|
|
|
||||||||
|
9/11 Pentagon Attack
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
9/11 Pentagon Attack
- a moment in history -
September 11, 2001 9:38 am Crystal City (Arlington) Virginia
by Norman Gagnon
I felt my office shake a little thinking that it was the construction crew doing work on
the floor above mine but soon after I heard my coworkers shuffling by my office talking
about an explosion. Moments later, for some unknown reason, our building's fire alarm
sounded so I left my office and scurried down the stairwell, making a quick stop at the
underground shops to pick up a disposable camera prior exiting the building.
On the street, I heard a couple members from the crowd talking about the Pentagon
being on fire! I noticed also that there were two gentlemen in suits, circular shields on
their lapels, directing traffic, believed to be from the U.S. Marshall Service. Just a
couple blocks away, I started walking North towards the Pentagon keeping an eye on
the dark gray plumes of smoke. As I walked by a rear exit of a local diner, I paused
briefly near the opened door to listen to a radio on the announcement of the collapse of
one of the World Trade towers!
Dazed by the formidable news, I continued meandering through the incoming rush of
military personnel, until I reached the edge of I-395. A few minutes later, a woman in
uniform was running towards me, frantically shouting to the nearby crowd that there
was another plane on the way and we should leave the area immediately!
Moments later, I heard the thunder-like engine of a jet fighter flying above the area,
circulating the Pentagon for about 20 minutes, than it disappeared (perhaps after the Pennsylvania flight 93 was no longer a threat?)
|
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Photo by Norman Gagnon (C) 2001
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Photo by Norman Gagnon (C) 2001
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Moments later I heard the loud "boom" of the roof collapse.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Photo by Norman Gagnon (C) 2001
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
First eyewitness sharing what he saw.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Photo by Norman Gagnon (C) 2001
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Second eyewitness (pentagon construction worker) saw the plane decend over Navy Annex building (FOB 2) striking a couple light poles and crashing into the west wall of the Pentagon.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Photo by Norman Gagnon (C) 2001
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
F-16 flying above area.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Photo by Norman Gagnon (C) 2001
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Some Pentagon personel gathering safely on the other side of I-395, across from the Pentagon.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| page created with Easy Designer |