LITTLE KNOWN STORY OF 09/11/2001, The DayCare Center

Date: Tue, Jun 29, 11:30 AM +0000
Subject: LITTLE KNOWN STORY OF 09/11/2001

This is little-known story from the Pentagon on 09/11/2001:

During a visit with a fellow chaplain, who happened to be assigned to the
Pentagon, I had a chance to hear a first-hand account of an incident that
happened right after Flight 77 hit the Pentagon. The chaplain told me what
happened at a daycare center near where the impact occurred. This daycare had
many children, including infants who were in heavy cribs. The daycare
supervisor, looking at all the children they needed to evacuate, was in a panic over
what they could do. There were many children, mostly toddlers, as well as
the infants that would need to be taken out with the cribs.

There was no time to try to bundle them into carriers and strollers. Just
then a young Marine came running into the center and asked what they needed
After hearing what the center director was trying to do, he ran back out
into the hallway and disappeared. The director thought, 'well, there we are—on
our own.'

About 2 minutes later, that Marine returned with 40 other Marines in tow.
Each of them grabbed a crib with a child, and the rest started gathering up
toddlers. The director and her staff then helped them take all the children
out of the center and down toward the park near the Potomac and the Pentagon.
Once they got about 3/4 of a mile outside the building, the Marines stopped
in the park, and then did a fabulous thing - they formed a circle with the
cribs, which were quite sturdy and heavy, like the covered wagons in the Old
West. Inside this circle of cribs, they put the toddlers, to keep them from
wandering off. Outside this circle were the 40 Marines, forming a perimeter
around the children and waiting for instructions. There they remained until
the parents could be notified and come get their children..

The chaplain then said, "I don't think any of us saw nor heard of this on
any of the news stories of the day. It was an incredible story of our men
there. There wasn't a dry eye in the room. The thought of those Marines and
what they did and how fast they reacted; could we expect any less from them? It
was one of the most touching stories from the Pentagon.

Remember Ronald Reagan's great compliment: "Most of us wonder if our lives
made any difference. Marines don't have that problem."
--
God Bless the USA , our troops, and you.

It's the Military, not the reporter who has given us the freedom of the
press.
It's the Military, not the poet, who has given us the freedom of speech.
It's the Military, not the politicians that ensures our right to life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
It's the Military who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and
whose coffin is draped by the flag.

If you care to offer the smallest token of recognition and appreciation for
the military, please pass this on and pray for our men and women who have
served and are currently serving our country and pray for those who have
given the ultimate sacrifice for freedom.

It is & always shall be, regular men & women who are responsible for this
country.