Importance?

[Guest kpaul]

It is interestind that today is the 4th anniversary of 9-11, there is the small mater of cleaning up after Katrina, and let us not forget we are still at war, yet the only thing being discussed are hats, bags and tools.

Are these really the most important things on your minds? If so, it is time for a reality check. How about a thread with some depth?

[Gravedigger]

I just finished watching the documentary on UA Flight 93, and I have to say it strengthend my resolve to serve. I still can't believe the events that unfolded that day, but I know we are going to make those who hurt us suffer. Let's Roll!

[Guest AirGuardian]

As you all know,

Freedom ain't free, and we've been putting a hurt on them within a month after the original 9-11. It's always a good method to keep your enemy busy in their territory rather than lighten up and give them time in yours....again...!

We've been rolling, but it's been at a great cost which is near and dear to all of those affected and in the service of course. No one puts on this uniform without thought anymore - great respect for those who have and do! Keep at it and watch your tail cowboys...as well as mine Apache maniacs!!!

[ 11. September 2005, 22:05: Message edited by: AirGuardian ]

[Guest SuperStallionIP]

Originally posted by Five-Oh Co-Pilot:

Are these really the most important things on your minds? If so, it is time for a reality check. How about a thread with some depth?

Start a topic you want to talk about then instead of complaining about the threads that exist.

[Toro]

Shack, BigIron.

I will say that I watched a couple interesting specials on the Discovery and History Channel last night.

'Ground Zero' detailed Flight 175 (first flight into the Towers) from shortly before takeoff to impact. It was a reenactment based off of handwritten instructions recovered from the hijackers and cell phone calls made by the flight attendants. I thought one of the interesting things was that the hijackers intended at one point to make an announcement to the cabin telling everyone to be calm, that they had taken the plane and were returning to the airport. However, he keyed the wrong mic and actually made the call to ATC; the call was heard by not only the ATC controller, but by the crew of Flight 93 (the flight where the passengers revolted against the hijackers).

'The Man who Predicted 9/11' was also on the History Channel about Ric Rescorla's increased security measures in the towers after the 1993 WTC bombings. The steps he took in the eight years prior to the 9/11 attacks and even that day saved hundreds of lives - eventually at the cost of his own.

And finally "The Flight that Fought Back" on Discovery channel (mentioned by C17) was about the Flight 93 passengers who, after their plan had been hijacked, got word through cell phones that the other planes had been flown into the WTC Towers and decided they would do whatever it took to stop the hijackers. It was done in a similar fasion of "Ground Zero."

[Guest SuperStallionIP]

I saw all those as well. Really interesting, but pisses one off nonetheless.

[Guest skipplet]

I only saw the flight 93 documentary, but it was pretty moving.

[Toro]

One other that was on - taped it and watched it this morning - was 'Grounded on 9/11' which was the events of the day as told from the perspective of the Air Traffic Controllers. Imagine watching a plane's transponder code dissappear, then see it do a 180 and hear that it just crashed into a building....then another...then another....then another. Within three hours, ATC throughout the US landed/diverted over 3000 flights. None an enviable job that day.

[Guest UT-38stud]

Toro,

Ironic you mention Ric Rescorla. Did you know that his photo is on the cover of the book "We Were Soldiers Once...and Young," which became the major motion picture starring Mel Gibson. The book was published in the late 80's early 90's which is why i say it's ironic his photo was used for the cover looong before 9/11. If you read the book he is mentioned a few times as a true war hero well before his actions on 9/11. This guy folks was one of 400 men who fought over 2000 enemy soldiers in Ia Drang Valley and lived to tell about it...unfortunately, he gave his life on 9/11 doing what he spent his life doing...sacrifcing his life for others and a greater cause. A truly great American.

[Guest Xtndr50boom]

The National Geographic channel had a two part documentary (4 hours total) about 9-11. Everything from how the plot began (as some small talk between childhood friends years ago) up to a couple days after. Extremely thorough, and interviews from a whole lot of people unwittingly involved. For instance, the US Airways check in agent who gave Mohammed Atta and another stool pigeon their boarding passes. He remembers that after Atta looked at him with the most hateful face you can imagine after he was asked those useless pre-911 security questions (have your bags been in your control since you packed them, etc), that he said to another guy there "If he's not the stereotypical arab terrorist I don't know who is". Also the 6th grader in Brooklyn who said in class the week before 9/11, while pointing to the WTC in the distance "Those two buildings won't be there next week".

Outstanding show

[DC]

That National Geographic documentary was absolutely amazing. It really gives you the background and perspective into just how determined our enemy is. All the more reason to out-determine him. Watching the first 2 hours (the plot) started getting me angry. The next two hours, reliving every excruciating detail really brought me back to how I felt that day as I alternated between staring at the TV in a state of disbelief and looking at the skyscrapers around me with a horrid uneasy feeling. For all that's happened since it can sometimes admittedly difficult to connect to that visceral feeling behind the subsequent decisions. I hate to admit it, but complacency comes far too easily. Fortunately we live in a cruel world, and that world never ceases to remind us of that. Whether it be the evil nature in some human beings or the raw power of mother nature we all witnessed two weeks ago, we absolutely need to work that much harder to better this ship we call civilization. I can't think of a better place to do that from than the United States Air Force. When asked why I joined, I find it difficult to put into words sometimes. There were so many reasons. But hey, whatdya know. Turns out I can articulate it just fine.

Importance? To me, in that above stream of consciousness, that's the importance.

[Toro]

Originally posted by viper-dude:

Ironic you mention Ric Rescorla...If you read the book he is mentioned a few times as a true war hero well before his actions on 9/11.

Yeah, this was brought up in the documentary. Also turns out he was born in England and was a strongly influenced by the American presence in WWII. He joined the US Army during Vietnam, which eventually allowed him to gain citizenship. In Vietnam as a 2Lt he was adamant about not losing any men. Despite his efforts, he still lost six or seven men which, according to friends, haunted him for the rest of his life. A lot of his friends speculate that those losses from Vietnam were what drove him to ensure that he would lose no more people in the WTC.

[Guest ce2be]

It is actually amazing to me how many people do not even consider the attacks on 9/11 anymore. It is like talking about the attacks on perl harbor almost. The 9/11 attacks were only 4 years ago, but most of our youth today seem to treat it like it was 50 years ago.

The other thing is that no one sees the war in Iraq as an extension to the was on terror. They see it as a seperate thing and almost seem to forget the we are still in afgan. doing what we do.

On this 4 year aniv it is important to make sure people don't forget that the bad guy brought the fight to us, and we just sent it back to them and are keeping it there.