Lt. Harry Wanamaker Jr. was a lifelong resident of Upper Nyack, New York, and the oldest of five children. A devoted husband of 43 years to his wife, Lynne, father of four, and grandfather, Harry’s two great loves were his family and firefighting.

Harry graduated from Nyack High School in 1961 and joined the Navy, becoming a parachute rigger at the U.S. Naval Air Station in Quonset Point, Rhode Island. Following time in the Navy, he worked as a patrolman with the Nyack Police Department and lineman at Orange & Rockland Utilities before landing the dream job that would define his career.

Harry was sworn into the FDNY in 1968. Coming from a large family with a long line of volunteer firefighters, such a legacy was expected. He led the fourth generation to volunteer with Empire Hook & Ladder Co. No. 1 and became the first of his family to serve as a professional in the FDNY. He felt that being a New York City firefighter was like playing for the New York Yankees.

For 34 years Harry served in some of the busiest companies, in Harlem during the 1970s, the South Bronx in the 1980s/90s, and Special Operations on Marine 1 on the lower West Side in the 1990s leading up to and during the events of September 11th. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1983 and during his career earned eight citations for acts of bravery, including the Columbia Association Medal of Valor in 1984 for entering a burning apartment and rescuing a 10-year-old boy from certain death. Harry had a reputation as an aggressive firefighter and spirited member of the FDNY with a deep love for the job.

On September 11th, Harry responded to the WTC and spent months working to recover victims and extinguish fires. In the days immediately following the attack, as part of his officer’s duties with Marine 1, he orchestrated the successful delivery of water from the Hudson River to the burning site despite numerous logistical challenges, through aggressive pumping that utilized his vessel, the Fireboat John D. McKean, to maximum capacity.

Harry retired on August 13, 2002. In retirement, he served as Commander of American Legion Blauvelt Post 310 and devoted time to reviving the Legion through membership recruitment, led a committee to reestablish the annual Nyack Memorial Day Parade after 30 years, and was a member of the Retired Fire Officers and the Vietnam Veterans Associations.

Harry was a devoted family man who loved to work in his garden, fish, spend time with friends, and through his generous nature, help elderly residents in his community.

Harry passed away on July 20, 2010, at the age of 67, of 9/11-related cancer.