Fort Knox held its annual 25th‑anniversary remembrance ceremony for the September 11 attacks on Friday, featuring the traditional playing of TAPS, a bell toll, and a special guest: retired Army Sgt. Maj. Tony Rose, a survivor of the Pentagon attack.
Rose’s first‑hand account
Rose described being in his office on the second floor of the Pentagon’s C‑ring when the second plane struck. “I was literally standing in my office with a cup of coffee when they said, ‘You need to come watch the TV.’ When the plane hit, we knew it was not an accident. The whole building shook,” he recalled.
He said the impact knocked the breath out of him, preventing him from inhaling the dense smoke that filled the corridors. “I was on the floor, couldn’t hear, but I could see the fireball roll over,” Rose said. He and dozens of others immediately began crawling through the smoke to locate and rescue survivors, pulling people out of dangerous areas even when they were larger or injured.
Lessons of courage and character
Rose emphasized that the day taught him that a person’s heart matters more than appearance or strength. “It’s not what we look like or how we’re built; it’s what we do,” he said, noting the bravery of those who risked their lives to help others.
He reflected on the lasting impact of the tragedy, especially when he sees artifacts such as the fire truck “Foam 161” displayed near the crash site. “I never want to misrepresent my friends or the people I didn’t know. I don’t want to dishonor them,” Rose said, his voice breaking.
Calling for truth in education
Rose urged the nation’s youth to learn the history of 9/11 directly from witnesses rather than from those who would distort it. “If young people grow up not knowing the truth, they’ll be caught, their eyes closed, and we’ll see a repeat,” he warned.
He has shared his story annually for the past 25 years and plans to continue as long as he is able, hoping his testimony will preserve the memory of that day for future generations.
Original reporting: WLKY Louisville — read the source article.
