Anecdotes: 9/11/2001

General Info
Pictures
Anecdotes
Related Links
9/11 Ebb Tide

Anecdotes

Dear Eileen,

My name is James Cordara and I am class of '85 deck. I am currently employed as a Sergeant in the Nassau County Police Marine/Aviation Bureau. I just got home this morning after working almost 48 hrs in the rescue effort caused by the terrorist attack on the twin towers. I was given a little down time before I must return. The reason that I am writing you is to commend all the alumni of SUNY Maritime College that I saw during the first 48 hrs of the rescue efforts. As you can imagine it was pure chaos, with clouds of dust in the air, buildings collapsing, the possibility of another attack, injured people, women and children trying to get off Manhattan, and rescue workers trying to rush into harms way too. All of the roads were closed, and there were no aircraft allowed to fly. The only way on or off the island was by water. I saw Maritme grads working as military personnel, harbor pilots, tug captains and crew, ferry boat captains and crew, police officers, state troopers and firemen both in the marine divisions and rescue operations ALL working together in unprecendented acts of heroism, bravery, and valor, pushing themselves to the limit and beyond. Because of their efforts and level headed cool professionalism in what is probably the worst attack on our nation since Pearl Harbor, thousands of lives were saved and the rescue operations were enhanced. I can only attribute this to the "regimental way of life" that I so hated while attending the Dome. As the rescue efforts continue, and sadly turn into recovery efforts, I am sure that these traits will magnify. I am prouder now of our school and the caliber of graduate that it produces then I ever was before. Maritime College is truly "First and Foremost".

I am the Port Captain and Port Engineer for Consolidated Edison. Tuesday morning I was at our pier 98 marine transfer facility on the Hudson River having one of our barges being prepared for transit to Staten Island. I heard a noise which was out of sorts and looked up to see the north tower just a few seconds after the first plane hit. This plane had to fly right over my head moments before; because I have a direct LOS along the Hudson River from the north to the WTC. Consequently I saw the rest of the tragedy unfold.

Con Edison has/had a large feeder station and transformer vaults in the WTC to support the financial district and WTC. Wednesday morning I was tasked to a team organized to restore/rebuild and install emergency temporary transformers and possible electrical generation down at the WTC. One option for quick temporary restoration is to install barges with a high tension feeder substation. This required a field visit to asses the waterfront and other sites within the immediate area. I arrived via the water by vessel as a good mariner and pulled into the North Cove Yacht Harbor within a few hundred feet of 'ground zero'. It was eerie.... activity was hectic with security and responder vessels filling the marina coming and going as they shuttle people and supplies. Yet along the full length of the shore side bulkhead was a line of identical class sailing regatta boats. They filled the cove with sounds of their rigging from the wake generated by the response vessel activity. I disembarked... it was very surreal. Around me littered on the ground was inches of dust and papers from the WTC. I made my way around to ground zero and was so surprised to see such a small amount of debris. Both buildings had just about collapsed straight down. The massive amount of weight compacted each building into one solid composite of steel, office equipment and concrete into the underground complex of the WTC. I had expected a huge very high pile of rubble. However like an iceberg it was only approximately 40 feet high in some parts.

Richard Wickboldt 76