How have you grown in ten years

How has God blessed you

Psalm 46:1-2, Ephesians 6:10-17

This was a quick article written on deadline for news print after returning from Washington, D.C. the very weekend our nation was attacked. It was published September 17, 2001 in the Troy Daily News, Troy, OH, USA.

I wanted to share it, as it was written ten years ago ...

A pulveriser began removing pieces of the damaged west face of the Pentagon Saturday September 15th, 2001. Four days after the Pentagon was struck by an aircraft in an apparent terrorist attack in the nation's capital.

TDN photographer chronicles history in nation's capital

On Saturday, Troy Daily News Chief Photographer, Anthony D. Weber, traveled to the nation's capital and saw first-hand the destruction caused in Tuesday's attack on the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. that killed an estimated 200 people.

Washington–I was a member of "The Old Guard" at Fort Myer, a U.S. Army post, which borders the Arlington National Cemetery and neighbors the Pentagon. While stationed there I visited the Pentagon numerous times for military business.

Not that I had a relationship to the structure, but I had a connection to it.

My wife and I left for D.C. at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, September 15, 2001. We made record time in seven hours and thirty minutes.

When we got into the area, we turned on an am radio station, and it was said that within a half-hour to 45 minutes, they were going to begin removal of the heavily damaged western side of the building.

Being there to photograph that was just as much capturing history. It was very moving for me.

We drove directly to the Pentagon and were there nearly three hours.

Photographers I spoke to, from the Associated Press, worked in shifts and there were others at the site from numerous area newspapers. Not only newspapers, but television crews, as well. There must have been 100 people there at the Citgo gasoline station, which served as the media point.

Across the way, were many spectators, passersby and possibly even some family who stopped to witness. Not at the media point, but just outside the U.S. Navy Annex adjacent to the gas station. Many of them were there to pray, leave cards, flowers or wreaths near the site of the disaster.

Among all the people was a group of Cambodians in native dress, giving their respects. They were surrounded by those interested, as they assured us (Americans) they stand beside us.

There was a frightening moment which came when we were told to leave the media area. A metal brief case was found in a parking lot and the Secret Service enforced an evacuation of both media and tourists in case there was a bomb inside.

As a result, a Pentagon employee who was distraught over recent events was drunk and had set the case down and left it. According to local television reports, the man worked at the Pentagon and had a gun on him when police found him, but the weapon was not loaded.

After an uneasy rest, we got up early Sunday and went to the Pentagon. We arrived at 5:30 just as the sun was rising over the destruction. Matter of fact, I did not return to the media point, but went to the Navy Annex where I shot a photograph of the Pentagon at sunrise. While there I spoke to a freelance photographer who was there getting photos for USA Today.

One of the most moving memories of the trip was in Maryland when we were driving back.

A man was standing on an overpass just waving a large flag as traffic passed below on the highway. Traffic flowed under him and he was waving his flag–our flag.

It was an amazing sight.

Spirit was visible everywhere during our drive home. Flags were flying on buildings and car antennas, everywhere.

It brings a feeling that makes you proud to be an American – when people unite.


E Pluribus Unum

Here is an image I shot from the Jersey side while visiting friends from Point Pleasant when I lived in Arlington in 1991.