BATTALION CHIEFS

The rank of Battalion Chiefs was established on June 1, 1912 (22 years after the department started). It then was eliminated in 1963 and then reestablished in 1978. Because the rank has been intermittent in PFD history many but not all Deputy and Assistant Chiefs held a Battalion Chief rank first, but they are pictured on the Deputy or Assistant Chiefs pages of the web site.

DEPUTY CHEIFS

ASSISTANT CHIEFS

CHIEFS

Battalion Chiefs

Occasionally the rank of provisional battalion chief has appeared in ball books. Civil Service allows a department to make provisional appointments, only in the absence of a civil service list for that particular rank. Once the list is posted, if one is not high enough to be promoted, one has the choice of being demoted or retiring. Typically anyone who has 25 years of service and does not rank high enough will usually retire rather than face demotion. Anyone shown here is (was at retirement) an actual battalion chief.

John Specht

Charles C. Nolan

Frank Dowdall

John Specht March 20, 1890 - Lieutenant September 17, 1905 - Captain January 20, 1911 - Battalion Chief June 8, 1912

Charles C Nolan July 1, 1905

Frank Dowdall, October 1, 1913

John Craig

Louis Rotella

Alfred Gallagher

John Craig August 1 1927 - Badge # 245 - Served Truck 2 - Appointed Captain 1942 at Truck 3 and then in 1947 at Truck 2- Promoted to BC January 1, 1950 - Passed away March 22, 1951

Louis Rotella appointed December 1, 1947 - Badge #86 – Served as Sergeant US Army July 31, 1943 thru November 30, 1946 – Served as FF & Captain E9

Alfred ("Ollie") T. Gallagher – Appointed February 1, 1954 - Badge #52 - Served as Sergeant in US Army April 24, 1951 thru April 4, 1953 – German Occupation Ribbon - Appointed February 1, 1954 -Promoted to Captain January 1, 1969 - Battalion Chief October 1, 1982 - Retired 1994

John Vanderhook

Thomas Alala

Vic Diddio

John Vanderhook - Appointed March 1, 1956 - Badge 22 – Served as Sergeant US Army October 15, 1951 thru September 25, 1954

Thomas Alala – Served in US Air Force as Airman 1/c January 1, 1951 thru August 17, 1954 – Appointed December 1, 1956 – Badge #220 - Assigned E7 – Promoted to Captain and then Battalion Chief

Vittorio “Vic” Diddio – Served as Corporal USMC October 3, 1956 thru September 30, 1958 – Appointed PFD February 1, 1961 – Badge # 64 – E4 – Promoted to Captain – Promoted to Battalion Chief

John Elwood

Angelo Mazza

Albert Captor

John Elwood – Served as Corporal in US Army February 21, 1951 thru February 23, 1953 – Appointed PFD March 1, 1960 – Badge # 242 – Served E9 Tour 3 – Promoted Captain July 1, 1972 Squad 1 Tour 2 – Battalion Chief April 29, 1978

Angelo Mazza December 1, 1962

Albert Captor September 1, 1963

James Carrie Jr.

Domenic Cotroneo Jr.

Michael P. Fleming

James Carrie Jr. - Served as Airman 1/c in US Air Force April 5, 1950 thru March 22, 1955 - Appointed PFD September 1, 1963 - Battalion Chief - Retired August 1, 1990

Domenick Cotroneo Jr. Served Airman 2/c US Air Force July 1950 thru November 1953 - Appointed PFD September 1, 1963

Michael P. Fleming – Served as Specialist US Navy US Navy November 28, 1958 thru December 11, 1962 – Appointed PFD September 1, 1963

Larry Mazza

Albert Rosiello

Leonard Saia

Larry Mazza September 27, 1963

Albert J. Rosielllo – Served as Damage Control Petty Officer 3c - Appointed September 27, 1963 – Served as Damage Control 3 Officer US Navy June 3, 1951 thru June 14, 1955

Leonard Saia September 27, 1963 -

James Davidson

William J. McCabe

James Ramundo

James E. Davidson May 1, 1964

William J McCabe US Navy Reserve E-3 December 1, 1962 – Appointed PFD May 1, 1964 – Badge # 256 - Truck 3, Tour 4 - Promoted to Captain and Battalion Chief

James Ramundo May 1, 1964 - Served as Sergeant in US Army January 1959 thru August 1962

Herbert Stride

Edward Allen

Joseph Guerrieri

Herbert Stride May 1, 1964

Edward Allen Appointed May 1, 1965 - Served US Navy August 26, 1956 thru October 2, 1959 - Appointed Captain 1977, Appointed BC in 1991, retired 1995. Served E1 ,E3 (Riverside), Squad 1, E10, E7 (Southside) - As Captain Floating. Squad 1, E13, E3 (Lakeview ) - Battalion 3 (Riverside)

Joseph Guerrieri - Served in NJ Air National Guard April 15, 1960 - Appointed PFD May 1, 1965

Thomas Coppo

Robert Meyers

Terrence Pelligrino

Thomas K. Coppo – Served as Airman 2/c US Air Force January 19, 1955 thru October 16, 1957 – Appointed PFD July 22, 1966 - Promoted to Captain May 16, 1975 – Promoted to Battalion Chief - Retired May 1, 1991

Robert S. Meyers - Served as Petty Officer 2/c US Navy September 15, 1958 thru January 25, 1961 -Appointed PFD January 1, 1966 - Became Paterson's Fie Director after retirement

Terrence Pelligrino August 1, 1966

George Asbaty

Richard Warner

Arthur Menzo

George Asbaty – Served as PFC US Army July 22, 1957 thru July 14, 1959 - Appointed PFD September 14, 1966 – Badge # 187 - Promoted to Captain October 1, 1977 – Promoted to Battalion Chief

Richard Warner December 1, 1967

Arthur D. Menzo – Served as Specialist E4 in US Army September 29, 1961 thru September 29, 1963 – Good Conduct Medal - Appointed PFD August 1, 1968 – Badge # 142 - 1971 E13 -

Earl Plavier

William Slootmaker

Arnold Frey

Earl Plavier - Served in US Army in Vietnam starting September 12, 1968 - Appointed PFD August 1, 1968 - Badge 264 - Captain October 1, 1977 - Battalion Chief September 21, 1991 - Died October 4, 2006 (37 years of service)

William Slootmaker Served Specialist 5th Grade US Army July 6, 1964 thru June 27, 1966 - Appointed August 1, 1968

Arnold Frey April 11, 1969

Peter Peterson

Chris Ricciardi

Alex Creddio

Peter Peterson November 1, 1972

Chris Ricciardi January 1, 1976

Alex Creddio Appointed July 1, 1977 - Served Truck 3, E1, L1. E4 - Captain E4 - Battalion Chief

Richard Nicholas

Anthony Puglia

William Duncan

Richard A. Nicholas – Served as E5 in US Navy August 1957 thru September 1969 – Appointed PFD November 1, 1977 (as a Captain)

Anthony “Tony” Peter Puglia – Served as Specialst 4 in US Army from February 20, 1968 thru February 19, 1971 – Received Purple Heart (shrapnel wounds to the neck), Bronze Star, Commendation Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, Vietnam Service Medal - Appointed PFD July 23, 1978 – Badge 284

William Duncan August 11, 1980

Philip Bartolotto

Mark Ricciardi

Robert Hrib

Philip Bartolotto June 20, 1983

Mark Ricciardi June 27, 1983

Robert Hrib June 27, 1983

Peter Crampton

Glen Vetrano

Thomas Behnke

Peter Crampton February 17, 1986

Glen Vetrano June 2, 1986

Thomas Behnke May 15, 1989

Robert Stemmler

John Daly

Christopher Babcock

Robert Stemmler May 7, 1990

John Daly April 1, 1985

Christopher Babcock May 7, 1991

Charles Onorato

Gabriel Abouyan

Michael D'Arco

Charles Onorato May 7, 1991

Gabriel Abouyan May 18, 1992

Michael D'Arco May 18, 1992 - Retired 2017

Robert Poloniak

David Alexander

Donald Langevin

Robert Poloniak May 18, 1992 - Retired 2017

David Alexander June 1, 1993 - Retired February 1, 2019

Donald Langevin June 1, 1993

Brian Rathbone

Luis Cruz

John Hensz

Brian Rathbone June 1, 1993

Luis Cruz Served as US Army Specialist 4th class Infantryman April 23, 1991 - July 31 1994 - Army Service Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal, National defense Service Medal, Marksman Badge, Armed Forces Expedition Medal, Rifle Expert Badge, Combat Infantry Badge, Humanitarian Service Medal - Battle of Mogadishu (Black Hawk Down) - Appointed PFD June 12, 1995 - E7, E6 (Rescue), T2, then L3 T3 - Captain December 18, 2006 (covering T3) - Battalion Chief May 2015 - B3 T1