Vincent G. Danz

Vincent Danz
Vincent Danz in his NYPD uniform
Vincent Danz in his NYPD uniform
Born
Vincent Gabriel Danz

(1963-02-26)February 26, 1963
Queens, New York
DiedSeptember 11, 2001(2001-09-11) (aged 38)
World Trade Center, New York City
Cause of death
Collapse of the South Tower (September 11 attacks)
OccupationsPolice officer, Coast Guard sailor
Known forone of the first responders who was killed in the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001

Vincent Gabriel “Vinnie” Danz (February 26, 1963 – September 11, 2001) was a New York Police Department officer and a Port Security Specialist Second Class in the United States Coast Guard Reserve, who died responding to the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, on September 11, 2001.

Police career

Danz joined the Police Department after serving in the United States Marine Corps. He had been a Police officer for 14 years. He started on bicycle patrol. He was a member of the Emergency Services Unit. On September 11, 2001, he was killed on duty when the South Tower of the World Trade Center collapsed.

Legacy

Danz's name on panel S-24 at the South Pool of National September 11 Memorial & Museum.

Danz was the first Police Officer who died in the attacks to have a memorial service. New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani gave a eulogy.

In 2010, Charles "Skip" W. Bowen, who was then the Coast Guard's most senior non-commissioned officer, proposed that all the cutters in the Sentinel class should be named after enlisted sailors in the Coast Guard, or one of its precursor services, who were recognized for their heroism. On October 23, 2019, the Coast Guard announced that the 62nd Sentinel class cutter would be named the USCGC Vincent Danz.

On November 12, 2019, Karl Schultz, Commandant of the Coast Guard was joined by Bill de Blasio, Mayor of New York, James P. O'Neill, Police Commissioner, and John Sudnik, FDNY Fire Chief, to formally announce the ship's names.

References

  1. ↑ "ALCOAST 328/19 - OCT 2019 NEW FAST RESPONSE CUTTERS NAMED FOR COAST GUARD HEROES". US Coast Guard. October 23, 2019. Retrieved November 7, 2019. Port Security Specialist Second Class Vincent Danz. Petty Officer Danz ran to the scene of the 9/11 attacks, aiding victims and saving lives, before he lost his life when the World Trade Center collapsed.
  2. ↑ "Marines honor fallen members of armed forces". CNN. September 27, 2001. Retrieved November 8, 2019. Sgt. Mike Curtin, the reservist, Sgt. John Coughlin and Officer Vincent Danz were all part of the NYPD Emergency Service Unit and were among the first to enter the buildings after they were hit by hijacked jetliners.
  3. ↑ Larry Celona (September 16, 2001). "SEA OF SORROW FOR OUR FINEST : COURAGEOUS COPS WHO ARE STILL MISSING". New York Post. Retrieved November 8, 2019. Danz, of ESU Truck 3, started off as a housing cop on bike patrol in Queens, and rose up through the ranks to the department's most elite unit.
  4. ↑ Elissa Gootman (October 6, 2001). "A NATION CHALLENGED: THE POLICE DEPARTMENT; Another Series Of Last Rites Is Under Way". The New York Times. p. B10. Retrieved November 8, 2019. Today, for the first time, the New York Police Department symbolically laid to rest one of its own.
  5. ↑ Susan Schept (March 22, 2010). "Enlisted heroes honored". United States Coast Guard. Archived from the original on December 3, 2011. Retrieved February 1, 2013. After the passing of several well-known Coast Guard heroes last year, Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard Charles "Skip" Bowen mentioned in his blog that the Coast Guard does not do enough to honor its fallen heroes.
  6. ↑ "U.S. Coast Guard announces name for first Sentinel-class cutter". March 22, 2010. Archived from the original on March 25, 2010. Retrieved February 1, 2013. Previously designated to be named the Coast Guard Cutter Sentinel, the cutter Bernard C. Webber will be the first of the service's new 153-foot patrol cutters. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Thad Allen approved the change of the cutter's name to allow this class of vessels to be named after outstanding enlisted members who demonstrated exceptional heroism in the line of duty. This will be the first class of cutters to be named exclusively for enlisted members of the Coast Guard and its predecessor services.
  7. ↑ "FRC Plan B: The Sentinel Class". Defense Industry Daily. May 2, 2014. Archived from the original on July 7, 2014. Retrieved April 3, 2014. All of these boats will be named after enlisted Coast Guard heroes, who distinguished themselves in USCG or military service. The first 25 have been named, but only 8 have been commissioned...
  8. ↑ "Coast Guard releases names of next 10 Fast Response Cutters". Coast Guard News. Washington, DC. October 23, 2019. Archived from the original on October 28, 2019. Retrieved November 7, 2019. Continuing the Sentinel Class' tradition of honoring women and men who distinguished themselves while serving as enlisted Coast Guard members throughout the history of the Service, FRCs 55–64 bear the names of leaders, trailblazers and heroes of the Coast Guard and its forbearers.
  9. ↑ "Ceremony to Name Coast Guard Fast Response Cutters after NYPD and FDNY 9/11 Heroes Vincent Danz and Jeffrey Palazzo". September 11th Families Association. Retrieved November 8, 2019. There will be a ceremony to name two Coast Guard Fast Response Cutters after two Coast Guard Reservists who responded in their other capacities to the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.
  10. ↑ "Coast Guard Names New Cutters After 9/11 Heroes". Seapower magazine. New York City. November 12, 2019. Retrieved November 13, 2019. Danz, also a Coast Guard reservist, was a police officer with the emergency services unit in the Bronx and was helping victims at Ground Zero when the Trade Center collapsed.