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Identification Card
Description
Ground Zero access identification card issued to William McCabe. The card includes a photograph, an American flag, and printed text that reads: "WTC 2001 | NYPD | WILLIAM MCCABE | LIEUTENANT." The various colored letters at the bottom refer to access to areas within Ground Zero, Pier 92, or Pier 94 complexes.
Historical Notes
On September 11, 2001, William McCabe was a Lieutenant Commander in the NYPD’s Detective Squad based out of the Internal Affairs Bureau. He and his partner responded to the escalating disaster, arriving at the World Trade Center shortly after the South Tower’s collapse. Until the end of November 2001, McCabe worked at Ground Zero. His responsibilities included escorting victims’ relatives to the site and to Piers 92 and 94, where he collected DNA samples from family members to aid in the identification of human remains. In July 2024, McCabe succumbed to lung cancer, linked to acute exposure to the toxins that permeated the World Trade Center site on 9/11 and lower Manhattan in the months that followed.
Feedback
  • Accession Number: C.2025.14.2
  • Dimensions: 4 in X 2.75 in
  • Dimensions (Metric): 10.16 cm X 6.985 cm
  • Source: Nicole McCabe
  • Credit Line: Donated in Memory of NYPD Lieutenant William T. McCabe, who answered the call on 9/11 and sacrificed for his city. The toll it took on him ultimately led to his passing too soon. His legacy of kindness, duty, and sacrifice lives on through his children: William and his wife Rebecca; Tara and her husband Richard; Nicole and Daniel, and his cherished grandchildren: Mackenzie, Abigail, and Corinne; and Nancy McCabe. This donation also honors the first responders and survivors who continue to endure the lasting effects of their sacrifice.
Keywords
Family Assistance Centers First RespondersHealth EffectsNew York City Police Department (NYPD)Rescue and RecoveryWitnesses
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