NYC-WTC_000230691

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

Brother-in-arms to yesterday^s heroes > Tf the spirit of a missing hero with the 17th Airborne Division. Fontana seemed like family. I can go to war, then Firefight- established the smallest details of Leary's bravery, interviewing soldiers who had “1 said to myself, ‘This guy is related to me somehow,’ the spirit he had,” she re- they read the letter. He continued to re­ search the heroism of other soldier-fire- fighters, and he made sure not to miss n < Aer David Fontana was been in the 11-man patrol he had volun- membered. the premiere of “Band of Brothers” on a whooshing with our armed forc­ teered to lead across a river into Germa- Afterward, Leary was unsure how to television. es through the Afghan night. ny on Feb. 8,1945. thank Fontana. She finally decided to Leary had been wounded and, like a send him a Waterford clock. He answers call “He would probably sign up,” his wife, true New York City fireman, he had insist- “Let this serve as a reminder of the time rphe next morning, Fontana left his ; Marian Fontana, said yesterday. “I think A wife and their five year-old son Aidan ' on staying behind to cover his men ed you gave to ait of us to get to know our fa- i he really would have loved the fervor of I the country right now. He was just very passionate about the flag.” whUe they retreated. He was listed as missing for five years, when a German farmer notified authori- ther and celebrate his deeds,” Leary wrote in the accompanying letter. Leary tried to convey to work a 24-hour shift at Squad 1, He was just coming off duty and preparing to join her in celebrating their eighth an- I a Fontana was the nephew of a soldier killed in the Battle of the Bulge, and he ties that he had found exactly what Fontana’s ef- niversary when the first plane flew into a some dog tags. forts had meant: the World Trade Center. had made it his mission to honor the 33 Fontana also managed New York City firefighters who died in “Dave, J was a baby Fontana hopped on the rig and rode combat during World War 11. He spent at to track down Leary’s when my father was off, as brave as any soldier ever was. family members, and he kilted and never mourned Word that he was missing reached Leary ©

e least two years digging through military archives, tracking down veterans and invited them to the me­ morial, Leary’s daugh- DALY his loss. My brother and I ncver knew him. Of through a nephew who is a Fire Depart- ment EMS worker. Leary wrote a second contacting relatives. jter, Carolyn, expected “He just thought they should be remem­ course, there were times I letter, this one to Marian Fontana. bered,” Marian Fontana said. only ’ a brief, modest cere- wept because 1 did not “1 am convinced that Dave was wel- GO o Last March, David Fontana organized a mony. She arrived to see have a father. Makir^Fa- corned in heaven by my father. ...lam H tker's Day cards was never part of my ex- qIsq convinced that he is safe and being H firehouse ceremony to honor two fire- 'a huge crowd at the firehouse where her fighters who had worked at Ladder 122 father , had long ago sat her on the perience, and in high school the father- cared for with great dignity.” in South Brooklyn before heading off to bumper of the tig. daughter dance was very painful. Fontana was stUI missing yesterday. 00- fight the Nazis. 'Like family “Yon gove me the chance to mourn the when word came that our armed forces KJ ITphen, from out of the throng came big, “ great man, and for this 1 am eter- had begun to strike back against those K3 Eugene Steffens had been a co-pilot X smiling David Fontana. nally grateful. You gave my brother and I who had murdered thousands in down- o s O with the 838th Squadron of the Army Air • Corps. Fontana had even managed to lo­ “I said, ‘You’re an incredible person, the opportunity to rejoice in the memory town Manhattan. We can be sure that the o cate men who had been flying alongside you’re just a wonder man. What pos- of a hero. We learned things about his kindred spirits of Firefighters David Fon- Steffens on Aug. 5, 1944, when his B -17G sessed you to do this?’ " Leary recalled, death that we never knew, and you gave tana and John Leary are riding with our o Jfomber exploded during a raid on an air­ “He said he just had to do it. He felt my ta- us a chance to get to know him through pilots, sol diers and sailors. craft factory in Magdeburg, Germany , ther hadn’t gotten the recognition.” his heroism.” “We’ve got to show them what we’re I ' John Leary had been a first lieutenant ' This fireman she had never'seen before ' Fontaria and his wife both cried when' made of,” Carolyn Leary said.'' ' o

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NYC-WTC_000230691