"Today, on a wall on the West side of Vanderbilt Hall in Grand Central Terminal in New York, a large bronze plaque survives which lists the names and titles of one hundred fourteen (114) recipients of the New York Central Lines Valor Medal. At the top of the plaque is a medallion depicting the obverse of the Valor Medal. Under this, is the inscription: “NEW · YORK · CENTRAL · LINES , HONOR-ROLL”. Under this line, is the inscription: “In · Recognition · of · Employees · who · at · the · Risk · of · their · Lives/ Saved · others ·” Underneath, there are four (4) panels which list the recipients by year. The first three (3) panels were cast in bronze. The last panel affixed, listing the Valor Medal recipients from 1949 through 1963, was a flat panel with the names of the recipients applied. The elaborate plaque itself is a fine example of the sculptor’s art and may have also been designed by Robert Ingersoll Aitken. Since Aitken died in 1949, this could explain why the last panel was not designed and then cast in a foundry like the other panels.
The New York Central Lines Valor Medal recipients listed on the left panel of the plaque are as follows:
1926
Arthur Beckner, Brakeman
T. A. Crotty, Locomotive Engineer
E. Dombroski, Sergeant of Police
W. Gallagher, Locomotive Fireman
Frank Gribble, Deckhand
Frank Halpin, Section Foreman
Lewis Little, Conductor
Henry Mansfield, Locomotive Engineer
W. E. Reckner, Brakeman
P. J. Reidy, Clerk
Harry Slattery, Locomotive Fireman
Samuel Sommerville, Deckhand
David Thomas Jr., Brakeman
W. G. Waechtler, Chief Signal Inspector
C. D. Yeazel, Brakeman
1927
Elwin S. Ballou, Locomotive Engineer
Thomas E. Corrigan, Yardmaster
John P. Dunne, Trainmaster
James Ferrier, Deckhand
D. C. James, Locomotive Fireman
Miss Jessie C. Knight, Stenographer
Louis E. Lounsbery, Crossing Watchman
William E. Mulherin, Conductor
Henry Nauman, Crossing Watchman
W. R. Stewart, Brakeman
M. B. Truax, Locomotive Engineer
1928
William Anger, Car Inspector
Warren A. Clark, Locomotive Engineer
David F. Delaney, Switchtender
James G. Gibson, Floatman
Raymond G. Kaiser, Section Foreman
Charles E. Kloack, Yardmaster
William Macirynski, Car Repairman
H. Frank Myers, Conductor
T. V. Withcuskey, Brakeman
Clark H. Wolf, Hostler
1929
William James, Train Porter
Wm. F. Mackie, Locomotive Fireman
The New York Central Lines Valor Medal recipients listed on the left center panel of the plaque are as follows:
1929 (continued)
Thomas W. Malone, Yard Clerk
Arthur E. Marsh, Signal Foreman
Harry M. Miller, Locomotive Engineer
Ira Charles Ott, Station Agent
William Pfister, Patrolman
Clarence E. Smith, Conductor
1930
Howard P. Case, Conductor
Leo F. Cox, Section Foreman
Harvey F. Cundiff, Station Agent
Augustus Kiernan, Freight Handler
John A. Lugar, Signalman
1931
James H. Ferrier, Marine Freight Handler
Thomas J. Flynn, Station Baggageman
Louis H. Klaer, Machinist Apprentice
Jerome T. Mahoney, Conductor
D. J. McCarthy, Conductor
C. A. Montgomery, Crossing Watchman
1932
Bernard J. Deegan, Switchman
Walter H. Wilson, Telegrapher
1933
Frederick D. Karn, Conductor
Bernard Zeller, Deckhand
1934
James G. Bennett, Machinist
Phillip B. Garrison, Asst. Supvr. Track
John A. Ryan, Foreman
1935
Raymond F. Englander, Trucker
1938
John A. Cappiello, Crossing Watchman
Fred Anson Wampler, Captain of Police
William M. Murray, Crossing Watchman
The New York Central Lines Valor Medal recipients listed on the right center panel of the plaque are as follows:
1939
Leo Lee, Brakeman
Frank Haley Anderson, Yardmaster
Earl W. Griswold, Fireman
Mert Cook, Yard Conductor
Henry B. Errett, Locomotive Engineer
Dutton Carter, Electrician
1940
Edward Reich, Painter
Michael I. Grabala, Painter
1941
Lester L. Ziler, Brakeman
Verne C. Frizzell, Fireman
1942
Russel L. Brant, Locomotive Engineer
Clyde Dennis Tracy, Brakeman
1943
Joseph Mattiucci, Section Laborer
John Resko, Bridgetender
Walter Sarell, Switchman
1945
John Henry Crane, Signal Foreman
Samuel Leonard Rifkin, Conductor
Giacomo Mazzoli, Section Laborer
1946
Joseph A. Baccomo, Section Laborer
Rocco Romeo, Floatman
Charles H. Frederich, Marine Fireman
1947
John Butler Reynolds, Section Foreman
Chester Joseph Rowe, Section Foreman
John Van Dover, Deckhand
1948
Lowell Earl Arnett, Brakeman
Stark Aga, Deckhand
The New York Central Lines Valor Medal recipients listed on the right panel of the plaque are as follows:
1949
Louis Francis Mahern, Boilermaker
Jesse Lyne Yohe, Electric Welder
Clarence Ross Cook, General Yardmaster’s Clerk
1951
John Edward Driscoll, Electric Helper
Samuel Vesche, Locomotive Crane Fireman
1952
Joseph John Siebold, Brakeman
James Peter Stripp, Deckhand
Theodore, Gulick Lord, Deckhand
Andrew Michael Bohan, Mason Foreman
John Elmer McKim, Fireman
1953
Francis Lawrence Hoffman, Assistant District Manager of Locomotives
1954
Roman William Kaminski, Switchtender
Thomas Charles Speed, Assistant Conductor
1956
Bernard Patrick Powers, Patrolman
1958
Charles Raymond Geer, Brakeman
Clyde Elwood Fletcher, Brakeman
1959
John Thomas Matthews, Fireman
Admiral Crone, Yard Brakeman
Joseph Symbala, Yard Brakeman
Russell Arbogast Weller, Fireman
1961
William Joseph Murphy, Brakeman
1963
William John Bowen, Brakeman"
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