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Posted on 12/29/2003 11:46:08 AM PST by ThePointer
Remembering Poland One Year Later…. By William Grodnick, stationed at Camp Babylon, Iraq
As a New York City police officer, and the Manhattan trustee of the NYPD’s Pulaski Association, I joined six of my colleagues in going to Poland last year as guests of the Polish government. I have often heard of the natural beauty of Poland, but to see it firsthand - words cannot describe its immense beauty! From the great city of Warsaw, with its old square, to the ancient city of Krakow with its cathedral, to Zakopane with its majestic snow - capped mountains!
There's so much to tell, but where do I begin? Perhaps it would be better to start at the beginning, in a quieter time - when America was sleeping, before the tragic events that the world now knows as 9/1. Allow me to take you back in time, back to that morning of September 11, 2001. This is my story of how that fateful day went for me.
During the summer of 2001, I had the best job in the whole New York City Police Department! I was assigned to the Jet Ski Task Force, a sub-unit of the Department’s Harbor Patrol Unit. I loved the schedule that I had while working there! I was working a 3/3 schedule; 3 days on, 3 days off. That morning of September 11th started for me with my alarm clock sounding off at 6 a.m. I woke up three hours before I normally got up because I wanted to go to the Department’s Equipment Section in Manhattan that morning to purchase some items I needed for my job. I wasn't due in at the Harbor Unit in Brooklyn until 10 a.m., so I thought that I would leave early to beat the traffic into Manhattan. Being somewhat tired, and realizing that the police items weren't really that important, I decided to wait in getting them, and I went back to sleep. This act of laziness might have saved my life, for if I had gone, it would have put me about 5 blocks away from the World Trade Center! If I had followed my intended schedule, I would have been at Police Headquarters early that morning!
For a while afterwards, I thought of my own mortality, in that life is short and unpredictable. I started to feel guilty; had things worked out differently, it could have been me who died on that fateful day! Why did all those people have to die?
John Perry, a friend who I went through the Police Academy with, was down at Police Headquarters that morning, vesting out (retiring) from the department, with the hopes of pursuing a new career as a lawyer, when the first plane struck the World Trade Center. Without hesitation, and disregarding his own personal safety, he ran from Police Headquarters to the site of the disaster and entered the doomed building to help in evacuating the people within. He was killed when the building collapsed. His remains were found several months later.
I got out of bed for the second time that morning at 9 a.m., the time that I would normally wake up when I was scheduled to go to work. I got in my car and I proceeded to take the route that I usually took when I noticed large groups of people lining the sidewalks. At that point I was still unaware of the events that had already taken place. It wasn't until a stranger who was driving in the opposite direction in the slow - moving traffic of that morning, who must have noticed my perplexed look, looked over to me and said, "The Twin Towers are burning." I immediately turned on my radio, to a local news station, and like the rest of America on that fateful morning, learned of the terrorist attacks!
For the next hour, I cut through a cemetery, bypassing huge traffic jams, and stopped by the Brooklyn Bridge, the closest point to Manhattan, where I had a clear view of where the Twin Towers were burning! I didn't stay long; I didn't feel very useful just watching the towers burn. So after a quick prayer, I was back on my way to my job in Brooklyn, a few miles south from where I was. I arrived at work at around 10:15 a.m., changed into my uniform, joined other officers in a harbor launch, and motored our way to Manhattan in a boat.
When our group entered North Cove, a small marina that served the financial district of the city, I struck with awe at the destruction that had taken place! From my vantage point, the World Trade Center was out of view; it was shielded by other damaged buildings in the area. Shortly after arriving there, my partner and I commandeered (with the permission of its able captain) the 'Excalibur', a dinner cruise ship, a huge vessel well over 100 feet in length. With this ship we were able to evacuate people from lower Manhattan and help with transporting supplies from the neighboring state, New Jersey. I thought that day would never end!
We finally got relieved from duty around 2 a.m. the next morning (September 12) I asked to stay on, but was denied. The rest, as you know, is history; emergency workers supplies responded from all around the country and the world. I was soon activated by the military, by the New York State National Guard, where I was to spend another two weeks down at what was soon to be known as 'Ground Zero', with other soldiers helping out there.
In March 2002, I became the Manhattan Trustee of the Pulaski Association, a fraternal organization for members of the New York City Police Department of Polish and other Slavic descent. While in this capacity, I expanded my friendships and knowledge of the rather large Polish community in the New York City metropolitan area.
In late August of 2002, I and several others in the Pulaski Association, along with two members of the New York City Fire Department, were invited by the Polish government to attend a memorial service that was to be held inPoland on the one-year anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks.
As soon we landed in Warsaw our entourages were treated like dignitaries! Everything was so well planned! Words cannot describe the beauty of Poland, from the bustling city of Warsaw and its city life, to the majestic snowcapped mountains of Zakopane! Our hosts took us to these wonderful places and more! We met with Prime Minister Miller on several occasions over breakfast and lunch. It was a quite an experience for us common folks to 'break bread' and to have discussions about our two countries with him! On the one-year anniversary of the attacks, we met the President of Poland; the honorable Mr. Kwasniewski and his wife, attended a photo exhibit of September 11th, and enjoyed a concert. It was such a memorable event! We also got to meet the American Ambassador to Poland, Christopher Hill, his wife, and we got the rare privilege of visiting and being entertained with live music at his private residence in Warsaw!
Later on in our trip, with sadness in our hearts, we visited the Nazi death camp Auschwitz. What a sad place! I remember asking one of our guides about Poland's involvement in the 'war against terrorism. I was told that Poland was to be involved, that they would be sending troops. We left Poland with many new friends, with a better understanding of our ancestral roots and with memories that will last a lifetime!
When my military unit got activated back in February of this year, I never thought at that time that I would it be possible for us to be stationed with Poles! Since being in Iraq, our unit has been in Diwaniyah, Karbala, Samawah; doing everything from convoy escorts, patrolling main supply routes, and conducting a Police Academy for new Iraqi Police Officers. Our unit is presently stationed with the Poles in the ancient city of Babylon. For me, it is quite an honor to be with the citizens of a country that treated me so well just a year ago! I am actually starting to pick up the Polish language, somewhat- well, at least I am trying! I have a perfect opportunity, with the thousands of Polish troops stationed here! The war in Iraq is officially over, the rebuilding of Iraq has begun, and like the Marshall Plan in Europe after World War II, it is going take years for a democratic government in Iraq to take hold.
Unlike the economic “greats” of Europe, notably France and Germany, who chose to turn their backs in America's time of need, Poland has committed herself in the war against terrorism around the world! May our two countries continue to grow as partners in establishing peace in the Middle East and by showing the Iraqi people, and the world, what free and determined nations can do together and what democracy really means!
We have no better friend in Europe then Poland. Bumpski!
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Never Forget.
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