nmah418.xml

nmah418.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-08-24

First let me say that I am a native New Yorker, born and raised in Manhattan. I was at work in my office in Portland Maine when my wife called me and told me that a place had crashed into the North Tower of the WTC. I was shocked, however, immediately after she told me that the North Tower had been hit, she told me that the South Tower had exploded.

Our immediate concern was for our son inlaw, a NYPD Emergency Services police officer, assigned to Squad 2 in Manhattan. It was impossible to make phone contact with our daughter, however we later learned that he was off duty at the time of the attacks and would be going to the WTC remains. Unfotunately, three members of his squad, Sgt Mike Curtin, Det. Joe Vigiano and Officer John D'Allara were lost in the collapse of Tower 1. Additionally, Deputy Fire Commissioner Bill Feehan, brother of my best friend, was also killed at the WTC.

Our middle son, a computer programmer, had an appointment at the WTC at 10AM on 9/11. He learned of the attack as he got off the Long Island Railroad at Penn Station at 9AM. He went to the scene and volunteered with FEMA, setting up a triage center and hospital at Chelsea Pier, for three days. Unfortunately, no one came.

Our oldest son, a Navy Pilot assigned to an E4B that is identical to Air Force One, we learned later, was taking off from Andrews AFB at the time the hijacked aircraft hit the Pentagon.

Needless to say, it was a long day for our family, however, not as long as for those who lost family members and friends and who had to wait to hear from those who survived.

I guess that the word HATE comes immediately to mind. I was 6 years old when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. I distinctly remember coming out of church at 1:15PM on December 7th, 1941 seeing people crying and carrying on.
I have carried this memory and the hate that goes with it against the Japanese until September 11, 2001. At least the Japanese attacked a military target that had the ability to defend itself and retaliate.

On September 16, 2001 an organization called "Peace Action Maine" took out a full page ad in the Portland (Maine)Sunday Telegram admonishing the United States and its people not to go to war against terrorists and to make an effort to learn why these attackers hated us.

While I agree these people have every right to express themselves, I took it upon myself to attempt an e-mail dialog with them. They had to tell me that their members included a group called "Veterans for Peace". Well, DUH! I have never met a veteran who was not for peace. I did, however, make sure that every time a body was found and identified, be it a victim of emergency worker, I would send them a message. I cooled off somewhat, however, I still have a tremendous amount of hate in me toward those who did this act and those who support and pamper them.

My youngest son was married in New Hampshire on October 6, 2001. Since his brother the pilot was not sure that he would be there, my son invited my daughter's husband to be in the wedding party and asked that he wear his NYPD uniform, which he did. Needless to say, he was a pretty popular fellow at the wedding. My son and his bride wanted to give US Flag pins as favors to the guests, but could not find any. A store in lower Manhattan,that sufferd a financial loss after 9/11, sent 200 Flag pins at no charge.
At the end of the reception, the DJ played "New York State Of Mind" and "New York, NY". All of the attendees gathered around the bride and groom and my son in law and daughter, arms around each other and we all cried. The company that taped the wedding told us that that was the most moving and patriotic thing that they ever saw and now show it to all prospective customers.

I am extremely proud of my children and my son in law and I realize that some are always in extreme danger, however, that is the course that they chose for their life and I will support them forever.

To support New York, my wife and I retired and we have moved back to New York. Let these terrorists come and get us.

All of the innocent people who died and were injured on the WTC and the Pentagon. The courage and fortitude of the rescue workers at both locations, most specially, those who lost their lives trying to save others.

That GOD was there. How else would so may people have survived and excaped both the WTC and Pentagon.

The extreme courage of the passengers on the plane that crashed in Pennsylvania, who attacked the hijackers and saved an untold number of lives at whatever the target was.

The saying "LET'S ROLL"!

I have always flown my flag (which flew over the Capitol Bldg. on patriotic holidays until September 11, 2001. It did not come down until I packed it the day we moved from Maine to New York.

My feelings for the Flag of the United States has never changed. I am happy to see that patriotism has returned to the United States. That people now take their hat off when the flag passes and sing the Star Spangled Banner, America the Beautiful and God Bless America without any hesitation.

It is a shame that it took this horrible occurance to wake them up.

My wife and I are American and could not be prouder of our citizenship, as are our children.