ON A BRIGHT-BLUE morning 21 years ago, Coast Guard Lt. Michael Day was at his office on Staten Island, looking out over lower Manhattan. He was a relatively junior officer whose job involved the safety and navigation oversight of the New York waterways. He also dealt with all the odd questions that tend to crop up in the congested rivers and harbor of one of the largest cities in the world, like queries related to charity swims and the Macy's Fourth of July fireworks. He had negotiated with the Mets when their new stadium lights blinded mariners, and he'd had to tell David Letterman that, no, he could not launch watermelons across the Hudson River toward New Jersey.
It hardly seemed a job destined for history. So, soon after 8:46 a.m., when he heard that a plane had crashed into one of the World Trade Center towers, Day had the same thought that so many Americans did: What an odd accident. Likely a small plane-maybe a helicopter. He watched CNN for a few moments, then went back to his desk and kept working. Every so often, he'd glance over his shoulder at the plume of smoke visible out the window, but he wasn't alarmed. He'd worked in the Twin Towers in his previous job with the Port Authority, and everyone knew how robust they were-the legend was that they could withstand a Boeing 707 crashing into them.
Whatever had happened, it was not a job for the Coast Guard.
Then the second plane hit. And the chaos began.
Over the hours ahead, Day and his colleagues at the Sandy Hook Pilots Association the specially licensed sailors who help larger vessels safely get in and out of the harbor-would help orchestrate the largest maritime evacuation in world history, larger even than the famous British rescue at Dunkirk.
Bu hikaye Reader's Digest US dergisinin September 2022 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Reader's Digest US dergisinin September 2022 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Election Day Memories - Stories about voting by the people, for the people
A Convincing Argument When my boyfriend and I were finally old enough to vote in our first presidential election, we spent months debating with one another about our chosen candidates. We were quite persuasive, as we discovered when we got home from the polls and learned that we'd both voted for the other's initial choice.―SHERRY FOX Appleton, WI
A New Way to Monitor Blood Sugar
Who can benefit from this wearable technology
A Flag for Dad
An old sailor made a last wish. His son was determined to see that it came true.
Sisterhood to Last a Lifetime
These college pals teach a master class in how to maintain a friendship for 50-plus years
...TO DIE ON A HOCKEY RINK
ONE MINUTE I WAS PLAYING IN MY BEER LEAGUE, THE NEXT I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL
Yes, There's a Museum for That!
These collections are wacky, wonderful and worth a visit
Town Meeting Is Called!
Once a year, the people of Elmore, Vermont, gather to practice a cherished right: democracy
Just Tight
Broken, battered and trapped in a ravine for days, a desperate driver wonders, \"Will anyone find me?\"
WHY OUR BODIES DON'T DIG DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME
Twice a year, when we spring ahead and fall back, we're more prone to sleepiness, depression and accidents
MONEYSAVING DO'S AND DON'TS
The run-up to the holidays doesn't have to bah-humbug your budget. A shopping expert shares strategies for saving big now and all year round.