Lieutenant Bill Wallace began his career at the youthful age of 23, earning a whopping $12,890.00 per year.  Within six months he was engaged in fighting the fire of his career, doing battle with the insidious monster on a great scale.  This very fire netted several rescues, but also almost cost Bill’s Captain, Donnie Mayhew his life and landed Firefighter John Bruton in Intensive Care in the hospital.

 Bill was soon transferred to Engine 20 and after many attempts to transfer to Engine 9 and Rescue Squad 2, resided to studying for and making Pumper Driver at that house.

Happy Retirement

Lieutenant William O. Wallace, Jr.

Appointed – October 11, 1977

Assigned to Engine 21 – December 25, 1977

Assigned to Engine 20 – October 28, 1978

Promoted to Pumper Driver at Engine 20 – April 17, 1983

Promoted to Sergeant at Engine 16 – December 2, 1990

Promoted to Lieutenant at Engine 16 – February 24, 1991

Detailed to Truck 2 as Acting Captain – February 10, 2002

Returned as Lieutenant to Engine 16 – July 14, 2002

Retired with 26 years, 3 months from Engine 16 – January 11, 2004

 

 

He remained there until being promoted to Sergeant and Acting Lieutenant at Engine Company 16.  He never looked back and spent the next 13 years as a Lieutenant at Engine Company 16, first on Platoon 2 and later finishing his career on Platoon 1, being driven by the venerable Wagon Master, J.R. “Otis” Hayden. 

On Friday night, January 9th, approximately 80 persons, including: members of Bill’s family, several retired officers, including Tommy Keelan, who was Bill’s Sergeant on his first day on the job at Engine 21, many members from all four platoons and the top operational officers of the department; were in attendance for a wonderful dinner and roast to Bill.

Of special note is the fact that one of the attendees was Bill’s current BFC, Mike Willis, who was running the line on Engine 16 on a first-due second alarm fire, 57 minutes after Bill reported for his first shift at Engine 16.  Mike at the time though was riding Layout on the wagon.

Bill was very grateful for the wonderful gifts presented to him and was very touched to have each of his immediate family members remark on their feelings as to his retirement.  His wife Holly, daughter Randi and sons, Trent and Troy each had wonderful sentiments to convey to Bill.

Thus, we pay homage and tribute to a man with true conviction for the proper order of things in life and the sworn oath of duty to his employer, the District of Columbia Fire Department.  Apt words could apply to no one better than Lieutenant Bill Wallace than those of Sir Winston Churchill, when he said, “We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give!”  That, my friends is the essence of Bill Wallace.  May he enjoy his well-deserved retirement as each of us here at DCFD.COM wish him the very best.