[ BACK ]   [ Return to Album ]   [ NEXT ]


Siren and Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia atop the RCA Building, New York City, NY

New York Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia is shown in the operator's seat of this Chrysler-Bell Victory Siren atop the RCA Building.  New York City placed the very first order with Chrysler for the new siren and the siren pictured above was the first siren delivered and installed (1942).  Mayor LaGuardia played a high profile role in civil defense having been selected by Franklin D. Roosevelt to head the Office of Civilian Defense (OCD) that he had created by Executive Order in May 1941.  Following the December 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor LaGuardia was replaced by James Landis.