N.Y. fire unit promotes 168

NEW YORK -- New York promoted 168 firefighters on Sunday and no one laughed or beamed with pride. There was only heartache.

These were the replacements for a fire department command structure that was eviscerated in a few moments on Tuesday morning, when the World Trade Center toppled. Their promotions were a necessity, not a joy.

With nearly 300 firefighters lost beneath the remains of the twin towers, Mayor Rudolph Giuliani compared the promotions to battlefield commissions awarded during wartime.

Giuliani hailed the firefighters as heroes.