10/02/2026
Thank you for sharing Desiree Pollan! If there are any other Fire Stations, Police Stations or other similar groups that would be willing to do the same- please contact us!
To be able to ride the engine or even just roll out of the engine bay is to inherit a tradition built on sacrifice, grit, and an unwavering commitment to something larger than ourselves. On both of my departments, we carry that weight long before we ever pull on our bunker gear. We also have the distinct honor or carrying three fallen heroes with us on every call, mounting the dog tags of veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice right onto our apparatus.
When the tones go off and the bay doors open, we do not roll alone. Resting on our rigs are the names of the souls who answered a different call years ago, those who laid down their lives in service to our nation.
Placing the dog tags on our trucks wasn't just about memorializing them; it was about making a promise. Our promise that every time our wheels hit the pavement, every time we pull up to a scene of chaos, uncertainty, or danger, we carry their legacy forward. We promise that their service is never trivialized and as long as these trucks roll, they ride with us, guiding our hands, watching our 6 and keeping our crews safe as we honor the ultimate promise:
We will never forget.
As a Volunteer Firefighter EMT (who is actually on 2 volunteer departments) I work fulltime for a metroplex hospital. I signed up to receive fallen soldiers dog tags with the promise to keep it some place safe you can see it, include them in your prayers and not to forget their sacrifice. They are made by a 16 year old Eagle Scout as project "We Will Remember", a registered 501c3. I will place 2 at Whitewright Fire Department and 1 at Telephone Fire Department.
The first tag is Cpl. Harry E. Waterman, US ARMY from Worcester County, Massachusetts. Cpl. Waterman was listed as KIA in World War Il when the H.M.T. Rohna he was on board was struck by a glide bomb that hit her port side and sank her. 1,015 US personnel were killed. Harry was declared "Missing in Action" in the sinking and later awarded The Purple Heart. At the time of his enlistment, he was employed as a manufacturer of boots and shoes. He will be carried on Whitewright Fire Department's Engine-10.
PFC Donald C Monroe, US ARMY from Worcester County, Massachusetts is the second tag. He was confirmed to have enlisted into World War Il as an infantryman. He was part of the "Yankee Division" of New England Ground Troops with the 104th Infantry Regiment, the 26th Infantry Division. He passed away at an Army Frontline Hospital in Europe although it is not known if it was at the Battle of Bulge or during the push into Germany. He was listed as DOW, "died of wounds." He will be riding on Telephone Fire Department's Tanker 2.
The third tag is T SG Spencer A Webster, US ARMY from Worcester County, Massachusetts. He was officially recorded as a Gold Star Veteran from Massachusetts who gave his life during World War II. He was first a volunteer who enlisted in the First Corps Area which covers the New England States. Not a lot is known but it is documented that
"During his service in World War II, Army Technical Sergeant Webster experienced a critical situation which ultimately resulted in the loss of his life.” T SG Webster was awarded the World War II Victory Medal, American Campaign Medal, Gold Star Veteran Line of Duty Death, Army Presidential Unit Citation, and Army Good Conduct Medal. He will be displayed on Whitewright Fire Department Brush-10.
We will never forget their sacrifice. They live on in the heartbeats of the stations. We remember the names, we honor the lives, and we carry their courage.
You carried the fight for us, and now we carry you. Rest easy heroes, we have the watch from here.
Telephone VFD, Whitewright Fire Department, We Will Remember
