We lived in Maryland, not far from DC, and worked in Annapolis. He said, "Where's you mom?" My mother worked in the Watergate Complex, which was across the Potomac River from the Pentagon. With unconfirmed news reports of car bombs in the District, and more planes missing, we were all concerned about what could happen. I called work to check in, and they told me they were not sure what exactly they were doing, but to come in. I said not until I reach my mom. I was watching the news, like the rest of the world, and was so riveted I didn't even sit. I just stood in my living room, clutching my cell phone. I flinched when I saw people jumping out of the higher floors of the World Trade Center. The feed was live, and they couldn't break away in time. I heard a rumbling, and realized the South Tower was crumbling. I thought about the people who had just stepped outside, breathing a sigh of relief that they had made it out of there, only to be crushed by the building imploding. My heart stopped for a moment, as I watched, breathless, at people running away, knowing they couldn't all make it, but praying aloud that they would. I thought of a close friend, who worked near the Trade Center, and had a view of the towers from his office. Where was he? Had he run outside? Would he be clear of the falling debris?
I have trouble comparing September 11 to Pearl Harbor. Pearl Harbor was a military base that suffered a terrible surprise attack in the early morning. The timing could not have been worse. US carriers engaged with the Japanese Navy at about 3:30 am, but for some reason the report was delayed, causing the radar of unidentified aircraft to be ignored. Most of the airplanes were parked near or around the same area, and took a heavy hit on the first attack. There was no time to scramble the fighter jets, and very few were useful anyway. The men on the ground and in the ships docked there were literally sitting ducks, but they still fought back. You can read about the timeline here http://www.nationalgeographic.com/pearlharbor/
The Pentagon was part military, yes, but it was considered to be dual purpose, meaning it had civilians there as well. Normally, this is "off limits" to military attack. Until 2004, the Pentagon had a daycare center. Fortunately, it was on the opposite side from the plane's impact.
When we think about the World Trade Center, we think of the twin towers, but it was actually a complex of many buildings, all of which were impacted by the planes crashing and the towers falling down on top of them. The WTC held a mall and a daycare in addition to the many financial centers and restaurants it was known for. The Marriot at the base of the towers was destroyed when the towers came down, killing many inside. People on the street, watching the chaos, were in the path of the buildings' collapse.
It is important to also remember that many ordinary people were heroes that day. Whether they helped one person, or 500,000, every one of them is a hero for helping, when they could have fled to save themselves.
There was a young man named Welles who rescued dozens of people from the south tower, and was identified by his red bandanna:
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/911-hero-man-in-the-red-bandanna/
Then there is Rick Rescorla, a Vietnam Vet who rescued 2700 of his coworkers from Morgan Stanley. He was killed when the South Tower collapsed:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/heroes-of-911-soothed-inspired-a-wounded-nation-but-when-will-the-story-change/2011/09/10/gIQADLcyHK_story.html
There were the civilians who used their boats to evacuate people from the island of Manhattan. People instinctively went to the water's edge to escape the smoke, and to try to put distance between themselves and the danger. In response, hundreds of boats hit the water to carry over 500,000 people to safety. The link below tells their story:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDOrzF7B2Kg&feature=share
Staff Sgt. Braman helped many escape the Pentagon before it collapsed, returning to the burning building several times to rescue those trapped. He also helped recover body parts, so that the families could have closure. His story, as well as many others, can be found at this link:
http://www.army.mil/article/12206/heroes-saved-lives-in-pentagon-911/
We all remember the actions of the passengers of Flight 93, and how they saved lives by fighting back, and not allowing the terrorists to continue with their plans to go to DC. You can read the timeline of events at this link:
http://www.september11news.com/Flight93.htm
Search and rescue dogs were able to find bodies of those who didn't make it so their families would not have to bury an empty casket. A book entitled Dog Heroes of 9/11, tells the stories of the canines who brought comfort to those who needed it most:
http://www.dogheroesof911.com/excerpt.htm
I can't write about September 11 without mentioning the emergency response workers who survived, and those who were lost that day. They include firefighters, police officers, Port Authority, EMS, and military men and women of all branches. They broke through walls and windows, led people to safety, and cared for them once they were outside.
While we will always remember the terror of that day, we also need to remember that on THAT day, we were united. We came together as strangers, and stood as one nation. We helped in any way we could, even if it was to simply listen. A friend of mine said that one day our children will have a history assignment about September 11, 2001, and we will be asked what we remember from that day. I hope that after I tell them what I heard, saw and felt, I will also be able to remember how the human spirit prevailed in the face of evil.
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