Roll of Honor
John Joseph McCauley
Incident
Supervising Fire Marshal Jack McCauley died as the result of cancer that he developed following his assignment to the search and recovery efforts at the World Trade Center site following the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks.
Supervising Fire Marshal McCauley had served with the New York City Fire Department for 29 years and served with the New York City Fire Department - Bureau of Fire Investigation for 24 years.
September 11, 2001 - The Years After
Supervising Fire Marshal John Joseph McCauley was assigned to the search and recovery at the World Trade Center site after September 11, 2001. He was 45 years old that fall.
He died on May 28, 2022 - 20 years and 8 months later - of an illness contracted there. He was 65.
He is one of 599 officers honored here.
The most recent of these deaths was October 24, 2025.
Officers who worked the search, rescue, and recovery at the World Trade Center site breathed contaminated air for weeks and months afterward. Many developed cancers and respiratory disease, and they have gone on dying of it ever since.
Seventy-two officers were killed on the morning itself. Hundreds more have died in the years that followed. They are honored here together, because the same attack killed them all. With some it simply took longer.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife, four children, and eight grandchildren.
Biography
Supervising Fire Marshal Jack McCauley died as the result of cancer that he developed following his assignment to the search and recovery efforts at the World Trade Center site following the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks. Supervising Fire Marshal McCauley had served with the New York City Fire Department for 29 years and served with the New York City Fire Department - Bureau of Fire Investigation for 24 years. He was awarded the rank of supervising fire marshal in 1990 and retired in 2008. Following his retirement, he spent his time traveling with his wife and friends, being with his grandchildren, and volunteering at the Commack Volunteer Ambulance Corps. He was also a licensed ham radio operator, a notary public, and an avid player of Evony on his iPad. He was known for his sense of humor, generosity, willingness to help all, his ability to command and execute in difficult situations, and dedication to his family. The oldest of nine children, he is survived by his wife, Gail, his four children, and eleven grandchildren.
QNBAS
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NY-2BF10080- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- September 27, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Also honored at ladder.nw, requiem.nw. One record, 3 gates. John is one person.
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Tributes
You walked into it and it took years to finish the job.
Supervising Fire Marshal McCauley gave the New York City Fire Department 29 years.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Supervising Fire Marshal McCauley.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Supervising Fire Marshal John Joseph McCauley is one of 1 officers lost to illness connected to their service across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,787 officers honored here.
In NY, 629 of 2,147 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 29.3% of this state's fallen. That is 29.3 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At New York City Fire Department - Bureau of Fire Investigation, 1 of 3 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 33.3% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John Joseph McCauley's cause is highlighted.
How John Joseph McCauley Compares
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. John Joseph McCauley is highlighted in May.
Incident Location
Where the Name Is Cut
FDNY World Trade Center Memorial Wall
New York State Fallen Firefighters Memorial · Panel 1 Top
Also Remembered
FDNY World Trade Center Memorial Wall · New York State Fallen Firefighters Memorial — requiem.nw →
Others Who Wore This Badge
2 officers from New York City Fire Department - Bureau of Fire Investigation are honored on badge.nw.
