Remembering a decade: A look back to then and now

  • Published
  • By 23rd Wing Public Affairs
MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  "At one point I was right in the middle of ground zero. I looked down and saw an ear--just an ear by itself," said Master Sgt. Anthony Kavouras. "It was as if I was in another world."

Everyone has a memory of where they were on that day. The short stories below are from people who wanted to contribute those memories. They are reflections of how they were affected then, and how they are still affected today.

Master Sgt. Anthony Kavouras, liaison for the 105th SFS and 820th Battle Defense Group, had a first-hand account of being at ground zero not long after the attacks.

"I was driving down the road when the first plane struck the towers; they played a small little blurb on the radio. I did not really realize what was going on. Then the second plane crashed into the tower so I called the base right away. They were getting a list of names together to send the next day as first responders and I was one of those people.

"On our way there as we were crossing the bridge, all you could see were clouds of smoke and papers floating in the air. We had to go through checkpoints. When I got there, I was part of the bucket brigade, moving debris by buckets trying to find people. From any direction you looked around, paper was everywhere on the ground two to three inches thick. We were walking on beams sometimes five to 20 feet in the air.

"At one point I was right in the middle of ground zero. I looked down and saw an ear just an ear by itself. It was as if I was in another world. Every time we found human remains, they called for body bags and played the national anthem; everything was done with great respect. It was one of the proudest moments of my life to be a part of something like this but one of the most horrific at the same time.

"We lost one of our own from 105th Security Forces Squadron, Stewart Air National Guard Base, N.Y. Jerome Dominguez: he was on the lower floor of the World Trade Center when it collapsed on him. It was really hard on us. He was one of our guys and also a member of the Emergency Services unit of the New York police department, and we commemorate every year in his honor. I just ask that people don't forget that day and remember the ones that are never coming back."

Robert Lewis's story begins with him preparing for a workday at the Pentagon.

"I was supposed to be at work in the pentagon that day, but my wife left for Africa the day before so I took a vacation day to be with my daughter," said Mr. Lewis, 23rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron unit program coordinator.

Mr. Lewis was supposed to be at the Pentagon during the time of the attacks but as luck may have it, he needed to take leave that day. He was with his 2-year-old daughter when he first saw what was happening.

"We were watching television when all of a sudden we saw the World Trade Centers coming down, and I thought to myself that this is just another Hollywood stunt movie," said Mr. Lewis. "But shortly after, there was a late-breaking news report saying the Pentagon had just been attacked. At that point, I just got really emotional knowing that my friends were in there during all of this."

One NCO early in his career remembers a normal day turning into something much more. Tech. Sgt. Timothy Ostrom, 23rd Logistics Readiness Squadron petroleum, oil and lubricants, was an airman first class at the time stationed at Pope Air Force Base, N.C.

"My reaction to the planes hitting the towers was about the same as everyone else, just that a small plane had ran into the tower, but looking back now, none of us could have imagined the magnitude of what was really going on," said Ostrom. "I remember having to walk outside and get away from the television and just realizing how silent it was. There was no laughing or joking."

As a new Airman deployed only a few months after the attacks, Ostrom hit the ground running and learning as he went.

2nd Lt. Nigel Skeete, 23rd Component Maintenance Squadron propulsion flight commander, was a senior airman at the time and was on leave at his home in New York City when the towers fell.

"The younger of my two sisters came in, woke me up and said 'Nigel, a plane just flew into one of the towers.' I shrugged her off and told her to stop bothering me because it wasn't uncommon for small commuter planes to hit buildings in New York. I went back to sleep and when the second plane hit, she shook me again and said another plane hit and that's when I woke up.

"I came out of my room and the whole family was sitting around the TV watching the news quietly. My older sister was crying and every time a news update came, she would run to the bathroom and throw up. I asked 'Why?', but everyone just gave me this look like I should know. After going outside where we could see the smoke, I found out that my sister's boyfriend had started working at the World Trade Center earlier that year.

"There were a lot of elderly and disabled who were overcome by the smoke and couldn't exit, so a lot of young people stayed back to assist and comfort them. When the buildings came down. We hadn't heard form Alex, my sister's boyfriend or his family. When the towers fell, my sister was pretty sure that he was gone, because staying back and helping people was the type of person he was."

For Master Sgt. Sonya Coutre, 438th Air Expeditionary Wing air flight equipment superintendant, her story was not about what happened ten years ago, but recounts how things have changed and how we honor those fallen to this day.

"As Sept. 11 approaches, I find myself once again in Afghanistan, this time for a year. This mission is different from the last. Instead of supporting missions to 'seek out and destroy the enemy', I am here to train members of the Afghan air force on how to do my job, aircrew flight equipment. On that day, we will be reading the names of the victims who died on that day and raising our flag in their honor. Who would have ever thought we would get to this point as we pay tribute and honor to those who lost their lives on that day.

"In Feb. 2012, I will be on my way home to my family. I will leave this country behind and wish them well on their endeavors to become a better, stronger country. Nothing can change what happened on Sept. 11, or bring back the loved ones, family and friends that were lost then or during the war that followed. All we can do is continue to honor their memory, to never forget and to keep fighting for something more, a better world so this never happens again."