They Are Not Forgotten

Sept. 11, 2021
Rather than focus on the devastation of the morning or 9/11, I’d like to share with you some remarkable stories of rescues and the techniques used to recover and identify the deceased victims.

September 11, 2001. At 8:46 a.m., a hijacked commercial airplane crashes into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in Manhattan, New York City. At 9:03, a second hijacked plane crashes into the South Tower. Both towers eventually collapse. At 9:37, a third hijacked plane crashes into the West side of the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. At 10:07, a fourth hijacked plane crashes into a field in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, after passengers attempt to overpower the hijackers and regain control of the flight.

Americans know these horrifying acts of terror all too well. Between all four crashes, just under 3,000 people were killed that morning. When remembering the events of 9/11, understandably, the focus is often on the attacks, rather than the painstaking efforts of first responders and others to rescue who they could, and recover those who did not survive.

After American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175 were flown into the North and South Towers of the World Trade Center, first responders from NYPD, FDNY and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department sprang into action. Immediately after the North Tower was hit, evacuations began. At the time it appeared this may have been an accident and the South Tower was not initially evacuated. It took less than 20 minutes for it to be made clear this was an intentional act, as the South Tower was struck in the same manner. As the morning unfolded and two other deadly crashes occurred, it became certain these were coordinated attacks against the American people. Just before the South Tower was hit, an evacuation order was issued. Hundreds of people were killed in each impact, but that was only the start of the destruction. Fires roared, trapping people in the upper floors. As those unable to escape were faced with certain death, thousands fled the buildings, and hundreds of police officers and firefighters raced towards them. As the severity of the situation began to set in, things got drastically worse. At 9:59, the South Tower collapsed, followed by the North Tower roughly 30 minutes later. Nearly everyone inside or close to the buildings at the time of the collapses were killed almost instantly, with very few exceptions. Twenty-three people were able to escape the debris, several of them first responders, but approximately 2,600 people died. With such a large number of casualties, the recovery efforts would be seemingly endless, but that did not stop emergency personnel, military members, countless engineers, volunteers, and over 400 dogs from digging through the rubble, searching for the remains of victims. 20 years later, the remains of victims are still being identified, with nearly 40% of victims still needing identification. Forensic biologists are using bone material to obtain DNA cells to identify remains so they can be returned to family members. This process has not stopped since 2001 and there are more than 1,000 sets of unidentified remains left as of recent estimates. It may be unbelievable, but two decades after the attacks, recovery efforts are still in progress.
As the name suggests, the Pentagon is comprised of five segments, or wedges. It has been the headquarters for the Department of Defense, formerly the Department of War, since 1943. Starting in 1998 renovations began to modernize the building. However after 9/11, these plans had to be dramatically altered due to the damage the building suffered. The Boeing 757 which struck the building in between two of the wedges caused a one inch shift in the structure. The force and heat from the crash fractured many of the columns in the vicinity of the impact. With that level of damage to the massive building, the devastation to its occupants can’t be understated. As with the other hijackings no passengers survived the crash, however rescue efforts began instantly as many of the employees in the building were active military, and trained to respond effectively in chaotic situations. Arlington County Fire Department was dispatched immediately, but in the minutes it took the crews to arrive and take command of the scene, military and civilian employees alike, began evacuating others and searching the impact zone for survivors. One hundred twenty-five Pentagon employees were killed in the attack, but an unknown number were saved thanks to the quick actions of those on site. In the following days, fires were extinguished and rubble was removed from the scene and taken to a parking area where it could be properly sifted through to find remains and personal belongings which would help identify the victims. Due to the state of much of the remains, DNA analysis became invaluable. Pentagon employees were identified using DNA samples the Department of Defense took from employees previously. The family members of passengers from the plane provided DNA samples from household belongings for comparison. Eventually, all 184 victims were identified, including the 125 employees, 6 crew members, and 53 passengers. An incredible feat given the circumstances. Unidentified remains for five people were discovered, believed to be those of the hijackers. Five of the victims had to be identified through other means, as there were no remains located for them.
United Airlines Flight 93 was in the air for approximately 46 minutes when four hijackers stormed the cockpit. Two distress calls aired to the air traffic control center, and two accidental calls from a hijacker stating there was a bomb on board and ordering the passengers to remain seated. It appears the latter calls were intended for the plane’s public address system to inform the passengers of their predicament. Passengers and crew members placed calls to family members to tell them of the hijacking. Their family members informed them of the other hijackings and crashes, leading to the conclusion they were destined for the same fate, likely headed towards the White House or the Capitol Building, given their course for Washington, D.C. Passengers and crew rallied and attempted to gain entry into the cockpit and retake control of the plane. As a result of this struggle, the plane crashed in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, roughly 65 miles from Pittsburgh, either intentionally by the hijackers, or in a fight over the plane’s controls. There were no survivors of the crash, but no victims hurt on the ground either thanks to the actions of the passengers and crew members. Most of the remains were lost due to the explosive crash, and due to the state of the remains recovered, it was unclear if anyone on board was already dead prior to the crash. The victims were identified by DNA analysis, similar to the Pentagon victims, and the hijackers remains were identified by process of elimination.

When tragedy strikes on American soil, no matter how great, our first responders will always be there to preserve life. In the unfortunate circumstance there is loss of life, they will not give up until every step is taken to recover the deceased. By the time the scenes were cleared, 343 firefighters, 23 NYPD officers and 37 Port Authority officers lost their lives, and many more have passed away since, due to a multitude of health problems caused by responding to the scenes. Undoubtedly however, countless civilian lives were saved thanks to the heroic responders who put their lives on the line against the most insurmountable odds.  

About the Author

Officer Brendan Rodela, Contributing Editor | Officer

Brendan Rodela is a Deputy for the Lincoln County (NM) Sheriff's Office. He holds a degree in Criminal Justice and is a certified instructor with specialized training in Domestic Violence and Interactions with Persons with Mental Impairments.

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