Re: Just heard the news

>

My uncle works in the Pentagon, and he sent me this account of what
happened
on the 11th.

>As some of you know, I work in the Pentagon.  This morning as I watched
CNN
>covering the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Tower, I told my
>co-workers that it showed remarkable planning, logistics and money.  I
>asked
>why, given those resources, the perpetrators didn't just go after the
White
>House and Pentagon.  It wasn't long after that a person came running
into
>our office screaming that the Pentagon was hit and we all had to
evacuate
>NOW!  I didn't need much convincing, despite not hearing or feeling
>anything, so I made for the exit along with mobs of people walking or
>running for the door.	Once out the River Entrance, as it's called, I
>looked
>back to see the huge smoke cloud over the building.  Muttering "Oh, my
>God!!" , the mob and I bolted for the lawn across the street near the
>Potomac.  Fortunately for me, if not for the victims,	the plane hit on
the
>opposite side of the building.  Now the Pentagon's clinic is right at
the
>River Entrance, so some of the walking wounded apparently made their
way
>there and were then taken out to the lawn near where I was for what
>treatment was available.  Meanwhile, someone else came running by and
>yelled
>at all doctors and nurses to go back in the building.	Shortly after
that,
>a
>security car came by with a bull horn yelling that another hijacked
plane
>was inbound and to get away from the building.  Needless to say, we all
ran
>for it.  Eventually, I just took off for home and beat the  awful
traffic
>that ensued when the entire city closed virtually everything.	One of
the
>small pieces of good fortune in all this is that if the plane had hit
the
>River Entrance, it would have taken out the offices of the Secretary of
>Defense, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the National Military Command
Center,
>and (where I work), the National Military Joint Intelligence Center,
which
>is the alert center for the DOD.  Not only that, the Pentagon child
care
>center is right there as well.  I'm not sure that the plane was trying
to
>hit where it did since it fell slightly short of the Pentagon and
>apparently
>slid into it.	I guess I'm very lucky that I'm alive since if it had
hit
>the
>nerve center, I'd be dead.  Meanwhile, I don't think anyone can be
anything
>other than stunned, shocked and extremely saddened over the horrendous
loss
>of life and destruction.  I know you have all prayed for the dead, the
>wounded and their families.  But if this is another Pearl Harbor, it
means
>war.	But a war with terrorists will entail relatiations directed
mostly
>at
>US civilians anywhere they may be in the world, and I don't rule out
>further
>attacks in the US.  I think it may become a lot bloodier before it's
over.
>
>Thomas E. Wolke

Additionally my brother is stationed aboard the Carl Vinson, which is
currently in the Persian Gulf. My thoughts are with him, and any of you
who
also may fear for loved ones around the world.