Never forget as all gave some, some gave all.

Yessir, Mr. Rightwire!! BLESS them all!



I’ll be flying tonight, remembering the crews and innocent victims that were lost on that horrible day that will live in infamey.

YES! NEVER FORGET!!

On September 11, 2001, I was at my desk at the government consultant where I worked in Tysons Corner, VA. I was in the final stages of publishing a major policy document for the Office of the Secretary of Defense. I even had a client appointment in the Pentagon on Wednesday September 12, 2001, which was delayed a week while DC was shuttered (for the most part).
Back then, CNN was actually a news outlet and was my home page on my laptop.

I noted it was not loading. I tried a couple of other pages to no avail. I walked out of my office to ask my boss if he was having similar problems, and ran into someone who said a plane hit the World Trade Center (WTC). That alone could account for no internet coverage. When I told my boss, he and another senior guy who was with him suggested going to the auditorium where there was a huge screen on which news or pirated satellite feeds would be displayed. We were there when United 175 hit the south tower.

I turned to the other two and said something like “I think we can rule out accident.” We stood their silently, watching, when my boss said something like “Those buildings are going to fall.” At that juncture, I went to my office, packed my gear, and readied to leave. My officemate, unaware of the developments, asked where I was going. I told him I was getting out while the getting out was good. He started packing right away.

I then went to the office of the Principal I worked for to recommend sending everyone home right then and there, and that in any event, I was leaving. He too asked “Why?” I explained that the fed.gov was going to lockdown all of DC, and possibly beyond, and we needed our colleagues to make it out ahead of the massive traffic jam soon to envelope all of the DC metro area. He gave permission to anyone who wanted to leave to leave. That was when we learned of American 77 hitting the Pentagon.

I grabbed my gear and was out the door, stopping in the auditorium on my way out. When I first saw the images of the Pentagon, I thought it hit about 100 feet further to the left, something that would have killed the majority of people I knew in the building. So, I decided to go be with the wife of a friend I thought dead. I got through to my spouse, an amazing bit of luck, who was at home with the kid (we had just returned from a trip to Colorado and Wyoming) and told her my plan. She agreed they were safe, and I should do what I thought needed doing.

I headed there, to find my friend’s wife just shy of meltdown, because she too thought he was dead. As more video came out of the Pentagon, I realized the plane hit the newly renovated wedge, which was still unoccupied. I stayed with her until she got about a 10 second call from her husband saying he and his colleagues were all safe. I stayed a while longer, but now that she was safe, had heard from her husband, and was no longer freaked out, I left and headed home.

I was fortunate, in many ways.

First, I realized what was happening before most had processed the idea of planes hitting skyscrapers. I have been a student of terrorism and asymmetrical warfare ever since I saw Dawson’s Field, and then the 1972 Olympics attack. I authored a paper in high school on the idea of hijackers attacking DC using a commandeered airliner. That paper got my parents called in to talk with the school administrators who apparently were worried that a 10th grader could come with such an idea. In 1986, while in college, I wrote a paper on terrorist attacks against chemical manufacturing facilities. This was on the heels of Bhopal, so the theory was proven, even if the specific case (at that time) ruled out terrorism. Turns out, there were more than a few instances of terrorists attacking chemical plants. So, realizing what was happening was easier for me, as I had at least thought about the prospects.

Second, I was fortunate not to have been caught in the traffic jam. I know people who were not home until the early hours of Wednesday, traffic was so badly screwed up. Leaving as quick as I did, and from Tyson’s, put me in place to beat any traffic jam. Because I left right away, I was able to help my friend’s wife weather the immediate storm, and still get home to my family before dark.
Third, I am fortunate that the list of people killed at the Pentagon only lists four names, three colleagues who were briefing Lt. Gen. Timothy Maude when the plane basically flew through the window in the General’s E-Ring office, and one Army civilian, Sandra Taylor, who I worked with when I was embedded in the Army’s Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management (ACSIM). If that plane hit about 100 feet further to the left, I would have lost at least half the people I knew in the Pentagon, maybe more.

Finally, in this post I want to mention one of the day’s greatest heroes, Cyril Richard Rescorla, Colonel, United States Army, retired. Colonel Rescorla and a colleague wrote to the Port Authority that the WTC towers were a prime target. He was ignored.
Never being one to get ignored, after Dean Witter merged with Morgan Stanley in 1997, the company eventually occupied 22 floors in the South Tower and several floors in a building nearby. Colonel Rescorla concluded that employees of Morgan Stanley, which was the largest tenant in the World Trade Center, could not rely on first responders in an emergency and needed to empower themselves. Through surprise fire drills, in which he trained employees to meet in the hallway between stairwells and go down the stairs two by two to the 44th floor. Colonel Rescorla's strict approach to these drills put him into conflict with some high-powered executives, who resented the interruption to their daily activities, but he nonetheless insisted that these rehearsals were necessary to train the employees in the event of an emergency. He timed employees with a stopwatch when they moved too slowly and lectured them on fire emergency basics.

Colonel Rescorla heard the explosion when American Airlines Flight 11 struck the North Tower and saw the tower burning from his office window on the 44th floor of the South Tower (Tower 2). When the Port Authority came over the internal P.A. system urging people to stay at their desks, Colonel Rescorla ignored the announcement, grabbed his bullhorn, walkie-talkie, and cell phone, and began systematically ordering Morgan Stanley employees to evacuate, including the 1,000 employees in WTC 5. He directed people down a stairwell from the 44th floor, continuing to calm employees after the building lurched violently following the crash of United Airlines Flight 175 38 floors above into Tower 2 at 9:03 a.m. Morgan Stanley executive Bill McMahon stated that even a group of 250 people visiting the offices for a stockbroker training class knew what to do because they had been shown the nearest stairway.

Colonel Rescorla had boosted morale among his men in Vietnam by singing Cornish songs from his youth, and now he did the same in the stairwell. Between songs, Rescorla called his wife, telling her, "Stop crying. I have to get these people out safely. If something should happen to me, I want you to know I have never been happier. You made my life."

After successfully evacuating most of Morgan Stanley's 2,700 employees, Colonel Rescorla, his job duties done then reverted to the incredible leader he was, and he went back into the building.

When he was told he too had to evacuate the World Trade Center, Colonel Rescorla replied, "As soon as I make sure everyone else is out." He was last seen on the 10th floor, heading upward, shortly before the South Tower collapsed at 9:59 A.M. His remains were never found.

The reason I mention Colonel Rescorla is to urge the SIGforum membership to:

(1) remember the impact one MAN can have (Colonel Rescorla's foresight and commitment to stress inoculation saved the lives of perhaps 5,000 people in WTC2); and

(2) develop an emergency plan for your family. That plan needs to layout who is responsible for doing what in case of emergency (ICE). It needs to address communications (e.g., text, do not call), stay/go rules, alternate rendezvous points if you are all away from the homestead, etc. Make it. Make the family practice it. One day, it might be necessary. And on that day, thank Colonel Rescorla.

I'll sure as Hell NEVER FORGET.

I believe it is COL Rescorla depicted on the book jacket of “We Were Soldiers Once……and Young”.



So many…so MANY heroic stories from that day.

I have a PowerPoint saved with 43 pictures from the news from that day.

I watch it several times on 911, each time I get sadder and madder.

Never forget and Never forgive and hopefully NEVER AGAIN

There have been many threads in this forum that made a lasting impression on me, threads I’ll never forget. None more so than this one created by para two years ago on the 20th Anniversary of the terrorist attack.

9/11 Recollections

Jack Carr is a retired SEAL and the author of some very good books. This is one of the best write-ups I've seen in a long time:
https://www.foxnews.com/lifest...-lessons-afghanistan

“Are you ready? Okay. Let’s roll.”

- Todd Beamer, 9/11/2001

I still remember the drive in to work that day and initial radio reports making it sound like someone accidently crashed a Cessna into one of the towers.

Never forget.

My faith tells me that I need to forgive. Okay, still working on that! Well I ever make it? I don't know, but one thing I know for sure is I will never forget!
Rod

I sent a reminder this morning to several family members and friends. My sister, a major lib, responded that 9-11 is one of those "tragic life events" where you never forget what you were doing when you heard the news.

I almost lost it. The wife thinks I'm too hard on my sister, but IMO anyone who thinks the slaughter of 3,000 innocent Americans was a "tragic life event" is a freaking idiot.

Pictures my daughter took during her NYC trip last January:







“ In the Memorial Museum located inside of New York City, Ladder 3 rests in its shadows. The remains of what was once a proud fire truck of New York, was one of the first responders to the World Trade Center as it got struck by terrorists on September 11th, 2001.

A dozen brave fire fighters went into the North Tower to save the men and women trapped inside after a plane was deliberately crashed into it by suicide bombers. Captain Patrick Brown took his fire fighters to the 40th floor of the tower, and reported that it had extra men available. The suicide bombings happened during a shift change, and both crews sprang into action to help their fellow New Yorkers.

Sadly, the crew went down with the skyscraper as it collapsed to the ground. As it was tumbling down, the front of the apparatus of the fire truck was torn off.

The truck itself was totaled along with the ladders. Some of the tools that were used for rescue were tangled up into the vehicle after the collapse." Link

God bless and watch over those that run into the fire.

quote:

Originally posted by Chris17404:
“Are you ready? Okay. Let’s roll.”

- Todd Beamer, 9/11/2001

“Tom” is Tom Burnett, who along with Todd Beamer, Mark Bingham, and Jeremy Glick formulated the plan to take action against the hijackers of United Flight 93. “Deena” is, of course Tom’s widow.

Transcript of Tom's Last Calls to Deena
6:27 a.m.( pacific time) First cell phone call from Tom to Deena
Deena: Hello
Tom: Deena
Deena: Tom, are you O.K.?
Tom: No, I’m not. I’m on an airplane that has been hijacked.
Deena: Hijacked?
Tom: Yes, They just knifed a guy.
Deena: A passenger?
Tom: Yes.
Deena: Where are you? Are you in the air?
Tom: Yes, yes, just listen. Our airplane has been hijacked. It’s United Flight 93 from Newark to San Francisco. We are in the air. The hijackers have already knifed a guy, one of them has a gun, they are telling us there is a bomb on board, please call the authorities. He hung up.

6:31 Deena calls 911

6:34 The phone rang in on call waiting, Tom’s second cell phone call.
Deena: Hello
Tom: They’re in the cockpit. The guy they knifed is dead.
Deena: He’s dead?
Tom: Yes. I tried to help him, but I couldn’t get a pulse.
Deena: Tom, they are hijacking planes all up and down the east coast. They are taking them and hitting designated targets. They’ve already hit both towers of the World Trade Center.
Tom: They’re talking about crashing this plane. (a pause) Oh my God. It’s a suicide mission…(he then tells people sitting around him)
Deena: Who are you talking to?
Tom: My seatmate. Do you know which airline is involved?
Deena: No, they don’t know if they’re commercial airlines or not. The newsreporters are speculating cargo planes, private planes and commercial. No one knows.
Tom: How many planes are there?
Deena: They’re not sure, at least three. Maybe more.
Tom: O.K….O.K….Do you know who is involved?
Deena: No.
Tom: We’re turning back toward New York. We’re going back to the World Trade Center. No, wait, we’re turning back the other way. We’re going south.
Deena: What do you see?
Tom: Just a minute, I’m looking. I don’t see anything, we’re over a rural area. It’s just fields. I’ve gotta go.
He hung up.

6:45 a.m. Third cell phone call from Tom to Deena
Tom: Deena
Deena: Tom, you’re O.K. (I thought at this point he had just survived the Pentagon plane crash).
Tom: No, I’m not.
Deena: They just hit the Pentagon.
Tom: (tells people sitting around him “They just hit the Pentagon.”)
Tom: O.K….O.K. What else can you tell me?
Deena: They think five airplanes have been hijacked. One is still on the ground. They believe all of them are commercial planes. I haven’t heard them say which airline, but all of them have originated on the east coast.
Tom: Do you know who is involved?
Deena: No
Tom: What is the probability of their having a bomb on board? I don’t think they have one. I think they’re just telling us that for crowd control.
Deena: A plane can survive a bomb if it’s in the right place.
Tom: Did you call the authorities?
Deena: Yes, they didn’t know anything about your plane.
Tom: They’re talking about crashing this plane into the ground. We have to do something. I’m putting a plan together.
Deena: Who’s helping you?
Tom: Different people. Several people. There’s a group of us. Don’t worry. I’ll call you back.

6:54 a.m. Fourth cell phone call to Tom to Deena
Deena: Tom?
Tom: Hi. Anything new?
Deena: No
Tom: Where are the kids?
Deena: They’re fine. They’re sitting at the table having breakfast. They’re asking to talk to you.
Tom: Tell them I’ll talk to them later
Deena: I called your parents. They know your plane has been hijacked.
Tom: Oh…you shouldn’t have worried them. How are they doing?
Deena: They’re O.K.. Mary and Martha are with them.
Tom: Good. (a long quiet pause) We’re waiting until we’re over a rural area. We’re going to take back the airplane.
Deena: No! Sit down, be still, be quiet, and don’t draw attention to yourself! (The exact words taught to me by Delta Airlines Flight Attendant Training).
Tom: Deena! If they’re going to crash this plane into the ground, we’re going to have do something!
Deena: What about the authorities?
Tom: We can’t wait for the authorities. I don’t know what they could do anyway.
It’s up to us. I think we can do it.
Deena: What do you want me to do?
Tom: Pray, Deena, just pray.
Deena: (after a long pause) I love you.
Tom: Don’t worry, we’re going to do something.
He hung up

quote:

Originally posted by sig sailor:
My faith tells me that I need to forgive. Okay, still working on that! Well I ever make it? I don't know, but one thing I know for sure is I will never forget!
Rod

I am firmly in the never forgive, never forget camp. I don't see that changing for me either.

quote:

Originally posted by TMats:

Tom: We can’t wait for the authorities. I don’t know what they could do anyway.
It’s up to us. I think we can do it.

I generally am not emotional especially with situations I'm not that personally involved in. But this line struck at me. I hope if ever the time comes up, I would have anywhere close to the resolve as he had. No greater love....

quote:

Originally posted by Rey HRH:

quote:

Originally posted by TMats:

Tom: We can’t wait for the authorities. I don’t know what they could do anyway.
It’s up to us. I think we can do it.

I generally am not emotional especially with situations I'm not that personally involved in. But this line struck at me. I hope if ever the time comes up, I would have anywhere close to the resolve as he had. No greater love....

Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is doing the right thing, doing what needs to be done, in spite of one's fear.

quote:

Originally posted by CoolRich59:
I almost lost it. The wife thinks I'm too hard on my sister, but IMO anyone who thinks the slaughter of 3,000 innocent Americans was a "tragic life event" is a freaking idiot.

"Some people did something..."

God bless all that were lost on this day, it still brings tears to my eyes.

One of my friends from school worked in the South Tower. After the North Tower was hit they had started evacuating, but eventually received an announcement that they could return to their floors. She thought, “oh hell no.” She got out on the last train that left from under the buildings.

Bittersweet day for me. I was in a police management training class on 9/11 and we watched the coverage all day. Within a few months I was hired by the Federal Air Marshal's Service. I spent the next 20 years doing what I could to make sure it never happened again.

I retired in December 2022 and this is the first 9/11 in 20 years I haven't been on the job. I'd just like to ask for prayers for those guys and girls still at the "tip of the spear" to help prevent another day like this one.

To echo what others have already said: Remember the fallen and all of the heroes who answered the call that day.

I will never forget.