Donald P. Molony
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Donald P. Molony | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1928 |
| Died | 2002 |
| Service | United States Coast Guard |
| Rank | Petty Officer Third Class |
| Known for | B-25 collison with the Empire State Building First Responder |
| Awards | Navy Commendation Ribbon / Commendation Medal Letter of Commendation from the Mayor of New York |
Petty Officer Third Class Donald P. Molony (1928–2002) was a Coast Guard apprentice pharmacist's mate from Detroit in New York on furlough when the 1945 Empire State Building B-25 crash occurred during heavy fog. During the crash one of the bomber's engines cut the elevator cable and sent the elevator car and its operator Betty Lou Oliver hurtling to the basement of the building 79 floors below. She survived the impact but was severely injured. Molony and the firefighters with much difficulty were able to extract Oliver from the elevator car where PO3 Molony was able to administer first aid, saving her life.
After Ms. Oliver was stabilized Molony proceeded to respond to the impact sight on the 79th floor where he started looking for victims he found, treated, and escorted several people to safety.[1][2] For his effort, he received The Navy Commendation Ribbon.
References
[edit]- ^ "Unsung Coast Guard Rescue: The Empire State Building Crash". The Maritime Executive. Retrieved 2024-08-11.
- ^ "Lake Washington & Everett Council - NLUS - An unsung hero: USCG Petty Officer Donald Molony". www.lakewashnlus.org. Retrieved 2024-08-11.