1
00:00:01,956 --> 00:00:04,656
I was basically working
with two of the employees

2
00:00:04,716 --> 00:00:07,996
with the evaluation
program, doing spreadsheets,

3
00:00:08,616 --> 00:00:10,016
when someone came to the office

4
00:00:10,426 --> 00:00:12,636
and said this thing
was unfolding,

5
00:00:12,636 --> 00:00:16,176
as we know September 11 with
the actual aircraft flying

6
00:00:16,176 --> 00:00:17,456
into a building in
New York City.

7
00:00:18,136 --> 00:00:19,226
It was unbelievable.

8
00:00:19,226 --> 00:00:20,336
I asked what was going on.

9
00:00:20,716 --> 00:00:21,736
I had a television
in the office.

10
00:00:22,476 --> 00:00:24,776
I turned it on and
was just ecstatic

11
00:00:24,846 --> 00:00:28,076
as to what was unfolding
before my eyes.

12
00:00:29,096 --> 00:00:31,076
What did this mean
to me at that time?

13
00:00:31,876 --> 00:00:33,026
It was just an empty feeling.

14
00:00:33,826 --> 00:00:36,936
It's kind of hard to describe

15
00:00:37,006 --> 00:00:39,106
but many people can
sort of relate to me.

16
00:00:39,746 --> 00:00:42,246
It just showed a very,
very dark side of mankind

17
00:00:42,736 --> 00:00:45,516
as to why a human being
would do this to others.

18
00:00:46,346 --> 00:00:51,016
As we know there were
countless amount of lives

19
00:00:51,016 --> 00:00:52,706
that were lost during that time.

20
00:00:52,786 --> 00:00:56,136
But it was just a very dark
time in mankind's history.

21
00:00:57,036 --> 00:01:00,506
That's where I was on
September 11, 2001.

22
00:01:01,526 --> 00:01:02,916
Okay, go ahead.

23
00:01:03,046 --> 00:01:06,036
On September 11 I was here
at NASA Glenn Research Center

24
00:01:06,736 --> 00:01:12,416
and I was over at the 8 by 6
and I ended up in the break room

25
00:01:13,036 --> 00:01:15,276
with a bunch of individuals
that were watching TV

26
00:01:15,276 --> 00:01:16,326
and they all looked
pretty upset.

27
00:01:17,146 --> 00:01:19,266
I asked what was going
on and they told me

28
00:01:19,266 --> 00:01:21,876
that a plane had struck
one of the towers.

29
00:01:22,886 --> 00:01:24,776
And I said whoa,
was it an accident?

30
00:01:25,266 --> 00:01:27,396
And they said no,
it's not an accident.

31
00:01:27,396 --> 00:01:28,956
Another plane just
hit the other tower.

32
00:01:30,086 --> 00:01:34,686
So I ended up heading back to
where I work over in the ERB

33
00:01:34,686 --> 00:01:38,886
and I was watching things
unfold on TV and I found

34
00:01:38,886 --> 00:01:40,426
out my wife was trying
to get a hold of me.

35
00:01:41,086 --> 00:01:43,046
And I thought well she
probably wants to tell me

36
00:01:43,046 --> 00:01:44,146
that this has happened.

37
00:01:44,146 --> 00:01:45,746
That must be what she
wants but I'll call her.

38
00:01:46,636 --> 00:01:49,346
I called her up and she was
pretty upset and she explained

39
00:01:49,346 --> 00:01:52,446
that Stevie, our
nephew was in one

40
00:01:52,446 --> 00:01:54,346
of the twin towers
there taking training.

41
00:01:54,456 --> 00:01:57,356
And he worked for Morgan
Stanley at the time.

42
00:01:57,356 --> 00:01:58,946
He was a new employee.

43
00:02:00,006 --> 00:02:04,196
And watching it unfold before
I knew that we had a relative

44
00:02:04,196 --> 00:02:05,486
in there was a different
feeling.

45
00:02:05,486 --> 00:02:07,236
It really hit home.

46
00:02:07,736 --> 00:02:10,076
And we were both pretty upset.

47
00:02:10,976 --> 00:02:13,996
And it wasn't a short time later
that one of the towers fell.

48
00:02:13,996 --> 00:02:17,766
I don't think I could
ever describe the feeling

49
00:02:17,766 --> 00:02:21,246
that I felt seeing the
tower go down thinking

50
00:02:21,246 --> 00:02:23,126
that we had family
in that tower.

51
00:02:24,326 --> 00:02:26,636
As it turns out Stevie made it

52
00:02:26,636 --> 00:02:29,386
out with just a couple
minutes to spare.

53
00:02:30,696 --> 00:02:34,616
And he came home and we all
met as a family, a whole group

54
00:02:34,656 --> 00:02:37,216
of us, and he said I'm only
gonna talk about it one time.

55
00:02:37,966 --> 00:02:40,146
He explained what he saw
and what he went through

56
00:02:40,406 --> 00:02:43,086
and he has never really
spoken of it again.

57
00:02:44,616 --> 00:02:48,836
That's my story from 911.

58
00:02:50,456 --> 00:02:55,176
On September 11, 2001,
I was in building 14.

59
00:02:56,376 --> 00:02:59,506
I was on my way up the
hallway [inaudible]

60
00:03:00,886 --> 00:03:06,536
and on my way there was a
TV mounted up on one column

61
00:03:07,206 --> 00:03:09,266
and I could see, they
were showing an image

62
00:03:09,496 --> 00:03:11,926
of where a plane
had smashed into one

63
00:03:11,926 --> 00:03:14,166
of the twin towers
in New York City.

64
00:03:15,236 --> 00:03:17,016
And I stopped and I
watched it for a moment.

65
00:03:17,296 --> 00:03:21,466
It seemed like about 10 minutes
later, another plane came

66
00:03:21,466 --> 00:03:23,526
and hit the same area again.

67
00:03:24,426 --> 00:03:25,506
I couldn't believe my eyes.

68
00:03:25,586 --> 00:03:26,396
It was surreal.

69
00:03:28,006 --> 00:03:29,336
And I knew at this moment

70
00:03:30,096 --> 00:03:34,426
that this could not be just
an accident, two planes flying

71
00:03:34,426 --> 00:03:38,266
into the same buildings
at the same time nearly.

72
00:03:39,396 --> 00:03:42,666
I knew at that time that
this was an act of war.

73
00:03:43,836 --> 00:03:48,086
What it meant to me, in
addition to all the humanity

74
00:03:48,386 --> 00:03:52,756
that was lost that day, was that
the era that I felt all my life

75
00:03:54,156 --> 00:03:58,556
of the security of this
nation was gone, was over.

76
00:03:59,076 --> 00:04:03,186
Now we are subject to war as
any other nation on earth,

77
00:04:04,176 --> 00:04:08,236
just a little bit of an edge
of technology and that's it,

78
00:04:08,236 --> 00:04:12,476
our past security was now over.

79
00:04:14,636 --> 00:04:18,486
On September 11, 2001, I was
at Randolph Air Force Base

80
00:04:18,486 --> 00:04:22,356
in Texas near San Antonio where
I was the Director of Logistics

81
00:04:22,356 --> 00:04:23,886
for the Air Forces
Training Command.

82
00:04:24,696 --> 00:04:26,456
Shortly after I got
to the office

83
00:04:26,456 --> 00:04:29,806
in the morning I was informed of
the first attack and then turned

84
00:04:29,806 --> 00:04:32,536
on the TV in my office and
watched the second attack

85
00:04:32,536 --> 00:04:34,986
on the twin towers
as well as pictures

86
00:04:34,986 --> 00:04:37,216
of the destruction
at the Pentagon.

87
00:04:38,706 --> 00:04:44,096
Shortly after that our base was
directed to shut down completely

88
00:04:44,536 --> 00:04:48,836
and like all bases around the
world our security forces were

89
00:04:49,206 --> 00:04:53,276
bent on finding people
intending similar destruction

90
00:04:53,276 --> 00:04:54,706
and killing them before
that could happen.

91
00:04:54,706 --> 00:04:57,716
As you know, that
did not happen.

92
00:04:58,746 --> 00:05:01,476
My mission on that day was
to make sure that the people

93
00:05:01,546 --> 00:05:05,326
in the three buildings that
made up my operation were safe

94
00:05:05,936 --> 00:05:09,476
and that we would begin as a
team to prepare for operating

95
00:05:09,476 --> 00:05:11,276
in a completely different
normal.

96
00:05:13,016 --> 00:05:15,966
Terrorism uses publicity
to magnify the impacts

97
00:05:15,966 --> 00:05:19,646
of its atrocities to compel
compliance with its demands.

98
00:05:20,146 --> 00:05:22,296
And by that measure this
terrorist campaign has

99
00:05:22,296 --> 00:05:23,126
mostly failed.

100
00:05:24,626 --> 00:05:27,566
History teaches us, however,
that we must be relentless

101
00:05:27,946 --> 00:05:31,626
about our pursuit of
these people to make sure

102
00:05:31,626 --> 00:05:34,606
that they cannot
complete their mission.

103
00:05:35,656 --> 00:05:37,776
People ask, are we winning?

104
00:05:38,166 --> 00:05:38,916
Can we win?

105
00:05:39,186 --> 00:05:41,356
My answer is yes and yes.

106
00:05:42,046 --> 00:05:45,426
America has done it before and
America will surely do it again.

107
00:05:46,306 --> 00:05:47,086
Okay we're on.

108
00:05:48,056 --> 00:05:50,196
Okay, I was in a training class

109
00:05:50,196 --> 00:05:52,066
in the RAC building
on September 11.

110
00:05:54,356 --> 00:05:56,376
And? Ask me the next question.

111
00:06:00,416 --> 00:05:58,316
What were you doing?

112
00:06:00,506 --> 00:06:03,516
I was in a training class.

113
00:06:03,516 --> 00:06:03,976
On that day.

114
00:06:04,156 --> 00:06:05,606
And what did it mean to you?

115
00:06:05,676 --> 00:06:08,546
What did it mean to me, the
training class or September 11?

116
00:06:08,546 --> 00:06:09,456
[laughter] September 11.

117
00:06:10,146 --> 00:06:12,956
September 11, it
was shocking cause

118
00:06:12,956 --> 00:06:16,466
at first we just hear the news
and we run out the hall and look

119
00:06:16,466 --> 00:06:21,006
at the TV and then actually
go back to class and then run

120
00:06:21,126 --> 00:06:26,076
out again, actually saw
the second plane crash

121
00:06:26,076 --> 00:06:29,746
into the tower and we
actually go back to class again

122
00:06:29,776 --> 00:06:34,266
until we were told that
we supposed to go home.

123
00:06:34,916 --> 00:06:39,166
So it was kind of shocking and I
spend that day watching the news

124
00:06:39,166 --> 00:06:42,416
and all that but
looking back now I think

125
00:06:42,416 --> 00:06:45,796
as a country had great
resilience recovering from that.

126
00:06:46,796 --> 00:06:46,976
That's it.

127
00:06:47,486 --> 00:06:48,946
Outstanding.

128
00:06:48,946 --> 00:06:49,376
[laugher]

129
00:06:49,376 --> 00:06:52,886
Alright, where was
I on September 11?

130
00:06:53,136 --> 00:06:57,236
I was over in the
outreach group at the time

131
00:06:57,236 --> 00:07:02,256
because we were working on
an outreach book for a K

132
00:07:02,826 --> 00:07:07,966
through 3rd grade booklet
to teach that age group

133
00:07:07,966 --> 00:07:13,596
about aeronautics and we were
just proofing the book and one

134
00:07:14,836 --> 00:07:17,366
of the staff members
came into our office

135
00:07:17,786 --> 00:07:22,026
and said a plane had crashed
into one of the towers

136
00:07:22,026 --> 00:07:27,646
and so we got the TV on only
to see the second plane flying

137
00:07:27,646 --> 00:07:29,016
into the tower and then that's

138
00:07:29,226 --> 00:07:35,326
when I think I realized
something was terribly going

139
00:07:35,326 --> 00:07:37,896
wrong but what did
it mean to me?

140
00:07:37,896 --> 00:07:41,486
At that moment I think
I felt very vulnerable.

141
00:07:41,756 --> 00:07:45,996
I could not believe we had,
you know, airplanes flying

142
00:07:45,996 --> 00:07:48,396
into the buildings and

143
00:07:48,396 --> 00:07:52,426
yet afterwards I had
a big Girl Scout troop

144
00:07:52,506 --> 00:07:56,226
to take the following
weekend to a big campout.

145
00:07:56,266 --> 00:07:59,256
We had a lot of parents
that were concerned

146
00:07:59,256 --> 00:08:01,506
if we were gonna do the campout
and I said you know what?

147
00:08:01,626 --> 00:08:05,166
I think we just gotta take
everybody out into the woods

148
00:08:05,226 --> 00:08:08,916
where it's quiet and kind
of regroup and it was one

149
00:08:08,916 --> 00:08:10,706
of the best campouts
we ever had.

150
00:08:12,536 --> 00:08:12,846
Good.

151
00:08:16,056 --> 00:08:20,186
Hi, September 11, 2001
I was here at work.

152
00:08:20,966 --> 00:08:23,856
I remember Joe Grady coming

153
00:08:23,856 --> 00:08:26,326
down the hall saying
Clayton, did you see the news?

154
00:08:26,876 --> 00:08:29,036
An airplane crashed
into the building.

155
00:08:29,766 --> 00:08:32,556
And I said no, I didn't and then
next thing we knew a second one

156
00:08:32,556 --> 00:08:33,746
had crashed into the building.

157
00:08:33,746 --> 00:08:36,886
It was a very frightening
time for us.

158
00:08:36,886 --> 00:08:38,236
We didn't know what
had happened.

159
00:08:38,236 --> 00:08:43,276
And then when we learned it was
a terrorist attack we were glad

160
00:08:43,276 --> 00:08:46,656
that our country was able
to come together and respond

161
00:08:46,656 --> 00:08:47,946
and try to help those in need.

162
00:08:51,196 --> 00:08:52,866
Thank you.

163
00:08:53,046 --> 00:08:56,016
September 11, 2001 I was in
the control room of the 8

164
00:08:56,076 --> 00:09:00,846
by 6 transonic wind tunnel and
somebody came into the data room

165
00:09:00,966 --> 00:09:03,526
where I was sitting and said
that a plane had crashed

166
00:09:03,596 --> 00:09:04,926
into one of the twin towers.

167
00:09:05,496 --> 00:09:08,076
My initial reaction was
it's probably a Cessna

168
00:09:08,076 --> 00:09:11,256
or somebody learning
to fly but when I came

169
00:09:11,256 --> 00:09:12,656
out of the control
room and they patched

170
00:09:12,726 --> 00:09:14,556
in the TV signal I got a chance

171
00:09:14,556 --> 00:09:16,296
to see how enormous
the planes were.

172
00:09:16,296 --> 00:09:21,376
As far as what it means to
me, it just gives us an idea

173
00:09:21,376 --> 00:09:25,746
to reflect how vulnerable we can
be within our own community here

174
00:09:26,086 --> 00:09:28,536
in the states and
how we sometimes take

175
00:09:28,586 --> 00:09:32,396
for granted what we do have
here in the United States.

176
00:09:33,736 --> 00:09:34,076
Thank you.

177
00:09:35,806 --> 00:09:40,676
On September 11, 2001, I was
working in a company that I was

178
00:09:40,676 --> 00:09:42,166
in charge of getting
all the staff

179
00:09:42,166 --> 00:09:44,856
out as we had the
tragic events of the day.

180
00:09:45,726 --> 00:09:49,906
And in getting everybody out of
the office it was very difficult

181
00:09:50,036 --> 00:09:53,486
to realize that I may
never see my family again,

182
00:09:53,676 --> 00:09:55,596
that the staff may never
see their family again

183
00:09:55,596 --> 00:09:58,866
and my only goal was to
make sure that everybody was

184
00:09:59,296 --> 00:10:02,726
out as safe as possible and that
we could get to our loved ones

185
00:10:03,036 --> 00:10:06,146
because unfortunately so
many people lost their lives

186
00:10:06,226 --> 00:10:09,356
and were not able to say
their goodbyes and I wanted

187
00:10:09,356 --> 00:10:12,056
to make sure that all of our
staff, as well as myself,

188
00:10:12,756 --> 00:10:16,976
was able to get to
our loved ones.

189
00:10:19,756 --> 00:10:19,866
Okay.

190
00:10:20,796 --> 00:10:24,896
I remember walking into building
77 and it was in the morning

191
00:10:24,956 --> 00:10:26,556
and everybody was
standing in the lobby

192
00:10:27,046 --> 00:10:28,346
and they were watching the TV

193
00:10:28,346 --> 00:10:31,196
and I thought it was an all
hands or something going on

194
00:10:31,436 --> 00:10:33,886
and it was the news was on.

195
00:10:34,106 --> 00:10:37,926
And so people weren't really
sure if it was an accident

196
00:10:38,256 --> 00:10:43,736
but it was a terrorist attempt
so that's what I remember.

197
00:10:46,046 --> 00:10:46,386
Okay.

198
00:10:47,296 --> 00:10:51,276
Okay, well like many people,
I'll never forget September 11.

199
00:10:51,816 --> 00:10:54,886
That day we had our PI team that
got up at 3:00 in the morning

200
00:10:54,886 --> 00:10:58,726
to come to Glenn, building 333,
for mission critical testing.

201
00:10:59,066 --> 00:11:00,686
In the middle of
that testing we heard

202
00:11:00,686 --> 00:11:02,736
that the world trade center
got hit by an airplane.

203
00:11:03,276 --> 00:11:05,566
Like other people there
was disbelief and shock

204
00:11:06,056 --> 00:11:08,096
and then this mission
critical testing just stopped

205
00:11:08,486 --> 00:11:10,066
and we all hovered
around the TV.

206
00:11:11,036 --> 00:11:14,576
We just couldn't believe it
and so you know our country was

207
00:11:14,576 --> 00:11:17,416
on the line and it made the
NASA mission critical not look

208
00:11:17,516 --> 00:11:20,686
so important that day.

209
00:11:21,046 --> 00:11:28,636
Go. I was returning from a fly
fishing trip in Idaho on the day

210
00:11:28,696 --> 00:11:35,356
that 911 happened and it took
me three days to get home

211
00:11:35,356 --> 00:11:39,336
on a Greyhound bus and that
was very interesting going

212
00:11:39,336 --> 00:11:41,436
through all the different
small towns and cities

213
00:11:41,606 --> 00:11:45,626
from all the way from
Boise back to Cleveland

214
00:11:45,736 --> 00:11:49,416
and it was quite an
event and very stressful,

215
00:11:49,416 --> 00:11:52,766
obviously, but we made it.

216
00:11:53,146 --> 00:12:00,196
Okay. On 911 I was in Austin,
Texas at a design review.

217
00:12:01,096 --> 00:12:04,786
What I remember most is the
feeling of just utter shock

218
00:12:04,896 --> 00:12:11,496
and the need, the overpowering
need to get back to my family.

219
00:12:12,536 --> 00:12:13,946
Alright, okay.

220
00:12:13,946 --> 00:12:19,036
Yeah, I was offsite
at a training session

221
00:12:19,036 --> 00:12:23,236
with Center Director, Julian
Earls and we got the news

222
00:12:23,586 --> 00:12:26,566
and it was a hotel
conference room.

223
00:12:26,626 --> 00:12:31,636
We went out into the lobby to
watch the news on television.

224
00:12:31,926 --> 00:12:33,606
And of course everybody
was very shocked

225
00:12:34,166 --> 00:12:36,146
and stunned by what happened.

226
00:12:36,146 --> 00:12:40,136
And I remember the
instructor being concerned

227
00:12:40,136 --> 00:12:43,136
about how she was going
to get back to Washington,

228
00:12:43,176 --> 00:12:48,416
D.C. since the airports were
closed and she apparently had

229
00:12:48,416 --> 00:12:52,586
to rent a car but it was
quite shocking and disbelief

230
00:12:52,586 --> 00:12:55,836
of what was happening
at the time.

231
00:12:57,516 --> 00:12:58,696
Alright. Can I just start

232
00:12:58,696 --> 00:13:01,276
out saying my very
first experience on 911?

233
00:13:01,536 --> 00:13:02,916
Yeah, okay, go ahead.

234
00:13:03,046 --> 00:13:06,026
My memories of 911
was my very first time

235
00:13:06,026 --> 00:13:08,116
of starting my new
job here at NASA.

236
00:13:08,646 --> 00:13:11,006
And I got to the
gate and they told me

237
00:13:11,046 --> 00:13:15,316
that the gate was closed due
to the 911 terrorist attacks.

238
00:13:15,416 --> 00:13:19,776
So I was emotionally
upset due to that as well

239
00:13:19,776 --> 00:13:25,826
as starting my first job so that
was my experience on 911, 2001.

240
00:13:26,076 --> 00:13:27,126
You look very comfortable there.

241
00:13:27,386 --> 00:13:28,486
Okay, whenever you're ready.

242
00:13:29,696 --> 00:13:34,416
Hi, what I remember on 911
was the beautiful blue sky

243
00:13:35,736 --> 00:13:38,696
and I've never seen a sky
so pretty as that day.

244
00:13:38,696 --> 00:13:43,266
And every time I see a sky that
beautiful as I did that day,

245
00:13:43,856 --> 00:13:49,146
I think of those
emotions from 911.

246
00:13:49,806 --> 00:13:50,856
How's that?

247
00:13:51,216 --> 00:13:52,646
Okay. Go? Go.

248
00:13:53,966 --> 00:13:59,176
So my memory from
September 11 is as a member

249
00:13:59,176 --> 00:14:01,386
of Julian Earl's
Senior Management team,

250
00:14:02,196 --> 00:14:03,126
we were all offsite.

251
00:14:03,126 --> 00:14:06,996
We were in North Olmsted at a
hotel doing a training program

252
00:14:08,006 --> 00:14:11,666
and happened to go on break
right after the first plane hit.

253
00:14:11,836 --> 00:14:14,736
And all went down to
the hotel lobby to see,

254
00:14:15,336 --> 00:14:17,556
thinking it was an
accident, to see the pictures

255
00:14:17,866 --> 00:14:20,036
and saw the second one happen.

256
00:14:20,616 --> 00:14:22,896
We immediately realized we
had to get back to the center.

257
00:14:23,576 --> 00:14:26,806
We all went straight for
our cars, headed back.

258
00:14:26,856 --> 00:14:27,816
Julian led the way.

259
00:14:28,196 --> 00:14:32,656
Got to the back gate and the
center had been shut down,

260
00:14:34,036 --> 00:14:35,586
in lockdown because of this.

261
00:14:36,356 --> 00:14:39,416
And I remember being in the
car right behind Julian Earls

262
00:14:39,416 --> 00:14:43,016
and watching him negotiate
with the guard at the gate.

263
00:14:43,786 --> 00:14:46,556
He later told me that the
guard wasn't letting him in.

264
00:14:46,556 --> 00:14:49,246
He told the guard that he
would have to shoot him

265
00:14:49,246 --> 00:14:51,016
because we're all coming in.

266
00:14:51,066 --> 00:14:51,816
This is a crisis.

267
00:14:51,816 --> 00:14:52,436
We have to be there.

268
00:14:52,966 --> 00:14:57,586
And we all just followed him
through and got back and tried

269
00:14:57,586 --> 00:14:59,216
to deal with the crisis.

270
00:14:59,956 --> 00:15:00,956
Rumors were everywhere.

271
00:15:00,956 --> 00:15:04,476
I remember a big rumor that one

272
00:15:04,476 --> 00:15:06,086
of the planes was
headed for Cleveland.

273
00:15:06,086 --> 00:15:10,556
I think it came from the fact
that one of them had been turned

274
00:15:10,556 --> 00:15:12,116
around by the Cleveland control.

275
00:15:12,216 --> 00:15:15,886
That turned into a rumor that
it was coming here so we worked

276
00:15:15,996 --> 00:15:18,906
through evacuation to get
people safely out of the center

277
00:15:18,906 --> 00:15:19,956
as quickly as possible.

278
00:15:19,956 --> 00:15:22,356
It was very surreal.

279
00:15:23,046 --> 00:15:25,686
I will never forget
that experience.

280
00:15:27,936 --> 00:15:30,956
On September 11 I remember
it was a beautiful morning

281
00:15:30,956 --> 00:15:34,616
and I was just sitting in
my office in building 86

282
00:15:34,616 --> 00:15:38,016
when Elaine Kobalka, one
of our support contractors,

283
00:15:38,016 --> 00:15:40,706
popped her head in and
said a plane just crashed

284
00:15:40,706 --> 00:15:42,176
into the world trade center.

285
00:15:43,006 --> 00:15:47,646
So I remember then going
into Harry Cikanek's office,

286
00:15:47,646 --> 00:15:50,946
it was me and Bryan Smith,
sitting in Harry's office,

287
00:15:50,946 --> 00:15:55,776
just the two of us, watching the
events unfold on his television.

288
00:15:56,366 --> 00:16:01,046
I remember when the second tower
collapsed we actually thought we

289
00:16:01,046 --> 00:16:03,206
were watching a replay
of the first tower.

290
00:16:03,206 --> 00:16:07,506
It was kind of shocking that it
was actually the second tower

291
00:16:07,506 --> 00:16:08,176
that came down.

292
00:16:09,036 --> 00:16:12,036
So it was obviously a
very sad, surreal day

293
00:16:12,816 --> 00:16:16,276
and one that's impacted
our lives ever

294
00:16:16,276 --> 00:16:20,976
since so it was quite
a shocking event.

295
00:16:21,156 --> 00:16:24,436
Okay, go. I remember on
September 11 I was sitting

296
00:16:24,436 --> 00:16:26,756
in a meeting in the morning
and my wife called to tell me

297
00:16:26,756 --> 00:16:29,466
that a plane had crashed
into the World Trade Center.

298
00:16:29,466 --> 00:16:32,406
And recall the meeting,
people getting wind of it

299
00:16:32,406 --> 00:16:34,536
and the meeting breaking up
and people were retreating

300
00:16:34,536 --> 00:16:37,226
to offices, in a lot
of cases just in time

301
00:16:37,226 --> 00:16:40,676
to watch the second
plane hit the twin towers

302
00:16:40,676 --> 00:16:43,746
and just a feeling of utter
disbelief and uncertainty

303
00:16:43,746 --> 00:16:47,546
as to what was going
to happen next

304
00:16:47,846 --> 00:16:50,236
and wondering what the
country would be dragged into.

305
00:16:52,616 --> 00:16:53,676
Okay, you're on.

306
00:16:54,506 --> 00:17:02,106
I remember on 911 when the event
happened that I was a contractor

307
00:17:02,106 --> 00:17:07,756
for Bendix in Elyria and
it was total astonishment

308
00:17:08,136 --> 00:17:10,176
that such a horrible
thing could happen

309
00:17:10,246 --> 00:17:12,226
and I thought they originally
were talking about something

310
00:17:12,226 --> 00:17:15,706
that happened in another
country and I couldn't believe

311
00:17:15,846 --> 00:17:17,926
that it actually happened
here in the United States.

312
00:17:18,756 --> 00:17:23,066
And the whole office gathered
into the very small lunchroom

313
00:17:23,366 --> 00:17:25,526
and we all turned the
TV on and watched it

314
00:17:25,526 --> 00:17:28,006
in just utter astonishment.

315
00:17:28,346 --> 00:17:30,356
And the establishment
that I worked

316
00:17:30,356 --> 00:17:34,836
for at the time allowed us to
go home if we had family members

317
00:17:34,836 --> 00:17:36,786
that were tied to it directly.

318
00:17:37,396 --> 00:17:39,516
And I don't recall
if I went home or not

319
00:17:39,986 --> 00:17:44,786
because it's all a blur
from there so go America.

320
00:17:45,486 --> 00:17:53,886
Okay. I was on travel on
September 911 [inaudible]

321
00:17:54,756 --> 00:18:01,006
in Lawrence due to grant work
at a regional network facility.

322
00:18:01,736 --> 00:18:04,886
So in the morning we
walked in at that facility

323
00:18:04,886 --> 00:18:07,556
and this professor had
arranged everything

324
00:18:07,556 --> 00:18:13,006
in a very large conference room
with almost a room size screen.

325
00:18:13,636 --> 00:18:19,996
And to our shock and horror
we were witnessing the event

326
00:18:20,356 --> 00:18:24,016
which unfolded in
New York that day.

327
00:18:24,016 --> 00:18:25,756
Immediately the time was closed.

328
00:18:25,846 --> 00:18:30,746
We spent most of the day
seeing what was happening,

329
00:18:30,746 --> 00:18:35,956
the horror we were watching and
exchanging our point of views.

330
00:18:36,416 --> 00:18:39,066
And subsequent to that our
flights home were totally

331
00:18:39,106 --> 00:18:43,196
cancelled but we found the
town very friendly to us

332
00:18:43,696 --> 00:18:46,716
and they helped us
to rent a car.

333
00:18:46,816 --> 00:18:51,756
We took one all the way to
Cleveland, Ohio and I drove

334
00:18:51,756 --> 00:18:56,256
and all the news
which was unfolding

335
00:18:56,916 --> 00:19:04,976
with very high emotion, what
was happening at that time.

336
00:19:05,126 --> 00:19:10,996
And on the way on the rest
stops, in the smaller towns,

337
00:19:11,326 --> 00:19:13,906
the United States
flag was everywhere.

338
00:19:14,626 --> 00:19:18,146
The spirits at the same
time was very high,

339
00:19:18,656 --> 00:19:21,696
at the same time the
mood was very somber.

340
00:19:21,866 --> 00:19:26,616
It was the amazing feeling
to see how the country

341
00:19:27,436 --> 00:19:30,276
and its people had
reacted and I felt

342
00:19:30,276 --> 00:19:33,466
such a strong part
of it with them.

343
00:19:34,506 --> 00:19:38,756
But at the same time
in Cleveland, Ohio,

344
00:19:39,316 --> 00:19:42,396
the story was unfolding
with my family.

345
00:19:43,316 --> 00:19:46,316
My son was at that
time 4th grade,

346
00:19:46,936 --> 00:19:48,956
and unusually the
school made announcement

347
00:19:49,156 --> 00:19:52,086
that plane was gonna hit our
area in Rocky River Ohio,

348
00:19:52,086 --> 00:19:54,346
is very close to the airport

349
00:19:54,846 --> 00:19:59,136
and it panicked everything
from there.

350
00:19:59,136 --> 00:20:00,996
My wife also works
at Cleveland clinic

351
00:20:00,996 --> 00:20:02,936
and so she could
not show up on time.

352
00:20:03,426 --> 00:20:06,026
He was left alone there.

353
00:20:06,136 --> 00:20:12,426
And his sense of fear
and what impact 911 had

354
00:20:12,686 --> 00:20:18,516
on us will still remain in
our mind for a long time

355
00:20:18,616 --> 00:20:22,566
because my son reacted as if the
plane were coming to Cleveland,

356
00:20:22,566 --> 00:20:26,246
Ohio and could not understand
that they were just in New York

357
00:20:26,396 --> 00:20:28,836
and like the whole United
States was impacted and I think,

358
00:20:28,906 --> 00:20:31,186
you know, the adults
reacted in some way that way

359
00:20:31,756 --> 00:20:34,836
but he rationalized the event

360
00:20:35,536 --> 00:20:40,846
and subsequently he lost
a major part of his hair.

361
00:20:41,906 --> 00:20:43,566
Fortunately his hair
did come back

362
00:20:43,986 --> 00:20:50,876
but the family saw what a 911
like event can do to a young boy

363
00:20:50,876 --> 00:20:54,626
and while we were resolved

364
00:20:55,256 --> 00:20:57,176
that such an event should
not take place again.

365
00:20:57,726 --> 00:21:01,916
It stays with us all the time.

366
00:21:02,086 --> 00:21:04,606
I wanted to tell
you a little bit.

367
00:21:04,756 --> 00:21:10,756
On 911 we were getting ready for
our first start of flight week

368
00:21:10,806 --> 00:21:13,546
on the KC-135 Reduced
Gravity Aircraft.

369
00:21:13,546 --> 00:21:14,586
It was a beautiful day.

370
00:21:14,986 --> 00:21:17,696
We were wanting to
you know get going

371
00:21:17,696 --> 00:21:18,856
because it was just so pretty.

372
00:21:19,536 --> 00:21:22,066
Took off normally and headed
out to our flight area

373
00:21:22,066 --> 00:21:26,656
and all the operators started to
prepare their equipment and all

374
00:21:26,656 --> 00:21:30,306
of a sudden John Yanik, who was
the flight director, came back

375
00:21:30,306 --> 00:21:34,346
and said that air traffic
control had ordered us back

376
00:21:34,346 --> 00:21:34,886
to Cleveland.

377
00:21:35,396 --> 00:21:38,066
And of course everybody was
wondering what was going on

378
00:21:38,536 --> 00:21:40,726
and so we shut everything
down and sit back,

379
00:21:41,086 --> 00:21:42,946
back down in the
rear of the aircraft.

380
00:21:43,606 --> 00:21:46,826
And we didn't have cell phones
or anything to communicate.

381
00:21:46,826 --> 00:21:50,106
The pilots had some cell
phones and their only way

382
00:21:50,106 --> 00:21:53,556
to communicate was to call
back to Ellington Field to talk

383
00:21:53,556 --> 00:21:56,196
to them about what was going on
or tell them what we were doing

384
00:21:56,196 --> 00:21:59,876
and that's when they said
that an aircraft had flown

385
00:21:59,876 --> 00:22:01,566
into the World Trade Center.

386
00:22:02,056 --> 00:22:03,126
And everybody is like, well,

387
00:22:03,126 --> 00:22:05,516
is this an accident,
you know, on purpose?

388
00:22:05,516 --> 00:22:08,036
All the usual questions.

389
00:22:08,446 --> 00:22:12,906
And so then we started
to get a little bit,

390
00:22:12,906 --> 00:22:16,166
dribbles of more
information and found

391
00:22:16,166 --> 00:22:20,846
out that it was two aircraft, in
fact and you know, headed back.

392
00:22:21,276 --> 00:22:22,176
We did land.

393
00:22:22,176 --> 00:22:23,776
And as we found out later

394
00:22:24,086 --> 00:22:27,526
that we landed right
before the Delta flight

395
00:22:27,526 --> 00:22:29,386
that was diverted
here from Boston.

396
00:22:30,046 --> 00:22:31,776
So meaning if we would have come

397
00:22:31,776 --> 00:22:35,526
in after them we probably would
have ended up someplace else

398
00:22:35,526 --> 00:22:38,076
because they closed Hopkins
immediately afterwards.

399
00:22:38,686 --> 00:22:43,306
We taxied over to the
tarmac over by the IX center

400
00:22:43,926 --> 00:22:47,166
and sat there for, I forget
exactly how long, but they shut

401
00:22:47,166 --> 00:22:49,086
down the engines and
opened all the doors

402
00:22:49,086 --> 00:22:50,996
because it was just
getting too hot inside

403
00:22:51,666 --> 00:22:55,026
and eventually a bus
came from Glenn here

404
00:22:55,376 --> 00:22:58,946
and brought us back into, you
know, the center in which case,

405
00:22:58,946 --> 00:23:00,366
you know, we could leave.

406
00:23:00,996 --> 00:23:03,386
But as we were sitting over
there and discussing the events

407
00:23:03,426 --> 00:23:05,846
that were going on and I
forget exactly who said it

408
00:23:06,246 --> 00:23:09,676
but it turned out to be a very
prophetic type of statement.

409
00:23:09,676 --> 00:23:14,896
He just said we landed in a
world that was much different

410
00:23:14,896 --> 00:23:16,186
from a world we took off from.

411
00:23:16,776 --> 00:23:19,006
And didn't really
realize that at the time

412
00:23:19,006 --> 00:23:21,646
but every day I'm reminded
that that, you know how true

413
00:23:21,646 --> 00:23:24,996
that statement is and how much
of our lives have been touched,