Posted on 09/17/2001 3:40:51 PM PDT by gumbo
Edited on 04/13/2004 1:38:19 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
Unknown to each other, Jeremy Glick, Tom Burnett, Todd Beamer and Mark Bingham were just four businessmen boarding an early morning, cross-country flight. Thirty-something, successful, take-charge guys, fate brought them together on San Francisco-bound Flight 93 last Tuesday. Three of them had been scheduled to leave sooner.
(Excerpt) Read more at usatoday.com ...
I hadn't heard the name of Mr. Beamer yet, nor the story about his reciting the 23rd Psalm with the GTE supervisor who took the call from the plane.
Tragic, but life saving, end for heros who started their day as you and I.
Remember GLICK – BURNETT – BINGHAM – BEAMER - GARCIA - GUADAGNO - and possibly others unknown - Patriots who gave their lives to save other lives!).
I've flown in and out of Reagan National too many times to count. Even at the normal 150MPH descent speed, it's difficult to get a fix on smaller buildings, which the WH most certainly is (not much larger than a big suburban home).
The WH is surrounded by 4 to 9 story buildings in very close proximity on the west, north, and east. From any of those directions, spotting it (let alone hitting it) from low altitude at high speed would be daunting if not impossible. The only way to hit the 2-story WH would have been to come in from the south (over the Ellipse). A maniacal guy in a Cessna did this several years ago.
So to make this possible, the Pentagon attack went first to provide smoke and flame, and thus a clear sightline to the WH (just as the WTC attacks were carefully planned for maximum TV coverage). The cloud of smoke went up at least 1,000 feet within 3 minutes, and was overwhelmingly visible from my vantage point three miles away.
Take a look at any DC map. The line from the western side of the Pentagon to the Washington Monument need only be corrected by three degrees west to intersect directly with the WH.
These guys were planning to make a 180 degree turn around Culpepper, VA, and then come in low and fast from the south. Once within 5 or 10 miles of DC, they'd be able to use the Pentagon smoke and the Monument to put them directly on course to the WH. Then descend to low altitude and stay on an absolutely straight course to attack.
Although we'll never know for sure, Jeremy Glick, Tom Burnett, Todd Beamer and Mark Bingham probably deserve special remembrance in our national history.
Too many variables to pinpoint aircraft being forced down by heroic passengers (although I would love to believe it). The Cheney denial while at the same time claiming F16 shootdowns were authorized point strongly to a coverup we've seen many times now. A loaded plane headed towards the White House "should have" been shot down, the passengers were doomed. Why not admit it instead of covering it up.
If any irregularities with the data Flight recorder surface be warned in advance. I'm just surprised at the media and how they have swept eyewitness accounts under the rug (where have we seen that before, TWA Flt 800?????)
One of the many victims of the September 11, 2001 tragedy was from our Fish and Wildlife Service family. Richard Guadagno, Refuge Manager of the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge, was one of the people on board the hijacked United Airlines flight 93 that crashed in Stony Creek Township, Pennsylvania. Richard was returning from a vacation with his parents. He is survived by his parents and his sister.
From USF&WS: A FALLEN COMRADE
Flight 93 is the one where passengers possibly thwarted the hijackers efforts and possibly caused the crash into the field in Pennsylvania. Being in that profession I believe that He may have been involved in whatever actions passengers may have taken.
Our deepest sympathies go out to Rich's family, friends, and to the USF&WS for their loss!
One of our own Country Pond Fish and Game members and active Cowboy Shooters had the honor to be Rich's supervisor while in the Fish and Wildlife Service. He said that "I just know that Rich was in the thick of the struggle. He was that sort of an officer."
Ed, you have our sympathies as well! Thank you for notifying us.
We have lost a lot of Heroes in this tragedy!
Ah!!!! The CTs found this thread!!
What Americans can do when they have to...
According to my coworkers (not sure what news sources they used) the fighters were still a substantial distance from the plane when it went down; the fighters would almost certainly have stopped the plane had its passengers not done so, but even if the practical effect of those passengers was nil (plane would have been shot down even if they'd not resisted) I'd still like to see them be awarded the Congressional Medal of Freedom if there is any truth to their rushing the cockpit.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.