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Marine veteran and Boston firefighter dies after rescue efforts at massive house blaze

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A veteran Boston firefighter and Marine Corps veteran was killed while battling a three-alarm house fire in Dorchester, city officials said Sunday.

Firefighter Robert “Bobby” Kilduff Jr., a 24-year veteran of the Boston Fire Department and member of Rescue 2, died after responding to the fire Saturday night on Treadway Road.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Robert T. Kilduff who tragically [was] killed in the line of duty tonight at a 3-alarm fire on Treadway Road,” the Boston Fire Department wrote in a statement posted to social media.

Mayor Michelle Wu called Kilduff a hero and said all residents safely escaped the fire because of the efforts of firefighters on scene.

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“Boston lost a hero,” Wu said. “Firefighter Robert Kilduff, Jr. came from a family of firefighters, and he held this calling as the highest duty to serve and protect. Because of his actions, working alongside his fellow firefighters, every resident came out of the flames safe and sound.

“On behalf of the City of Boston, we extend our deepest condolences to the Kilduff family and all of Bobby’s loved ones,” she continued. “The Kilduff family has given everything in service to this country and this City.

“Boston will forever honor Firefighter Kilduff’s dedication and service with the most profound gratitude.”

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Fire Commissioner Rodney Marshall described Kilduff — affectionately known as “BK” — as a respected firefighter from a family deeply rooted in the department.

“Bobby, affectionately known as BK, was a dedicated firefighter, a proud member of a family deeply rooted in the fire service, and a respected brother to all who had the privilege to serve beside him,” Marshall said. “He embodied the courage, commitment, and selflessness that define this profession.”

According to Boston 25 News, Kilduff, 53, suffered critical injuries after falling from the third floor of the burning home while crews worked to extinguish the blaze. 

FOX 25 in Boston reported that firefighters and EMS personnel attempted lifesaving measures, but Kilduff later died from his injuries.

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FOX 25 in Boston also reported that Kilduff had participated in a technical rescue earlier the same day, helping save another person before responding to the fatal fire.

Gov. Maura Healey ordered flags at state buildings across Massachusetts lowered to half-staff in Kilduff’s honor.

“Heartbroken by the loss of Boston firefighter Bobby Kilduff Jr., who gave his life while battling a fire in Dorchester,” Healey wrote on X. “As a Marine and third-generation firefighter, Bobby dedicated his life to protecting others.

“Countless people are alive today because of his courage and service — including the five residents who made it out of that building safely.

“Keeping his family and the entire Boston Fire Department in my prayers,” she added.

The fire displaced five people and spread through all three floors of the home before burning through the roof, according to FOX 25. Officials said the cause remains under investigation.

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Popular snack food gets patriotic makeover in time for America’s 250th summer festivities

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To celebrate America’s 250th birthday, Superpretzel is turning its iconic stadium snack food into a star-shaped offering for the summer festivities — joining a number of other brands that are releasing special-edition products this year.

The pretzels are crafted in the shape of “America’s most iconic symbol” and are “patriotic from the freezer to the fork,” Superpretzel said in a news release. 

America’s 250th is a celebration people will remember for years to come, and we wanted to create something simple, fun and shareable for families to enjoy together,” said Lynwood Mallard, chief marketing officer at J&J Snack Foods.

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The food is made in a place steeped in history, the company noted.

“Each star-shaped pretzel is produced in the Philadelphia area, where the nation’s founding began. This regional heritage makes the Star Pretzel more than a seasonal novelty. It is a snack with history baked in, coming straight from the heart of ‘Pretzel Country.'”

In addition to being sold at sports and amusement parks, movie theaters and other entertainment venues, Superpretzels can be found in the freezer aisle of most grocery and mass retail stores nationwide.

The company said the snack can be “freezer-to-oven ready in minutes” and recommended preparing it in an air fryer for extra crispness.

The star pretzels will be released on Memorial Day — and will be available until September.

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Several other heritage brands are joining the America 250 celebration with limited-edition, patriotic-themed food and drink offerings, as Fox News Digital previously reported.

Maker’s Mark announced that starting June 1, bourbon lovers will be able to buy the Kentucky-made liquor in a bottle featuring its “signature hand-dipped red wax, accented with a white wax dip and a blue rendition of its iconic seal.”

A portion of the proceeds from sales of the limited-edition bottles will go toward Farmer Veteran Coalition, which Maker’s Mark reported is “a national nonprofit that has helped more than 58,000 U.S. veterans build meaningful careers in agriculture.”

Pillsbury announced its contribution to the celebration is a line of Funfetti Stars & Stripes products, including “festive cake mixes and vibrant frostings in patriotic colors.”

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The Sparkling Ice company is collaborating with Life Savers candy to release a new red, white and blue variety 12-pack of its zero-sugar sparkling water.

The brand is also partnering with rapper Flavor Flav, “because he has an innate ability to connect old school with a new era,” Lisa Holcomb, vice president of Sparkling Ice parent company Talking Rain, said in a release.

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Coca-Cola will look different this summer season, too — the company announced it’s rolling out special America 250 packaging and collectible mini-cans designed to celebrate the unique features of all 50 states and Puerto Rico.

Cheerios also said it’s releasing a special birthday cake-flavored cereal, set to hit shelves in commemorative red, white and blue boxes.

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Mountain Dew went all-out in honoring the nation’s special occasion.

The soda company has rebranded itself “American Dew” — and added stars and stripes to its bottles and cans.

Oreo got in the spirit of things by unveiling its new Firecracker Pop Oreo cookie, created in partnership with Popsicle. 

The red, white and blue crème consists of blue raspberry, lemon and cherry flavors, and is sandwiched between golden Oreos.

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Teen sailor killed aboard USS West Virginia at Pearl Harbor identified after 82 years through DNA analysis

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The remains of a 17-year-old sailor killed during the World War II attack on Pearl Harbor are returning home more than 84 years later for a proper burial.

Royle Bradford Luker will be laid to rest with full military honors in Plainview, Arkansas, on May 30, according to his obituary. He will be buried alongside his parents, including his father, who was a World War I veteran.

“As a Fireman Third Class in the United States Navy aboard the U.S.S. West Virginia, he gave his all and was killed in the line of duty during the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941,” his obituary from Cornwell Funeral Homes stated.

His burial was arranged after modern forensic testing and DNA analysis comparing his remains with DNA from living relatives confirmed his identity decades later, the obituary said.

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For his service and sacrifice, Luker reportedly received numerous military honors, including the Purple Heart, awarded to those wounded or killed in combat, and the Navy Presidential Unit Citation, which recognizes extraordinary heroism by military units under enemy fire.

Other honors and awards listed in his obituary include the Gold Star Veteran designation, Combat Action Ribbon, Navy Expeditionary Medal, Navy Good Conduct Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, American Campaign Medal and World War II Victory Medal.

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Luker was among the 106 crewmen killed when the USS West Virginia was struck during Japan’s surprise assault on Pearl Harbor.

For decades, he was listed as killed in action, while his remains were  unidentified and interred as unknowns at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, according to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. His name was also memorialized on the Courts of the Missing there.

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Nearly 82 years after his death, Luker was officially accounted for on May 29, 2024, after authorities exhumed numerous caskets for modern forensic and DNA testing, according to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency.

The teen sailor was the son of George F. Luker, a WWI veteran, and Nettie Estelle David Luker, according to his obituary.

Family members, some of whom lived in Arkansas during his deployment, reportedly said Luker was remembered “with pride and love.”

According to the obituary, he is survived by two nephews, Donald Bradford Henderson and John Luker, as well as a niece, Becky Downen Lensing.

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“More than 80 years later, DNA from Royle Luker and a family’s willingness to share their DNA bridged the gap between loss and knowing,” his obituary stated. “He will now be returned home and laid to rest.”

According to the U.S. Navy, the USS West Virginia was moored at Ford Island in 1941 when Japanese aircraft launched torpedoes against the battleship. The ship suffered multiple torpedo hits and eventually sank to the shallow harbor floor.

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Dave Portnoy Torches Graham Platner Over Nazi Tattoo After Looking For Barstool’s Help With Political Ad

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‘Play footsy with a guy who is a Nazi’
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