Remembering Sept. 11: Team Robins members recall events of fateful day Published Sept. 11, 2009 By Kendahl Johnson 78 ABW/pA ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- There are many dates in each of our lives that stand out, like a wedding day, the birth of a child or the death of a loved one. Those moments influence our lives, for better or worse, and give us memories that remain with us forever. One moment in history that has impacted nearly every American is the events of September 11, 2001. Eight years ago today, there were a series of coordinated attacks upon the United States. On that morning, Al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four commercial passenger jet airliners. The hijackers intentionally crashed two of the airliners into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, killing everyone on board and many others working in the buildings. Both buildings collapsed within two hours, destroying nearby buildings and damaging others. The hijackers crashed a third airliner into the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., just outside of Washington, D.C. The fourth plane crashed into a field near Shanksville in rural Pennsylvania, after some of its passengers and flight crew attempted to retake control of the plane, which the hijackers had redirected toward Washington, D.C. There were no survivors from any of the flights. While most Americans watched the horrific events unfold on a television screen, many Robins workers witnessed it firsthand and today have their own personal tales from that fateful day. "We heard the engine explode. It sounded like an artillery attack. We thought it was the end of the world," said Maj. Wes Cox, commander of the 578th Combat Sustainment Squadron. Major Cox was in the Pentagon when the plane crashed into the building. Following the crash, he was among those who set up triage in the center of the Pentagon. He said his main desire at the time was to help those who were suffering, but the heat from the blast made it impossible. "I'll never forget when the firefighters said, 'It's too hot. We can't go in. We have to let them go.' That was the ultimate frustration," he said. "We did the best we were allowed to do, but I still wish there was something more we could have done." Master Sgt. Quinton Williams, NCO in charge of the Communications Directorate's network training center, was also working in the Pentagon on September 11. "We heard a loud boom but we had no idea what had happened or how significant it actually was," he said. "It took awhile for it to sink in and that it could have been me who died." Sergeant Williams said people were frantically trying to evacuate the building and the scene was very chaotic. He said the events that day changed history and he realizes the significance of being in such close proximity when it happened. "It constantly crosses my mind," he said. "It's important to remember what happened because of the countless number of innocent lives that were lost. We should never forget; it will always be a day to remember." Tech. Sgt. David Long, NCO in charge of the executive support staff for the 402nd Maintenance Wing, also was working in the Pentagon. As fate would have it, he had brought his wife and two of his children to the Pentagon that day for dental appointments. "People had a lot more dramatic experiences than me, but it was very scary because my family was there," he said. "As we evacuated, I couldn't help but worry that something else might happen." Sergeant Long said there are a lot of details from that day that stand out, details that will forever be in his mind. But what stands out the most, and what had the most impact, happened not on September 11, but on the following day, when he returned to work. "As I was walking into the building, I saw bandages and chalk markings on the sidewalk. I knew that's where they were treating the injured and that's when the severity and significance of the event truly hit me," he said. "That's when I started mourning those who lost their lives." Sergeant Long said naturally, the mood at the Pentagon changed that day. "It became more serious, more somber," he said. "People seemed to be working with more focus." There were a total of 2,993 deaths that day. At the Pentagon, 125 people were killed, including 55 military personnel. To help us remember those who lost their lives that day, the Pentagon Memorial was built and opened to the public one year ago today. It consists of a landscaped park with 184 benches facing the Pentagon. When the Pentagon was repaired, a private chapel and indoor memorial were included, located at the spot where Flight 77 crashed into the building. Other memorials were built at the World Trade Center. "A lot of people lost their lives that day and it's important to keep their memory alive," Major Cox said.