‘It can’t be real’

Editor’s note: At least one UW employee, Elaine McCusker, who works in the Office of Federal Relations in Washington, D.C., witnessed the crash of American Airlines Flight 77 into the Pentagon. Here is her account of that frightening experience:

“I was heading to a 10 a.m. meeting. It was a beautiful day and I had the car windows down. My radio was on and they broke in to report the second plane hitting the World Trade Center. I felt behind the curve because I hadn’t known about the first plane. I hadn’t watched TV that morning and had no idea about the level of destruction. Then the President came on the air saying that we had been the subject of an apparent terrorist attack.

Above: Hundreds of faculty, staff and students gathered on Red Square Sept. 14, the national day of mourning. Together with Americans nationwide, they observed several moments of silence as first sirens wailed and then bells chimed. Right: Flags throughout the nation flew at half staff until President Bush ordered them at full staff on Sept. 23.

Traffic is normally slow right around the Pentagon as the road winds and we line up to cross the 14th Street bridge heading into the District of Columbia. I don’t know what made me look up, but I did and I saw a very low-flying American Airlines plane that seemed to be accelerating. My first thought was just ‘No, no, no, no,’ because it was obvious the plane was not heading to nearby Reagan National Airport. It was going to crash.

At that point time just sort of stopped. In retrospect I’m amazed there were no car crashes as those on the road with me just stopped and helplessly watched the plane crash. I pulled out my cell phone to call 911. I heard sirens and, not sure what to do, I called my mom who works at a newspaper in Pekin, Ill. She told me to calm down and keep driving. Fire trucks started to appear so I and others on the road tried to move out of the way.

Operating mostly on autopilot, I drove to the office, keeping an eye and ear on the sky. I was positive another plane was coming any minute. Once you’ve seen the unimaginable, you believe anything can happen. They were already evacuating my building when I got there but I came up to the office and turned on the TV. The phone was ringing when I walked in and continued ringing. I was glad I was there so I could let people know we (she and other staff members Sarah Spreitzer and Barbara Perry) were all right.

As I thought about it, aside from the incomprehensible feeling of the attack itself, the most shocking thing to me was that I could see the plane was a regular sized, American Airlines flight. Like the rest of the country, I was not aware from the early reports that hijacked domestic airliners were involved. As I kept replaying the scene in my mind, all I could think was, ‘This is all very wrong. It can’t be real.’

I stayed in the office until 1 p.m. The building was closed, but the city was in gridlock and I had to pass the Pentagon to get home so it seemed better to stay. On my way home I saw an Army attack helicopter in the air over a nearly deserted capitol beltway. It seemed surreal yet reassuring.

I deal with defense issues, among other things, for the University and I’m currently Co-Chair of the Coalition for National Security Research, so I know a lot of people who work in the Pentagon or meet there for business. I spent the next 24 hours, as so many people did, trying to track down all the people I knew who may have been in the area.

I, like most of the country, found comfort in the national day of remembrance and mourning, Sept. 14. I have to say that Americans’ reaction to this attack has been as positive and strong as the attack was terrifying. Still, as I passed the Pentagon at exactly the same time a week later, I was struck by an eerie and very sad feeling.”

International shock, support flood Evans School e-mail accounts

The Foundation for International Understanding through Students held a candlelight vigil in response to the attack.

Students and alumni of two international fellowship programs at the UW flooded the Evans School of Public Affairs with shocked and supportive e-mails following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11.

The Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program (in its 14th year on this campus) and the Population Leadership Program (in its second year) bring mid-career professionals from selected countries to the U.S. for a year of academic coursework and professional development. A sampling of those e-mails, which in some cases have been edited for clarity and to protect the private nature of the correspondence, are reprinted here:

“Let me express my deepest sorrow and condolence to you, to all American people. I wish to say that me, my family and all normal people that love democracy, freedom are with you in these hard days.”

Slovak Republic

“We were terrified by this unhumanitarian tragedy. We give our condolences to all the American people and all we can wish now is peace to the whole world.”

Lebanon

“I saw the event on TV live yesterday. It was unbelievable and shocking. My first impression was that the world needs much more to do to understand peace and to generates leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi who we really need. Like all other human beings, I feel sad and deep sympathy with all the Americans.”

Iran

“I would like to express my deepest sympathy. It was such a terrible tragedy. I am very sorry for the victims. As a former Humphrey Fellow my feelings are not different than American citizens. God bless the Americans and all human beings. With my best wishes.”

Turkey

“Like many other peace-loving people around the world, I was so shocked by the cruel attacks at World Trade Center twin towers and other buildings and facilities in the U.S., and very disappointed by that terrorist act. At the same time I would like to share my deepest sorrow and condolence to you, to all American people. Thinking of you these days!”

Vietnam

“Greetings. How is your family and the program faculty - I hope all is well. What a terrible period the last 24 hours has been - with all the report of the senseless terrorist attack on America. May the soul of the people who died in the attack rest in peace and may the Lord comfort their families. May God’s marvelous light shine brighter on the people and land of America and overshadow the scenes of sadness, grief and gloominess that have come about on the account of the terrorist attack. I am glad and proud to listen to President Bush’s speech - the American spirit is still alive, truly. Here as in many parts of the world, our heart goes out to all Americans affected.”

Nigeria