We decided to begin our wander around the museum on the top floor. One half was dedicated to fallen NYPD officers who have lost their lives carrying out their daily work; beginning with Officer Thomas Lynch in 1849. We picked the first officer and randomly picked another three from different areas.   

The other end of this floor is dedicated to the police officers who lost their lives in the 9-11 attack on the Twin Towers. This September sees the 10th anniversary and since we have been in New York we have frequently heard mention of the event, the memorial garden, the building of Freedom Tower and some personal stories of people who lost a friend or family member. As we drove past Wall Street on our down town bus tour our guide told of his loss.

The first thing we saw was a film showing on split screens in the far corner. Very striking. The lady in the first column was the emergency service telephonist who took th efirst call that morning. She said a lady rang and immediately told her not to hang up and that she was not making a crank call. "Which service do you need ma'am". "A plane has just crashed into one of the twin towers". That got us thinking about the day itself and where we were when we heard. Bear was in surgery as the news filtered through from patients and then staff. I was driving back from Paignton, Miffy's 14th birthday cake on the back seat, listening to the "Steve Wright in the Afternoon" show. He announced that something had happened in New York and he would find out more and let us know after the next record. The first reports were sketchy and we assumed a tragic accident had happened until the second plane hit. As we all arrived home that day we sat glued to the television; some time later we tried to have a birthday tea, Miffy said we should postpone his birthday until the next day so we could all go back to watching as the events of the day unfolded. It was all we could do to feel as if we were showing some kind of support. 

At 8:46 a.m., American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the World Trade Center's North Tower, followed by United Airlines Flight 175, which hit the South Tower at 9:03 a.m. The south tower (2 WTC) fell at approximately 9:59 a.m., after burning for 56 minutes in a fire caused by the impact of United Airlines Flight 175. The north tower (1 WTC) collapsed at 10:28 a.m., after burning for approximately 102 minutes. When the north tower collapsed, debris fell on the nearby 7 World Trade Center building (7 WTC) damaging it and starting fires. These fires burned for hours and compromised the building's structural integrity, which led to the crumbling of the east penthouse at 5:20 p.m. and to the complete collapse of the building at 5:21 p.m or 10:21 p.m. our time.

The display brought home details we had not ever considered, the fact that the intense heat had turned concrete into molten lava and glass had melted in minutes. The information on the blue card reads:

Destruction. The days and weeks following September 11, 2001, for many, was overwhelming. It was difficult to watch television, read a newspaper, or gaze at Manhattan’s altered skyline. The photos and video shown from Ground Zero made it inconceivable to think that there was anything left, but amazingly remnants of the World Trade Center, patrol cars, and equipment survived the devastating collapse. It was through the dedicated recovery operations at the World Trade Center site and Fresh Kills landfill, where debris from the site was transported, that these and thousands of other items were recovered.  

A work cap, all that is left of a police car radio. A piece of rock, not exceptional - it has been formed from one of the buildings, more extraordinary is the bit sticking up is a gun casing. Next to it is a siren pack.

This siren pack from police car 1672 is from Ground Zero and was recovered at Fresh Kills landfill. It helps demonstrate how the NYPD responded from all over the city on September 11, 2001. Car 1672 belonged to the 62nd Precinct, which covers Bensonhurst in Brooklyn. We are beginning to get the feel of the brotherhood that prevailed that terrible day. 

During the search and rescue operation, police officers gathered remnants of NYPD property strewn amidst the wreckage. Finding such familiar objects in such unfathomable devastation provided hope that all was not lost. Every item in the pile was potential evidence or a form of identification of victims. More than 130 police cars had been crushed, but even their most inconsequential, intimate parts held the promise of life. Nothing could be discarded. In just 102 minutes on the morning of September 11, 2001, terrorists reduced the 110-story Twin Towers to a mound of smoldering wreckage ten stories high, The world stared in shock at the remains of a site that for 31 years glimmered on Manhattan’s skyline, and mourned those who were lost that day. The flag now more than ever represented American strength, freedom, and unity. 

Two days after the terrorist attacks this solitary steel cross was found protruding from the destruction at Six World Trade Centrr. Construction workers pulled the steel crossbeam from the debris and mounted it as a shrine, where it remained near ground Zero throughout the recovery efforts. The sight of it gave many recovery workers a sense of meaning to their somber work. It continues to stand near the site as a potent symbol of survival. Thermal image showing the intense heat on the 20th of September through to the 23rd.

 

The label reads: Unified Force. The men and women of law enforcement agencies throughout the city suffered staggering losses on September 11, 2001. Their sacrifices will never be forgotten. The terrorist attacks claimed the lives of 37 Port Authority Police Department officers and commanders, the largest loss of life by a police department on a single day in U.S. history.

 

The next area had an electronic picture frame that showed each of the officers that had lost their lives. Very personal, very touching and so very sad.

 

 

 

   

   

   

 

Here are just some of the many tragic losses.  

 

     

 

Each of them was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

 

 

   

 

 

The information card read: Heroes to the end. The heroic actions of the 23 police officers who perished on September 11, 2001, are best demonstrated in these three miraculous photos. Not all of the 23 fallen officers were captured on film performing their duties amid such horrific conditions. But these three images of Police Officer Moira A. Smith, Police Officer Robert Fazio (also above with his family), and Police Officer Ramon Suarez will forever remind the world of the selfless sacrifice of all NYPD officers. They carried civilians to safety. They found emergency care for the injured. They comforted the suffering at their time of greatest need. They saved the lives of thousands. They will never be forgotten.