This handwritten post card was sent by Leslie Whittington and family at Dulles Airport prior to their departure on American Airlines Flight 77 that was hijacked into the Pentagon. The postcard was cancelled on September 12, 2001. The message on the reverse was addressed to her sister.
Description: This soot-covered desktop nameplate and Army pennant were recovered from Holly Guzowski’s Pentagon office.
Context: Holly Guzowski, a civilian employee of the Department of Defense, survived the terrorist attack on the Pentagon. Her office was on the third floor of the D ring (the E ring is the exterior), and was directly above the path of the airplane as it slid through the first and second floors of E, D, and C rings. In the Pentagon attack, 125 employees were killed and some 140 more were injured; aboard the plane, all 53 passengers, six crew members, and five hijackers were killed.
Description: This doll caricature of a female firefighter was recovered from the rubble of the World Trade Center.
Context: A popular tourist destination and retail space, the World Trade Center had many stores. On the observation deck located on the 107th floor of the south tower were three souvenir shops, and in the underground arcade connecting the towers was a mall with over 70 shops. While the identity of the store that was selling this toy remains a mystery, the doll itself is a sad reminder of the many rescue workers who perished in the towers’ collapse
Description: This M&M dispenser, soot-covered calendar, and desk copy of the U.S. Army code were recovered from the Pentagon office of Charles A. Reimer, Deputy Division Chief, Strategic Leadership, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff Operations/Army G-3.
Context: Charles Reimer, a civilian employee for the Department of Defense, survived the terrorist attack on the Pentagon. His office was on the third floor of the D ring (the E ring is the exterior), and was directly above the path of the airplane as it slid through the first and second floors of E, D, and C rings. As flames shot up past the windows and the area filled with smoke, he helped a fellow worker escape from the building. In the Pentagon attack, 125 employees were killed and 140 were injured; on board the airplane, all 53 passengers, six crew members, and five hijackers were killed.
Description: This boxed commemorative coin (issued earlier as recognition for a job well done) was recovered from the damaged Pentagon office of Maj. Warren Hoy.
Context: Maj. Warren Hoy was a survivor of the terrorist attack on the Pentagon. His office was on the third floor of the D ring (the E ring is the exterior), and was directly above the path of the airplane as it slid through the first and second floors of E, D, and C rings. As the area filled with smoke, he helped an injured fellow worker escape from the building. In the Pentagon attack, 125 employees were killed and 140 were injured; on board the airplane, all 53 passengers, six crew members, and five hijackers were killed.
This material from Officer Isaac Hoopii includes his uniform (shirt with insignia, trousers, boots, and name tag), his shield, his dog Vitos collar and shield, a K-9 patch, and a poster of Vito.
Description: This cloth napkin came from Wild Blue, a steakhouse located in the North Tower of the World Trade Center.
Context: In December 2001, firefighter Rocky Rainondi found this cloth napkin in the World Trade Center debris. He mailed it to Michael Lomonaco, who had been the steakhouse’s Director and Chef. Wild Blue was part of the Windows on the World complex, which included multiple dining rooms and the Greatest Bar on Earth. The restaurant was located on the 107th floor of the North Tower. On September 11, 2001, terrorists flew a hijacked planed into the North Towers of the World Trade Center, impacting floors 94-98.
According to newspaper reports, 99 percent of the people below the points of impact survived. Yet for those above the impact zones or trapped in elevators, there was no escape.
This card was used by Comdr. Dunn to access the Pentagon athletic center. Physical fitness is very important to a fighting force; every member of the military must pass a rigorous physical exam twice a year. Military personnel are required to maintain a high level of physical training, or "PT." Visits to the gym also provide stress relief and an opportunity to interact with friends and colleagues.
Description: This wallet complete with its contents was found in the debris pile of the World Trade Center.
Context: When terrorists crashed an airliner into the World Trade Center, many people evacuated quickly. In his haste to leave his 32nd-floor office in the north tower, Terrence McCormick, Branch Marketing Director for Kemper Insurance, left behind his suit jacket with his wallet. After a harrowing descent down the stairs and getting covered by dust from the collapse of the south tower, McCormick walked seven miles through Brooklyn to a point where he could catch a bus home. Some days later, the police discovered his wallet in the debris and returned it to Mr. McCormick.
Comdr. Patrick Dunn, like all members of the U.S. armed forces, carried a military ID. This card was heavily burned in the fire that followed the crash of the hijacked airliner.