Bracelet
- Description
- Metal memorial bracelet created in memory of Kenneth Thomas Watson and Richard T. Muldowney, Jr. The bracelet is engraved: "FF Richard Muldowney, Jr. Ladder 7 | FF Kenneth Watson Engine 214 | 9-11-01 FDNY." A small American flag is printed to the left of the names and a green shamrock to the right.
- Historical Notes
- Kenneth Watson grew up in Smithtown on Long Island and lived there with his wife, Susan, and their four children. He enjoyed camping, hunting, and riding horses. He was an ironworker before becoming a firefighter with FDNY Engine Company 214. A cousin, Richard Muldowney, also served in the FDNY. On September 11, both responded to the towers. Firefighter Muldowney was 40 years old. Firefighter Watson was 39.
Richard Muldowney lived in Babylon, Long Island, with his wife, Constance, and her two children. As a boy in Freeport, Richard built a fire truck out of wood scraps and directed it to imaginary fires. He later joined the FDNY and used his carpentry skills to help oversee renovations of the Ladder Company 7 firehouse. On September 11, Firefighter Muldowney responded to the North Tower. He was 40 years old.
Curator's Comment
Building on a tradition begun during the Vietnam War era to remember American prisoners of war and those missing in action, bracelets bearing the names of victims emerged after 9/11 as a way to honor those killed in the attacks. Some bracelets also bear personal inscriptions and images, including the American flag, the Twin Towers and the Pentagon, and insignia reflecting a victim’s status as a first responder. Whether worn by relatives and friends of the victim or by empathetic strangers, 9/11 memorial bracelets created an intimate connection to individual victims while also communicating a shared sense of loss and compassion.
- Accession Number: C.2015.14.1
- Dimensions: 0.625 in X 2.125 in X 0.5 in
- Dimensions (Metric): 1.5875 cm X 5.3975 cm X 1.27 cm
- Source: Glenn and Karen Watson
- Credit Line: Gift of Glenn and Karen Watson
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