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Ronald Paul Bucca

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Ronald Paul Bucca
Born(1954-05-06)May 6, 1954
New York City, New York, U.S.A
DiedSeptember 11, 2001(2001-09-11) (aged 47)
South Tower, World Trade Center, New York City, U.S
Cause of deathCollapse of the South Tower during the September 11 attacks
Firefighter career
DepartmentNew York City Fire Department
Service years1979–2001
Military career
Allegiance United States of America
Branch United States Army
Defense Intelligence Agency
Years of service1972–2001
RankCaptain
Battles / warsVietnam War

Ronald Paul Bucca (May 6, 1954 – September 11, 2001) was a New York City Fire Department Marshal killed during the September 11 attacks during the collapse of the World Trade Center. He was the only fire marshal in the history of the New York City Fire Department to be killed in the line of duty.

Military career

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Bucca had served in the United States Army as a Green Beret during the Vietnam War. Later, he would serve the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) as an analyst.[1] Becoming a warrant officer in the Army Reserve in 1986, he was subsequently injured on his civilian job as an FDNY firefighter, which cost him his qualifications as a paratrooper and ended his eligibility with the Army Special Forces, causing him to leave the service.[2][3]

Firefighting career

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Bucca's name is located on Panel S-13 of the National September 11 Memorial’s South Pool, along with those of other first responders.

Bucca was a 22-year veteran of the department; he was promoted to Fire Marshal in 1992. As such, he was one of the people who investigated the 1993 World Trade Center bombing[3] and the FDNY representative on the Joint Terrorism Task Force. By 2000, the fire department's seat was removed, and Bucca's position there relinquished.[2]

After responding to the September 11, 2001 attacks, Bucca ascended to the impact zone at the Sky Lobby on the 78th floor of the South Tower of the World Trade Center, along with Battalion Chief Orio Palmer.[4] The two men, both experienced marathon runners, are believed to have made it to the highest floor of any first responders in either tower before the building collapsed.[2] His body was found on October 23, 2001 and identified using his badge. Bucca was the only fire marshal in the history of the New York City Fire Department to be killed in the line of duty.[5]

Legacy

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In 2003, military police named the principal detainee holding camp in Iraq "Camp Bucca".[6]

At the National 9/11 Memorial, Bucca is memorialized at the South Pool, on Panel S-14, along with those of other first responders killed in the attacks.[7]

DIA honors Bucca each year through an annual award named after him. The award is given to a military reservist who demonstrates excellence in fulfilling the counterterrorism mission, the area that Bucca worked while at DIA.[8]

Bucca's son, Ron Bucca Jr. joined the Green Berets at age 23, motivated to pursue terrorists like those responsible for the death of his father.[3] He rose to the rank of Master Sergeant, and by 2021, had been through five combat tours.[9]

References

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  1. ^ "Defense Intelligence Agency Reservist Made it His 'Mission in Life' to Save New Yorkers fr". Defense Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 2024-10-15.
  2. ^ a b c Clinton, Randall A. "Camp Bucca, Iraq flag presented to namesake's family". New York City Public Affairs. United States Marine Corps. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  3. ^ a b c "9/11 Stories: Alumnus and FDNY Fire Marshal Ronald P. Bucca Climbed to the 78th Floor of the South Tower and Sacrificed His Life to Save Others | John Jay College of Criminal Justice". www.jjay.cuny.edu. Retrieved 2024-10-15.
  4. ^ Dwyer, Jim; Fessenden, Ford (4 August 2002). "Lost Voices of Firefighters, Some on the 78th Floor". The New York Times. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
    Daly, Michael (11 September 2014). "The Flying New York Fireman Who Shined on 9/11". The Daily Beast. New York. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  5. ^ Clinton, Sgt. Randall A. (16 Sep 2010). "Camp Bucca, Iraq flag presented to namesake's family". Communication Directorate. Marines.mil. Retrieved 2024-10-15.
  6. ^ "Camp Bucca Joint Operations Base in Umm Qasr, Iraq". Military Bases. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  7. ^ "Ronald Bucca". National 9/11 Memorial. Archived from the original on September 20, 2022. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
  8. ^ "DIA remembers 9/11". Defense Intelligence Agency. September 11, 2014. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  9. ^ Daly, Michael (September 11, 2021). "This Son of an FDNY Legend Hunted His Dad's 9/11 Killers Through Five Combat Tours". Daily Beast. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
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