later to have them listed

on some score sheet to help justify someone's opinion about

how they died is a sad statement about what we have learned

from the riot.  

John B. Sandella

Verona, NJ

The writer is president of Newark Fire Officers Union Local 1860

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http://www.nj.com/newark1967/    

John,     

Did they actually print your letter?  They didn't print the one I

wrote ten years ago when they neglected to even mention Mike

Moran was killed during the riots.  Anyone who showed up for

work those nights was a hero.   

Neal    

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Neal,

Congratulations on the Book and the web site.  Forty years later,

the rest of the world will finally know what our guys did.  I will be

sending in for a copy.  This is an important documentary of our

department. The historical value, to not only the general public

but to our brothers and their families is priceless.  Thanks Neal.

John

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Guys,  

If you get a chance, watch Point of View tomorrow (7/10)

at 10 - 11:30 pm. on Channel 13 PBS.  The show is a look at the

Newark riots.  I don't know if they even mention the fire

department, but it should be interesting.  I cover the FD end of

it in a book based on company journals and interviews.  Send

me an e-mail if you're interested.  

Neal  

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Neal,     

I understand that the PBS film makes a hero out of that bum,

Tom Hayden. In all that I have read in the Ledger no mention

is made of the outstanding work of the fire guys and the abuse

we took during those dark days. They all seem to discount the

sniper fire. I know that the National Guard did a lot of

unnecessary shooting, but LIFE magazine ran an exclusive

interview with people who identified themselves as snipers.

Also we recorded several instances of fire houses being taken

under fire including Six Engine when I was there as Fourth

Battalion Chief. Oh well, there is a tendency to rewrite history.

Take care,  

Ed Wall  

Chief,

I attended a discussion of the book "No Cause for Indictment"

at the New Jersey Historical Society for the sole purpose of

pointing out to the panelists that the NFD was actually around

during the riots.  Not only that, but if they hadn't been there

would have been no city to rebuild because you guys wouldn't

have put out the fires.  The room gave you a round of applause

for all your hard work.   

Neal  

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Neal,

I watched it last night. You’re right they neglected to mention

the Fire Dept. but it doesn’t surprise me, they had their own

agenda and let a Communist, Tom Haden do most of the talking.

I was there from beginning to end and he was the match that lit

the fire, and then his disappeared into the woodwork. I want your

book, just let me know the details of price and how to order.  

Frank Donaghy, NPD retired.

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Neal,

The book bought back a lot of memories for me, especially when

we were all recalled back to work. I spent that night on the corner

of 15th and Bergen with 4 truck, an Irvington engine, and 15's hose

wagon working a deluge set into a group of stores at that corner.

Stayed till relieved at 9am so I and other 3rd tour guys could go

home and get some sleep as we were due in at 6pm for our regular

tour. Then the fun really began. 

Jerry Knight

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Neal,

Great job in research and reporting the "RIOT."  I was driving Chief

of the Department Joe Redden during the "RIOT."  We stopped at

Engine 6 for a cup of coffee with the guys about 1 A.M that

Saturday. As we exited the gig we heard the sound of something

hitting the ground.  From the shadows of Engine 6 someone yelled

to get out of there.  It was then we noticed the flash of gunfire

coming from windows in the project across the street. We got out

of there in a hurry. What happened next is another story for your

next great book.  

Emil Nardone  

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Neal, 

I READ THE BOOK AND IT WAS VERY ACCURATE AND INFORMATIVE.

IT’S GREAT TO SEE THE TRUTH IN PRINT.   KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.   

JIM MOONEY 

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Neal, 

Great job on this site and your books. Were it not for you, the

legacy of our department would be lost. Much has changed since

the riots except for the dedication of our members. Your books

should be required reading for all new recruits.     

Tom McGovern  

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Neal, 

I am not a Newark F/F, but Springfield and Hunterdon has a

very special place in my heart,  I became a Millburn F/F in

1962 and after a few months on the job I began to wonder

just what this job (fire fighting) was all about.  Then

I heard about the Newark fire department allowing out of

town firefighters to ride out with them.  I decided to give it a try. 

As luck would have it in April of 1963 I walked into the firehouse

on Springfield and Hunterdon. 6 Engine, tour 1 was working.  I

met Captain Fred Grehl and his crew, firefighters Fred Walters,

Paul Hauser, Gary Conlan, and George Feeley.  Well, from l963

until 1967 I would spend as much of my free time (as my wife

would permit) there.  After awhile I would ride with 5 Truck

(Capt. Dan McCoy) and Rescue 1 (Capt Jim Morgan), but after

a few weeks I would be back at Springfield and Hunterdon. 

Captain Grehl (later to be Deputy Chief) really took me by the

arm into my first fire, a cockloft fire on Camden Street, where

I got to use the Burrell mask.  Along the way he encouraged

me to "get into the books" which I did.  Because of him I retired

from the Millburn Department after 25 year of service as Chief

of Department.  So Engine 6 and the members of tour 1 will

always have a special place in my heart.

Chief Lawrence Zazzera (retired)

Millburn Fire Department

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Neal,

    After reading "A View from the Firehouse" for the third time since I received it a week ago, I must thank you for this special book, a book which will keep alive the personal experiences that the Newark firefighters went through during that dark time.  It is also the story of the Newark Fire Department at its finest hours (days).  It is a book that every firefighter, not just in Newark but throughout the state, should read.  When they do I believe they will take a moment and give a tip of their hat and say "What an outstanding job those firefighters did under unbelievable conditions."  I do hope you have the time and energy to do a second book on the Department and the Riots.  I know I will be looking forward to it.  Thanks again for all your hard work on this important part of Newark history.  Stay well.

Chief Larry Zazzera

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Neal,

What can I say?? It's a GREAT book!! (A View from the Firehouse:  The Newark Riots) It really tells a story that's gone untold for 40 years, I loved it! I read it all in one day!! I couldn't put it down!! By the way, I gave you a review and some free advertising.

Hank Przybylowicz

Here's the link:

Newark Fire History

Neal,

I was ECSTATIC when I opened the package and saw your new book, Becoming a Firefighter.  Later that night, and the next, were spent reading it from cover-to-cover. I loved it!! I found it neither boring, or confusing. As I read each page my own memories came flooding back to me about areas of the city, the department, the guys I knew, and my own experiences.

Hank

Here's a link to my review:

Newark Fire History Becoming a Firefighter

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Hi Neal,

My name is Kim Theobald.  I'm a young teacher and think it is crucial for our younger generations to be introduced to this type of wonderful literature. There isn't a better way to tell the stories for generations to come. I can't put your books down and can't wait for your next books to be published!  Keep up the great work.

I used some of the stories from Becoming a Firefighter in my lesson today.  It fit in perfect, and the kids really enjoy reading them.  Thanks again.

-Kim

Thank you for the encouragement.  The effort you put out to comment and your thoughts add fuel to our little endeavor so we can keep going.  They are especially valuable to me because as a young teacher you can understand my desire to preserve the past so future generations can learn from it and maybe avoid some of my generation's mistakes.

Neal

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Neal,

I've received and enjoyed all the volumes of the oral history and thought

they were accurate. I grew up in Newark and had my last child at St

Michael Hospital four days before the riot in 1967. My brother-in-law and my father-in-law were both firemen. All the men I knew in the department are long retired or passed away. Thanks for all your hard work on this important history; I appreciate the work that went into writing them. Reading these books is a sad walk down memory lane.  

Pat Rush

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Neal,

Having been born and raised in Newark and living there during the July 1967 riots, I have vivid memories of that week. I remember my father going to work during the riots, he was a Captain in 18 Engine. His stories are also something I shall never forget. Thanks for preserving an oral history of this sad chapter in American history.

Al Machiaverna

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Your thoughts are welcome. Tell us what you think about the books, web-site, or any thing else that might help improve the Oral History Project.

Info:

The PBS documentary  on the Riots is being shown at different locations around the country with the filmmakers in attendance.  I attended one such showing and spoke with  the filmmakers. When I pointed out that there was no mention of the Fire Department's role, they acknowledged they had not spoken with any firefighters.  Afterwards they thanked me for my contribution to the afternoon's discussion and left with a copy of A View from the Firehouse, so they could learn what our guys had done.  Why do we have to work this hard just to get our guys credit for all they did?


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I attended the opening reception of the exhibit about the Riots at the New Jersey Historical Society.  The exhibit is professionally done and does try to include diverse points of view.  That being said, the NFD is not really mentioned.  I spoke with a woman from the company that produced the final audio/visual presentation and mentioned some points that I thought could use improvement.

The work and sacrifices of our guys are only mentioned implicitly.  One police officer who was interviewed spoke of his city burning, but not of the men who were fighting the fires.  Captain Moran is listed as having died from "suspected sniper fire" while responding to a "false alarm."  There is also a one sentence quote from his son Michael.

On one of the final panels of the exhibit, Kenneth Gibson is given credit for being a calming influence after the funeral of Martin Luther King, Jr., helping prevent of a repeat of what happened the previous July. There is no mention of the "burnings" that followed.

All in all the exhibit is worth seeing if you want to get a feel for what happened to Newark in July, 1967.  There is an attempt to include as many points of view as possible, although the slant of the presentation is more toward the "rebellion" view than the "riot" view.  The only point of view not included is that of the firefighter.


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Check out a program that is on the C-Span website.  The subject is the re-issuing of the book No Cause for Indictment by Ron Porambo.  This is the only book about the Riots that even mentions the NFD.  I was the first person from the floor to speak, trying to get some credit for our guys.