FReeper Canteen ~ Hall of Heroes: Rick Rescorla ~ September 16, 2013

Serving The Best Troops and Veterans In The World !! | StarCMC

[Kathy in Alaska]

Our Troops Rock!  Thank you for all you do!

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Looking forward to tomorrow's freedom? Support The United States Armed Forces Today!

~ Hall of Heroes ~

Info and some photos from WeWereSoldiers.net.

           

During combat in Vietnam, Lt. Rick Rescorla would sing to his troops to keep their spirits high while under fire. As head of security for Morgan Stanley Dean Witter in New York, Rescorla used the same tactics to calm co-workers as he led them from their offices during the attacks on the World Trade Center.

Rescorla survived battlefields in Southwest Asia, but he apparently was not so fortunate Sept. 11. Currently on the missing list, Rescorla was last seen in a 10th-floor staircase. He is credited with saving 3,800 colleagues, while sacrificing himself.

Rescorla is a featured character in "We Were Soldiers Once … And Young," a factual account of combat in Vietnam’s Ia Drang Valley. Written by Army Gen. Hal Moore and reporter Joe Galloway, the book is considered required reading among Army officers. Since the book was first published in 1996, the Army and Air Force Exchange Service has sold 47,000 copies, with more than 3,200 sold in the last year alone. The book was made into a Mel Gibson movie that is due out next spring.

"He was on the cover of the book," Galloway said, recalling the photo of Rescorla as a battle-weary lieutenant preparing for a bayonet charge with his M-16 rifle. Rescorla, 62, took charge during the terrorist attack on his building, just as if he was again in combat, Galloway said during a telephone interview from his home in Washington, D.C. "No one would have expected anything less of him," Galloway said. Rescorla was in his office on the 44th floor at 8:48 a.m., when the first plane struck the neighboring tower. At 9:10 a.m., a plane hit the second building where Morgan Stanley, an international financial services firm, had offices between the 43rd and 66th floors. Survivors said Rescorla grabbed a bullhorn and cleared out 3,800 workers from 20 floors. When newspapers published accounts of Rescorla’s calming office workers with his songs, Galloway remembered Rescorla singing Welsh mining songs during combat in Vietnam. Comrades who served with Rescorla said he would sing and tell jokes to motivate troops. "He was doing what he always did, singing to them," Galloway said. "Just as he did in battle."

In 1993, when terrorists bombed the World Trade Center, Rescorla also headed the evacuation. To get the crowd’s attention during that attack, he mooned them, Galloway said. "He was a genuine hero then," Galloway said. According to a press account, Morgan Stanley employee Bob Sloss last saw Rescorla in a 10th floor stairwell, calming the fleeing mob of office workers. "Rick was down toward the base trying to make sure people got down and out," Sloss was quoted in the report. "He was definitely there well after it had been established that the building was in trouble."

Born in Hayle, England, in 1939, Rescorla joined the U.S. Army in the 1960s and went to Vietnam as a platoon leader with the B Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry. In November 1965, his unit plunged into a battle at Landing Zone X-Ray, at the base of the Chu Pong, a 2,400-foot mountain in the Ia Drang Valley. He later survived a North Vietnamese ambush at nearby Landing Zone Albany that claimed the lives of 151 men in his unit. In the book, Rescorla played a significant part in repelling the enemy when they outnumbered his unit. Moore, the officer who led the battle at Landing Zone X-Ray, and Galloway, a UPI reporter who covered it, painted Rescorla as a likeable character, who was a skilled leader under fire. "Gen. Moore said he was the finest platoon leader in the Army," Galloway recalled.

After the war, Rescorla went to Oklahoma University on the G.I. bill, and later earned a master’s degree and a law degree. In 1989, he retired as a colonel in the Army Reserve. For the past 18 years, he had worked in security management for Morgan Stanley. During a televised celebrity fund-raiser following the attacks, Robin Williams told the nation of Rescorla’s heroism, Galloway said. Galloway said he will no doubt have Rescorla on his mind Nov. 16, as he speaks to members of the 1st Squadron, 4th U.S. Cavalry during the unit’s annual ball in Schweinfurt, Germany. "If you can go to the grave knowing you helped save people, it seems to be a life well-lived," Galloway said. "He died as he lived, a great soldier."

Rick Scavetta
Stars and Stripes  

More reading...it's well worth your time to click these links and remember a true modern day hero.  One of the sites records how many times people have remembered a hero by adding a flower at the bottom of the page for each visitor.  Please click through to find out which one it is!

 Rick Rescorla.com

 Rick Rescorla "Follow Me" Statue Unveiling

  Presidential Medal of Freedom

 Rick Rescorla: American Hero

 Blackfive: Rick Rescorla: Someone You Should Know

 Rick Rescorla: Cornish Hero

 LZXray.com: American Soldier

 We Were Soldiers Once And Young

 TapsBugler: From Vietnam to the World Trade Center

 9-11 Heroes Page

 Armchair General: Rick Rescorla forum thread

 

Thank you for your help, Aloha Ronnie!

Prayers going up for the family and friends of Rick Rescorla. 
May God bless you and give you comfort and peace. 
Rick was truly a hero. 

 

A hero is someone who has given his or herself to something bigger than oneself.
-Joseph Campbell

A hero is someone who understands the responsibility that comes with his freedom.
-Bob Dylan (!)

Please remember the Canteen is here to honor, support and entertain our troops and their families.  This is a politics-free zone!  Thanks for helping us in our mission!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Woohoo! Glad he is doing better.

Glad you had a beautiful day. So did I.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Oh no.....poor Daddy!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good night and rest well, ms b...*HUGS*
Thanks for all you do for our troops.

Get rid of that headache!
Glad you were able to visit with your SIL and that she is doing better. Prayers continue.

[luvie]

Thanks for sharing these wonderful pictures with us. I know
your mom was glad to see them...sorry that the wheelchair
couldn’t make it across the grass.

God rest the soul of your wonderful dad.

[BykrBayb]

Depending on the design of your Mom’s wheelchair, you may be able to get it fitted with all terrain wheels. On some chairs, it can be quick and easy to switch wheels.

[Kathy in Alaska]

eyedigress was right...she is not ready.

After the first pictures I went back to the car and showed them to her and told her I couldn’t get the wheelchair across the grass. She said that it was ok, and then she said, “I’m not ready to let go”. I think she thinks if she gets too close, that she will be letting go. So for now, all is well. We will wait.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks for the suggestion, BB...

[BIGLOOK]

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, Hawaii....seeing him with all the other patriots made me feel good.

Hope all is well with you and yours. ((HUGS))

[Kathy in Alaska]

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good afternoon/evening/night Troops, wherever you are.

Thank you for doing your part to help keep all of us free and safe.

Thanks, unique, for the pastries.

Coffee is always on........

How about a cupcake?

Cookies?

Pancakes?

Treats?

[E.G.C.]

A very pleasant good morning to everyone at the Canteen and to all our military at home and abroad. Thanks for your service to our country.

((HUGS))Good morning, Ladies. Thanks, Star. for this morning's thread. How's it going?

[E.G.C.]

BTTT

[left that other site]

We had a nice service today, except that it rained, which kept the less stalwart of the bikers home. So it was a small group, but very attentive.

The, right in the middle of Brother Jerry’s reading of the Gospel, The guitar player noticed a HUGE water bubble (about a YARD in diameter) forming in the overhead tarp DIRECTLY OVER OUR INSTRUMENTS! We are talking about my Electric Bass, John’s Gretsch Electric Guitar, and My ENTIRE PA system. John and I discreetly walked up to the stage, and as quietly and as unobtrusively as possible, began to disconnect all the wires and pack up all the equipment without shutting off the preacher (LOL!). Just as the last cable was safely stowed away the tarp collapsed in a waterfall all over the portion of the stage where our equipment had BEEN.

“Hallelujah!” said the preacher, “We jess had a BAPTISM!”

Thank GOD John noticed the Bubble! Eek!

And I DID get to ride on Saturday! It felt SO good after being cooped up in the rain for three weekends running.

Lynn-Dah has no use for the harley. LOL.

[left that other site]

I took pictures of my Dad’s Stone in Bourne National Cemetery so my Mom could see it.

Bourne is over a hour’s drive from where Mom lives, and she would never be able to walk across the grass either.

Those are great pictures.

[beachn4fun]

Good morning, Canteen.

Good morning to our

Military, our Allies, and their families.

Thank you, Star, for preparing the Canteen for today’s activities.
He was one AWESOME guy.
Your job on earth is done...R I P, you deserve it.

DC Metroland weather report

~ Today... Cloudy with a few showers. High 73F.
Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.
Chance of rain 30%.

~ Tonight... Partly cloudy skies. Low 53F.
Winds N at 5 to 10 mph

Yeah, I think fall has arrived.

Good morning y'all.
Taking a few minutes to sneak in to say hello
before the masses arrive.
Hope you all had a great weekend,
and are now ready for Monday.

Gotta run. Be back later to catch up.

But please stay right where you are.
Chat up the military or a family member.
No need to fret...you know I'll be back!

The FR Canteen is

Come in and sit for a while.
There's always plenty of coffee, tea,
pancakes, conversation, silliness,
and plain old BS

REMEMBER THEM ~ DEFENDERS OF FREEDOM

FR CANTEEN MISSION STATEMENT

Showing support and boosting the morale of our military and our allied military and the family members of the above. Honoring those who have served before.

[beachn4fun]

#50

[E.G.C.]

((HUGS))Good morning, Beach. How’s it going?

[Arrowhead1952]

Good morning to everyone at the Canteen. 73º here this morning and will hit the low 90s this PM.

[Arrowhead1952]

Good morning beach and (((HUGS))).