story119.xml
Title
story119.xml
Source
born-digital
Media Type
story
Date Entered
2002-03-03
911DA Story: Story
I wrote this on September 19, 2001
Every American will remember September 11; many of our world neighbors will as well. For too many the day is a day they lost family members, loved ones, friends, and fellow Americans. Everybody?s story is different, but everybody has an important one. My story seems insignificant to the many who were in one way or another directly in the path of hijacked, suicide commercial airliners on September 11.
I work for the Army in the Pentagon. My office is 2A685 - that means it is on the second floor, A-ring, 6th corridor, bay number 85. At 9:43 p.m. hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 with 64 crew and passengers slammed into the southwest face of the pentagon.
My organization is called the Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management; I?m in the Directorate of Environmental Programs. The organization occupies several offices in the Pentagon. My office was only peripherally impacted, but the main office was directly in the path of the hijacked jet. At this time (Sep 19) I know that LTC Brian Birdwell suffered burns, and I know that Cheryle Sincock and Sandy Taylor are missing. I say ?missing? because I now begin to understand the need to find and identify people in New York and the Pentagon. Monday, our organization had a service for the families of Cheryle and Sandy to begin the grieving, and it is just so difficult for the families to proceed without absolute knowledge.
Cheryle and Sandy worked in the main office. Cheryle was Major General Van Antwerp?s secretary and Sandy served as the Administrative Officer for the organization. Brian is one of our Executive Officers. President Bush visited him in the hospital last week. As he left, the President stood at the foot of Brian?s bed and saluted. It took Brian about 20 seconds to return the President?s salute, and Mr. Bush held his salute the whole time.
I was on temporary duty at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO when the attack occurred. I was on my way to a meeting when NPR reported a fire at the World Trade Center (WTC). By the time I arrived at the meeting, the TV was showing the first attack on the WTC and shortly after that, the second. My first impression was that terrorists were flying the jets, but I did not, at that time, think they were hijacked jets with passengers on board. Soon the Pentagon was attacked, and that is when the horror of a mass attack hit me.
Our meeting proceeded with occasional updates and one briefing from an Air Force security officer advising us that the security condition had gone to Threat Condition C and later D. The meetings, of course, were distracted, but we did not know of any other thing we could do. Threat Condition D required us to stay in the building until our scheduled lunch. At lunch time, I called Vicky, my wife, and my Mother. The rest of the afternoon included a field trip of the Air Force Academy. I left the Air Force Academy for my motel room at around 6 p.m. Mountain Time.
My time in the motel that night was spent watching TV, phoning Vicky and a co-worker, and attempting to call our Directorate Executive Officer. I was scheduled on a flight from Denver airport the next day at around 10 a.m. An additional field trip was scheduled for the next day, which I considered going on and then rejected. I had heard colleagues discussing driving home. About 9:30 p.m., Tom Vorac called and asked if I would like to drive home with four other colleagues. I postponed my decision to the next morning. Wednesday morning, I called Vicky and our Executive Officer indicating I would likely drive home with the others. Then I called Abby (my daughter in Chicago), and during the conversation I became convinced I should participate in the drive home. My rationale, at the time, was that I knew the airlines would not be able to operate as early as reported on Tuesday (noon Wednesday) and this was affirmed by a report Abby had seen on TV. Secondly, I faced the reality that there could be more terrorism to come - there could be more hijackers waiting in the wings.
Seems trivial, but making the decision to drive home gave me a tremendous boost in spirit. I drove to the Walmart and purchased their last flags, some stars and stripes bunting for the car, some black ribbon for arm bands, and, of course, Duck Tape to put it all together. When I arrived at the Raddison Hotel (the prearranged meeting place for the drive home) I learned that we now had six people (including me) and two cars. The Hertz and Alamo rental car agencies had waived drop-off fees, so we had a Chevrolet Lumina and a Subaru Legacy. Sal and Tom had gone to turn in Sal?s car at Colorado Springs Airport, so the remaining four planned our trip, made our trip rules, established the Colors (little flags on the antennas and the bunting on the back seat ?shelf?), and put on our black arm bands.
It took Sal and Tom about two hours to drop off Sal?s car - they could not get to the airport drop-off but were getting mixed directions from the car agency. Finally they just parked the car as close as possible to the drop off. Next we dropped my car at the Denver Airport. There were state police and, I think, National Guard blocking the entrance road to the airport with concrete barriers and vehicles. The rental car agency was not in the blocked-off area, so it was not a problem to drop my car off.
We departed Denver at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday: me, Tom M., and John in the Subru, and Tom V., Scott, and Sal in the Chevrolet. We stopped for breaks, snacks, gas, and rotation of positions (we regularly rotated all positions and cars). We arrived in Genesco, IL (Tom?s house) at about 3:00 a.m. Thursday, having dropped Sal off at the Quad City Airport where his car was (the airport seemed normal for 2:30 a.m.) - 15.5 hours counting one hour for the ride from Colorado Springs to Denver and subtracting an hour for the time change from Mountain to Central.
Tom V.?s wife, Monica, had prepared beds and pallets on the floor for us. We slept about 4 hours at Tom?s house, got a shower, and ate donuts and drank coffee. We were also given ?goodie bags? that Kathleen Repass had dropped off. Who is Kathleen Repass? - a friend of Tom and Monica?s who just wanted us to know she cared about us. Kathleen Repass left a note on top of the home made chocolate chip cookies in one of the two ?goodie bags? - as I read it, it was the first time that I cried over the attacks and the compassion/unity of Americans.
We got on the road at 8:30 a.m. - me, Tom M., John, and Scott in the Chevrolet. Tom V. was going to drop the Subru off later that day at the Quad Cities Airport. Snacks of the day were Mrs. Repass?s chocolate chip cookies, some beef jerky that I think someone must have purchased a lot of in Nebraska, and plenty of water. We arrived at the Baltimore Washington International Airport at 12:30 p.m. (15 hours making the adjustment from Central to Eastern time). Scott dropped me and Tom M. off at our cars in the ?Park-N-Go? so we could meet him at the Alamo car drop off. After a lot of confusion turning in the car at the drop off, I think we must have departed at about 1:30 a.m. I was taking Scott home and Tom M. was taking John home. I think I dropped Scott off at his house at about 2:30 a.m. and arrived home about 3 a.m. How long did it take? - a total of 37.5 hours adjusted to Eastern time and a total of 31.5 hours driving time.
As I sit here today (Sep 19), safe at home at my desk, I reflect on the many thoughts and feelings that I have had these past several days (it?s already Wednesday). I?m sure that you all are having similar problems sorting out the many thoughts that go through your mind. At first I was simply horrified. Then I was afraid that the attacks were not over. Then I had a great sorrow for the people in New York and in the Pentagon. And, of course, I have a huge sorrow for Cheryle and Sandy and their families. Sometimes when I was trying to sleep or rest in the back seat on the drive home, I had some sort of stress dreams or day dreams. In one stress dream, I was on one of the hijacked planes and somehow got the seat belt loose (about a foot and a half of belt with the heavy part of the buckle on the end) and used it as a weapon on one of the hijackers.
I have prayed, I have discussed it with Vicky, I have listened to the many reports, I have listened to our leaders, and I have listened to friends and colleagues. I?m still sorting out all the thoughts, but I?m left with two which seem foremost right at this moment - (1) I feel the nation is very vulnerable to terrorists; (2) I?m frustrated and disappointed that these particular ones could have been so successful. I?m sure the thoughts will continue to ebb and flow. I think we have to dismantle the terrorist machinery in a reasonable, sustained effort that includes our world partners. I hope we can find a way to do it that is effective and just. I pray for our country and it?s leadership.
Every American will remember September 11; many of our world neighbors will as well. For too many the day is a day they lost family members, loved ones, friends, and fellow Americans. Everybody?s story is different, but everybody has an important one. My story seems insignificant to the many who were in one way or another directly in the path of hijacked, suicide commercial airliners on September 11.
I work for the Army in the Pentagon. My office is 2A685 - that means it is on the second floor, A-ring, 6th corridor, bay number 85. At 9:43 p.m. hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 with 64 crew and passengers slammed into the southwest face of the pentagon.
My organization is called the Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management; I?m in the Directorate of Environmental Programs. The organization occupies several offices in the Pentagon. My office was only peripherally impacted, but the main office was directly in the path of the hijacked jet. At this time (Sep 19) I know that LTC Brian Birdwell suffered burns, and I know that Cheryle Sincock and Sandy Taylor are missing. I say ?missing? because I now begin to understand the need to find and identify people in New York and the Pentagon. Monday, our organization had a service for the families of Cheryle and Sandy to begin the grieving, and it is just so difficult for the families to proceed without absolute knowledge.
Cheryle and Sandy worked in the main office. Cheryle was Major General Van Antwerp?s secretary and Sandy served as the Administrative Officer for the organization. Brian is one of our Executive Officers. President Bush visited him in the hospital last week. As he left, the President stood at the foot of Brian?s bed and saluted. It took Brian about 20 seconds to return the President?s salute, and Mr. Bush held his salute the whole time.
I was on temporary duty at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO when the attack occurred. I was on my way to a meeting when NPR reported a fire at the World Trade Center (WTC). By the time I arrived at the meeting, the TV was showing the first attack on the WTC and shortly after that, the second. My first impression was that terrorists were flying the jets, but I did not, at that time, think they were hijacked jets with passengers on board. Soon the Pentagon was attacked, and that is when the horror of a mass attack hit me.
Our meeting proceeded with occasional updates and one briefing from an Air Force security officer advising us that the security condition had gone to Threat Condition C and later D. The meetings, of course, were distracted, but we did not know of any other thing we could do. Threat Condition D required us to stay in the building until our scheduled lunch. At lunch time, I called Vicky, my wife, and my Mother. The rest of the afternoon included a field trip of the Air Force Academy. I left the Air Force Academy for my motel room at around 6 p.m. Mountain Time.
My time in the motel that night was spent watching TV, phoning Vicky and a co-worker, and attempting to call our Directorate Executive Officer. I was scheduled on a flight from Denver airport the next day at around 10 a.m. An additional field trip was scheduled for the next day, which I considered going on and then rejected. I had heard colleagues discussing driving home. About 9:30 p.m., Tom Vorac called and asked if I would like to drive home with four other colleagues. I postponed my decision to the next morning. Wednesday morning, I called Vicky and our Executive Officer indicating I would likely drive home with the others. Then I called Abby (my daughter in Chicago), and during the conversation I became convinced I should participate in the drive home. My rationale, at the time, was that I knew the airlines would not be able to operate as early as reported on Tuesday (noon Wednesday) and this was affirmed by a report Abby had seen on TV. Secondly, I faced the reality that there could be more terrorism to come - there could be more hijackers waiting in the wings.
Seems trivial, but making the decision to drive home gave me a tremendous boost in spirit. I drove to the Walmart and purchased their last flags, some stars and stripes bunting for the car, some black ribbon for arm bands, and, of course, Duck Tape to put it all together. When I arrived at the Raddison Hotel (the prearranged meeting place for the drive home) I learned that we now had six people (including me) and two cars. The Hertz and Alamo rental car agencies had waived drop-off fees, so we had a Chevrolet Lumina and a Subaru Legacy. Sal and Tom had gone to turn in Sal?s car at Colorado Springs Airport, so the remaining four planned our trip, made our trip rules, established the Colors (little flags on the antennas and the bunting on the back seat ?shelf?), and put on our black arm bands.
It took Sal and Tom about two hours to drop off Sal?s car - they could not get to the airport drop-off but were getting mixed directions from the car agency. Finally they just parked the car as close as possible to the drop off. Next we dropped my car at the Denver Airport. There were state police and, I think, National Guard blocking the entrance road to the airport with concrete barriers and vehicles. The rental car agency was not in the blocked-off area, so it was not a problem to drop my car off.
We departed Denver at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday: me, Tom M., and John in the Subru, and Tom V., Scott, and Sal in the Chevrolet. We stopped for breaks, snacks, gas, and rotation of positions (we regularly rotated all positions and cars). We arrived in Genesco, IL (Tom?s house) at about 3:00 a.m. Thursday, having dropped Sal off at the Quad City Airport where his car was (the airport seemed normal for 2:30 a.m.) - 15.5 hours counting one hour for the ride from Colorado Springs to Denver and subtracting an hour for the time change from Mountain to Central.
Tom V.?s wife, Monica, had prepared beds and pallets on the floor for us. We slept about 4 hours at Tom?s house, got a shower, and ate donuts and drank coffee. We were also given ?goodie bags? that Kathleen Repass had dropped off. Who is Kathleen Repass? - a friend of Tom and Monica?s who just wanted us to know she cared about us. Kathleen Repass left a note on top of the home made chocolate chip cookies in one of the two ?goodie bags? - as I read it, it was the first time that I cried over the attacks and the compassion/unity of Americans.
We got on the road at 8:30 a.m. - me, Tom M., John, and Scott in the Chevrolet. Tom V. was going to drop the Subru off later that day at the Quad Cities Airport. Snacks of the day were Mrs. Repass?s chocolate chip cookies, some beef jerky that I think someone must have purchased a lot of in Nebraska, and plenty of water. We arrived at the Baltimore Washington International Airport at 12:30 p.m. (15 hours making the adjustment from Central to Eastern time). Scott dropped me and Tom M. off at our cars in the ?Park-N-Go? so we could meet him at the Alamo car drop off. After a lot of confusion turning in the car at the drop off, I think we must have departed at about 1:30 a.m. I was taking Scott home and Tom M. was taking John home. I think I dropped Scott off at his house at about 2:30 a.m. and arrived home about 3 a.m. How long did it take? - a total of 37.5 hours adjusted to Eastern time and a total of 31.5 hours driving time.
As I sit here today (Sep 19), safe at home at my desk, I reflect on the many thoughts and feelings that I have had these past several days (it?s already Wednesday). I?m sure that you all are having similar problems sorting out the many thoughts that go through your mind. At first I was simply horrified. Then I was afraid that the attacks were not over. Then I had a great sorrow for the people in New York and in the Pentagon. And, of course, I have a huge sorrow for Cheryle and Sandy and their families. Sometimes when I was trying to sleep or rest in the back seat on the drive home, I had some sort of stress dreams or day dreams. In one stress dream, I was on one of the hijacked planes and somehow got the seat belt loose (about a foot and a half of belt with the heavy part of the buckle on the end) and used it as a weapon on one of the hijackers.
I have prayed, I have discussed it with Vicky, I have listened to the many reports, I have listened to our leaders, and I have listened to friends and colleagues. I?m still sorting out all the thoughts, but I?m left with two which seem foremost right at this moment - (1) I feel the nation is very vulnerable to terrorists; (2) I?m frustrated and disappointed that these particular ones could have been so successful. I?m sure the thoughts will continue to ebb and flow. I think we have to dismantle the terrorist machinery in a reasonable, sustained effort that includes our world partners. I hope we can find a way to do it that is effective and just. I pray for our country and it?s leadership.
Collection
Citation
“story119.xml,” September 11 Digital Archive, accessed April 13, 2025, https://911digitalarchive.org/items/show/5742.