This morning F3 Louisville pax gathered at the J-Town Veterans Memorial Park for a ruck-ops beatdown in honor of 9 men (among many) who acted heroically during the terror attacks of September 11, 2001. Here are their stories:
- Al Braca
A bond trader at Cantor Fitzgerald on a high floor of the North Tower (nicknamed “the Rev” by colleagues for his faith), he realized escape was impossible and shared his faith with trapped coworkers. He is credited with leading a large group in prayer and offering spiritual comfort in their final moments. - Father Mychal Judge
The FDNY chaplain rushed to the World Trade Center, administered last rites and offered spiritual comfort to firefighters and victims in the lobby area. He was struck and killed by falling debris. - Isaac Ho’opi’i
A Pentagon police officer, he repeatedly ran into the burning, smoke-filled building after the plane struck, carrying or guiding multiple people to safety and calling out for survivors to follow his voice. He is credited with rescuing at least eight people in those efforts. - Danny Lewin
A former Israeli special forces officer and Akamai Technologies co-founder aboard American Airlines Flight 11, he recognized the hijacking and moved to intervene against the terrorists. He was killed during the struggle in the cabin. - Benjamin “Keefe” Clark
A former Marine working as a chef on the 96th floor of the South Tower, he ensured coworkers evacuated safely and then stopped on a lower floor to assist a woman in a wheelchair. He did not make it out and is credited with helping save many lives through his actions. - Frank De Martini
A Port Authority construction manager on the 88th floor of the North Tower, he stayed after the impact to free people trapped behind jammed doors and debris. Using tools and working with colleagues, he helped at least 50 people escape from floors 88 and 89 before the building collapsed. - Todd Beamer
A passenger on United Flight 93, he joined others in organizing resistance after learning of the other attacks by phone. His final words over an open line—“Let’s roll!”—became a rallying cry as passengers fought the hijackers, causing the plane to crash in a Pennsylvania field rather than reach its intended target (believed to be in Washington, D.C.) - Welles Crowther
An equities trader and volunteer firefighter in the South Tower, he repeatedly guided and carried injured people from the 78th-floor sky lobby down stairwells to safety, wearing a red bandana over his face. He went back up multiple times to help more and was last seen with firefighters before the tower fell; survivors credit him with saving more than a dozen lives. - Stephen Siller – An FDNY firefighter who was off-duty, he learned of the attacks, grabbed his gear, and ran through the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel (which had been closed) carrying about 60 pounds of equipment to reach the scene. He entered the towers to help and did not survive.
Never forget.
F3 Louisville 