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September 11, 2001
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 stars and stripes forever
Posted by: Justin Nash from Atlantic Beach
Thursday September 11, 2003 @ 10:35 PDT

when the fallling of the twin towers happened, i was in week 5 of coast guard boot camp. we were at the pistol range eating lunch. our company commander came in and told us that there was an attack on america, that terrorists had flown planes into the twin towers. you could just imigine the disbelife. some of us thought it was something to test us, to see how we wpuld react to more stress. but we all found out it was true, but it didnt seem real, like anything could happen to the us. it really changed my outlook on being in the military. it gave me even more pride to serve my country. and i know that everyone that was at cape may that day felt the same way that i did.

here is a poem written by a friend of mine.

this is a story about when heroes fall,
when wives are widowed and mothers lose their all.
this is for our heroes, the ones who never knew,
how many hearts they made happy. this story is for
you.

dear hero,
your spirit lives on in every candle lit. you’re
forever my hero, one i’ll never forget. people were
panicked, screaming and crying. you were courageous
and went back for the dying. glued to the t.v., i
couldn’t make a sound. you carried out a blessing with
each person you found. i watched your every action and
how you were so brave. i even saw the interview of the
daddy you saved. i felt so helpless wondering what
could i do. i wanted to be brave and to go rescue you.
i decided to find you and thank you so much. and to
show you the faces of the lives you touched. i rushed
to ground zero, searching for your face. instead the
words “missing person” had mysteriously taken your
place. i couldn’t believe, i didn’t understand. i
stopped a passing officer and cried, “but sir, i just
saw this man.” he explained, “so many ran out, he must
have ran in. he wasn’t alone, there were many other
men.” i held your picture and joined all the cries.
you weren’t supposed to be there, you weren’t supposed
to die. i felt so sad, i just couldn’t believe. all
the great things you did, you’ll never get to see. the
hurt is less now but i think of you still. i think of
your strength, your courage, and your life changing
will. our nation lives on with the promise to prevail.
this is because of all the heroes, remembering those
heroes who fell.

by: tara j. murray

 


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