Remembering 9/11 Today “Never Forget”

Every day, you and I learn life lessons. I am sure many of us know what this day represents as we look at our calendars or hear the words 9/11. Twenty-two years ago, it was a life lesson taught through both television and reality.

On September 11, 2001, while many assumed that when they woke up it would be another day at the office or just another day, unfortunately it was not.  Little did we know that groups of attackers boarded four domestic aircraft at three East Coast airports.  Little did we know that box cutters which are now prohibited on airplanes would be a weapon of choice for the hijackers to disable the crews after takeoff.

In a sequence of events, the United States was quickly shown how vulnerable we are, as if you and I were reading a Tom Clancy novel.

At 8:46 a.m., the first plane, American Airlines Flight 11, which had originated from Boston, was piloted into the north tower of the World Trade Center in New York City.

The second plane, United Airlines Flight 175, also from Boston, struck the south tower 17 minutes later.

The third plane, American Airlines Flight 77, taking off from Dulles Airport near Washington, D.C., struck the southwest side of the Pentagon (just outside the city) at 9:37 a.m., touching off a fire in that section of the structure.

The fourth aircraft, thankfully, was a different story through the bravery of Todd Beamer.  Todd Beamer was one of the passengers on the hijacked United Airlines Flight 93 from Newark, New Jersey, when his last words were “Let’s Roll” as the plane crashed near Shanksville in the Pennsylvania countryside.

This happened after the passengers were informed of events via cellular phone as they attempted to overpower their assailants and retake the plane.

You should know that the events of 9/11 are personal to me because I also lost a friend in the Pentagon.  I’ve had the privilege of living in New York before September 11, 2001.  Since the attack, I’ve also had the privilege of a guided tour of the Pentagon after 9/11 to see the reconstructed areas.  I also had two developmental assignments at the Pentagon.

As a youngster living in Brooklyn, NY, I watched the Verrazzano-Narrows bridge being built from a distance while living in New York.

https://blogs.shu.edu/nyc-history/2022/04/25/verrazzano-narrows-bridge/

It was one of the benefits of being a military brat; my father was stationed at Fort Hamilton, NY, and Niagara Falls as an instructor.

As a Soldier, I was stationed in Brooklyn from 1993 to 1994, with the privilege to live in Fort Totten, outside of Queens, NY.

During those years as an adult, I could see all that New York had to offer. As an Army Advisor for the State of New York, my travels were broad, covering areas from Brooklyn, NY, to Rochester, NY, with the various units.  I tell you this to set the stage that I understood the culture before 9/11 and as a child growing up in Brooklyn, NY.

I’ve even had the privilege to dine at the United Nations in 1993-1994, where the dignitaries go for lunch thanks to a special invitation from my brother-in-law.

Many were not born and do not know what happened twenty-two years ago.  Furthermore, they can’t even imagine the horror of watching the event unfold before our eyes as the events were replayed on the television repeatedly throughout the day and the circumstances.

Today many are celebrating birthdays while others are remembering what happened on this day.  I have two twin nephews and one of my fellow Toastmasters born on 9/11 celebrating their birthdays.  I’m sure their birthday celebrations today are much different.  The nation is somber about the loss of life, and they are trying to celebrate life.  Nevertheless, for all those celebrating birthdays today, pause and reflect that you have life.

Having said that, the events of 9/11 have had a profound impact on my life, especially when you know exactly where you were when it happened.

Because I was still on active duty in the military, I witnessed how quickly things could change in less than an hour without even blinking an eye.

As I look back on 9/11, there are too many memories to recall; however, I am honored to have met several great people.

Today, my brother-in-law, who worked in the United Nations is no longer alive, nor are many of the people I served with as their Army Advisor while living in New York.

I am reminded that America is one that quickly forgets its past.

Winston Churchill once said: “A nation that forgets its past has no future.”

Today, you and I continue to experience events in our lives.  I often tell people if you live long enough, more will happen.

I do not forget the events of 9/11.  My heart goes out to all the families that lost family members in the World Trade Center, in the Pentagon, and outside Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

I pray that we never forget the lessons we learned from the September 11 attacks, also called 9/11.

When you think about your freedom, the 9/11/2001 series of airline hijackings and suicide attacks committed that day by 19 militants associated with the Islamic extremist group al-Qaeda against targets in the United States were the deadliest terrorist attacks on American soil in U.S. history.  The attacks against New York City and Washington, D.C., caused extensive death and destruction and triggered an enormous U.S. effort to combat terrorism.

Two thousand seven hundred fifty people were killed in New York, 184 at the Pentagon, and 40 in Pennsylvania.  Add on the police and fire departments in New York that were especially hard-hit when hundreds rushed to the scene of the attacks.  There were more than 400 police officers and firefighters killed.

Today, we continue to recognize the Firefighters and Police Officers across America who put themselves in harm’s way.

Although it took the events of 9/11 to make us a better and safer nation it was being complacent and not being vigilant enough in some cases.

Before I close, many of you may remember the infamous “Shoe bomber” Richard Reid.  On December 22, 2001, three months after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, we let our guards down when he attempted to detonate bombs on Paris-Miami flight.   Luckily, it failed to explode; this was another reminder not to be complacent.

I still see signs of complacency even during the pandemic. Last week, during my doctor’s appointment, a gentleman walked out of the bathroom after using the facilities without washing his hands.  It’s the small things that cause big things to happen.  I digress.

Today, the Twin Towers are no longer standing; however, something much better is in place.

See What the World Trade Center Site Looks Like 14 Years After 9/11 || World Trade Center (wtc.com)

The question is, do you know where you were at precisely 8:46 a.m.  September 11, 2001?  It was the moment when the first hijacked plane struck the Twin Towers in 2001.