Shanksville Pennsylvania: WE WILL NEVER FORGET FLIGHT 93
/By Dale Gabriel
Has it really been 20 years? September 11, 2001 was a horrible time for our country, yet there was SOME good that came out of it; it brought us all together. This country needs togetherness like that today.
We ALL have memories and stories about that horrific day, but for me and those of us in law enforcement and first responders, it is an extremely different memory than most of the general public. In my case, memories of 9/11, as a trooper with the Pennsylvania State Police, working in the troop assigned where United Airlines Flight 93 crashed.
It started out like any other day. I was working daylight shift. I was on patrol, enjoying the sunny fall day. Since I rarely worked daylight, I enjoyed being seen, especially by kids. I was following school buses and waving to the kids, driving around the school as they made their way inside. I was very active volunteering in the school, and a great majority of the kids knew me. They loved seeing me in uniform. Little did we all know that a short while later, our lives would change forever.
I heard something on my police radio about a plane crash, since the 911 call from Flight 93 came into my county dispatch center, but I really did not pay that much attention to it, as I was heading to a DUI hearing. I strolled into the Magistrate's office, and everybody was abuzz, talking about the tragic plane crash, yet at that point, nobody knew exactly just HOW tragic it was.
As more details came to light, it was obvious that this was NOT like any other plane crash, and this was a day unlike any other.
Initially, we thought it was nothing more than a horrible accident. Then we heard about the second, then the third. America was under attack, specifically New York and Washington, D.C., followed by a crash right here in our back yard, Shanskville, Pennsylvania, in the midst of my troop, Pennsylvania State Police Troop A. Nobody knew what might get hit next.
My fellow troopers and I were all called into station to discuss what was going on, even though nobody was sure. The PA State Police had to create and develop a plan they had never even considered, a plan they really had no clue about. What exactly was PSP going to do? How do you develop a plan when you really have no idea what is going on? Are we protecting the public? Are we going to war? I was proud at how quickly everything came together, and even more proud being just a very small part of it.
I cannot say it too many times. All of our lives changed forever that day. Innocence was lost. Those of us who had kids had to painstakingly explain to them what was going on, which was difficult, because to be honest, we didn't have a clue ourselves.
Personally, for a small amount of the population, those of us in law enforcement, fire rescue, EMS and especially the military and our families, it was much different for us than the rest of the world especially with Flight 93 crashing so close. As the plan was being created, my PSP brothers and sisters were told to pack a bag, say goodbye to our families and be ready to head to Shanksville at the drop of a hat for only God knew how long.
Nobody knew what our task would be. Would we be digging for bodies? Would we be gathering evidence? Would we be standing guard? Nobody knew for sure who was going, when they were going, what our task would be, or when we might get the chance to see our families again. In the end, we did ALL of those things.
I called my wife and told her to grab our three kids at the middle school and elementary and bring them home. I wanted to see them and give them a hug, not knowing what the future was going to hold for any of us. In addition, how do you explain something like this to a 12-, 10- and 7-year-old? How do you tell them what happened, and worse yet, what might STILL happen? How do you keep them safe, keep them from being terrified? It was a very trying time to be a parent, even MORE trying to be a trooper. But it was about more than just us. It was also about our families. What we all were able to do in the end would not be possible without our families.
Sometimes, I think the families made more sacrifices than those of us who were forced to work because of the attacks. My wife spent the next couple months like a single mother while I worked 12- and 16-hour days, seven days a week. With half our complement spending months at Shanksville, we could not forget the general public we were sworn to serve and protect. We were very short-handed but got the job done. As I reflect upon it, we were fortunate that crime was down during this time. People were actually treating each other BETTER.
It's been said over and over, but it's necessary. Life as we knew it would never be the same. From all that devastation, however, some good did arise. Patriotism tops the list. People in all walks of life started to appreciate America as we should have before. Red, white, and blue could be seen everywhere. Patriotic songs were heard continuously. New songs were written. Americans began to take on an "us against them" mentality, and THEY were NOT going to win! They could not keep us down!
People finally started to appreciate the firemen, the EMTs, the police, those of us who worked every day before, and every day since, to keep them safe, those of us who worked all night, weekends, holidays when they were out celebrating with family, as well as through storms that people were not supposed to go out in. I always had a sense of pride for what I did but never like this. As EVERYBODY seemed to appreciate and respect us, I had an even bigger sense of pride that I never really experienced any other time in my career as a trooper. People would routinely thank us for our service, pick up our checks at lunch, or simply smile and wave to acknowledge us. Their kids wanted to shake our hands. This is what being a police officer SHOULD be like.
I don't even know how many days straight I worked. I lost count. On my first day off after the attacks, baseball was getting back to being played. The Pirates were having their first game after a long layoff. As a huge baseball fan, I wanted to just forget about everything going on, and enjoy watching the game. A stranger, seeing me post something about my situation, gave me tickets to that first Pirates game for the whole family; the best seats I have ever had for a ball game in my life. A stranger!
To this day, the national anthem still makes me cry. I stand tall and proud, and think of the words as they are being sung, the words about OUR Star-Spangled Banner. I reflect upon everything in my life that I have to be thankful for, especially for my dad, a proud Marine who served in the Korean War, and all the veterans who fought, many making the ultimate sacrifice to give us freedom. I think about all the first responders who lost their lives helping others that fateful day and the families they left behind. I pray for all those afflicted with post-traumatic stress syndrome, and those who are still passing, from afflictions developed that day. I think about the countless police shootings we see on the news now, nearly every day. Then, I start to think of all of these professional athletes, many of them backed up by so-called “celebrities” disrespecting the flag, our military, our police, and the country by refusing to stand, ignoring the national anthem, and it makes me absolutely sick and disgusted.
So as you go about your business today, take a moment to reflect on it all. Think of how lucky you are to have survived that day and the period after it. Pray for those who did not and their families. Think of all the heroes on Flight 93 who may have saved thousands of lives, with their efforts, while surrendering their own. Think of the people who rebuilt New York. Think of all those first responders who risked their own lives to help others. Think of how many did not make it. Think of the families they left behind. Think of the sacrifices made by the families of all those first responders, as my wife and daughters had done. Think of anyone and everyone who did something, ANYTHING, to help America recover. Think of all the military personnel then, and ever since then who risk their lives to keep us free... and please, STAND for the national anthem.
And let's pray we never have to endure another incident like this for the rest of our lives, nor our children's lives, our grandchildren and so on, but let us also pray for togetherness. Pray that we can all come together as a nation, as Americans, pray to stop the hatred.
God Bless America and PLEASE BACK THE BLUE!
Dale Gabriel is a retired patrol and community services officer with the Pennsylvania State Police. After 25+ years of service, in retirement, he has been working on a book of his many PSP memories. He also coaches a baseball team in a Miracle League for those with special needs. He holds a communication degree with English minor from Saint Vincent College in Western Pennsylvania.
