Three members of the Sons of the American Legion were among the thousands of victims who perished in the attack on the World Trade Center.

One of those killed was 45 year old Raymond York, Jr., a 20-year veteran of the New York City Fire Department and a charter member of Broad Channel, NY Sq. 1404.

 Ray had been injured on the job a year ago and had been assigned to light duty.

On the morning of the attack he was getting ready to participate in a public relations event at Rockefeller Center when heard about the first plane hitting the WTC.

Witnesses say Ray flagged down an ambulance and raced to the scene of the attack. His body was one of the first to be pulled from the rubble of the collapsed WTC the following morning. Ray leaves behind a wife and four children.

Another Son of the American Legion who lost him life in the WTC attack was 42 year old Edward Beyea, a Life Member of Bath, NY Sq. 173.

Ed was a computer programmer who worked for Blue Cross/Blue Shield in one of the WTC towers.

He was paralyzed from the neck down and confined to a wheelchair after a diving accident. Witnesses reported a friend of Ed’s made it out of the building, but went back inside to help him get out. They were last seen trying to maneuver down a stairway. Ed is survived by his mother. More information on Ed

The Third Son who lost his life was 38 year old Firefighter Gerald Atwood who worked with Ladder Co 21 in Manhattan for 8 years. He leaves behind wife Barbara, who is pregnant with their third child.

Gerald was born and reared in Brooklyn.  And being a firefighter "was pretty much a lifelong dream," she said. "He felt that was his calling."

Atwood graduated from South Shore High School and spent two years at Kingsborough Community College.

Atwood's whereabouts when the World Trade Center collapsed "is the big question," said his wife.

Possessed of an infectious laugh, Barbara said, "he liked simple things, doing projects, sharing tools, helping neighbors with their houses. Or he'd go on trips with his brothers, fishing trips." He had a wide range of interests and a retentive memory. "He'd read the paper and know everything in it, from politics to sports," she said.

Also surviving besides his son Gerald, 2, and daughter Margaret, 1, are his parents, Gerald and Elaine; brothers John, Raymond and Gregory, and sisters Jane and Elaine.

See Ray York's Tribute Page links HERE  or do your own Google search, you will find many pages.