Rick Allen: “I wish to share my views, my sentiments 2 years after these events. The fact is, we are 2 years exactly to the minute…”

“I wish to share my views, my sentiments 2 years after these events. The fact is, we are 2 years exactly to the minute after American Airlines flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon. I keep the remembrance with me of Captain Chic Burlingame, who was the captain, who fought the terrorists on that plane. I think of him. I think of the passengers. One of the passengers was the father of a young boy who lived in our neighborhood and played with our kids. This is a tragic and vile act that hit the World Trade Center, that hit Virginia at the Pentagon, 2 years ago to this moment. Also, at this very time, there was another plane coming from the north that was undoubtedly going to be hitting either this Capitol Building right here, maybe the CIA, maybe the White House, and there was great bravery on that plane to avert further loss of life. It struck us all that this was like Pearl Harbor; and it was. Pearl Harbor brought the United States into World War II. The attacks on New York City, on the World Trade Center, on the Pentagon in Virginia brought the United States of America into the War on Terrorism.”