Let's roll,'' Flight 93 victim heard to say minutes before crash Pennsylvania field

AP ^ | September 16, 2001 | JOANN LOVIGLIO

[jern]

By JOANN LOVIGLIO, Associated Press Writer

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - ``Are you guys ready? Let's roll!'' is an expression Todd Beamer used whenever his wife and two young sons were leaving their home for a family outing.

The 32-year-old businessman and Sunday school teacher said the same thing before he and other passengers apparently took action against hijackers aboard United Airlines Flight 93 on Tuesday, shortly before the plane crashed in a western Pennsylvania field.

The jetliner, which government officials suspect was headed for a high-profile target in Washington, was the fourth to crash in a coordinated terrorist attack that killed thousands, and the only one that didn't take lives on the ground.

``He was gentle by nature, he was also very competitive, and he wouldn't stand for anyone being hurt,'' said Beamer's wife, Lisa, who was told of his last words by an operator who spoke to him. ``Knowing that he helped save lives by bringing that plane down ... it brings joy to a situation where there isn't much to be found.''

Todd Beamer placed a call on one of the Boeing 757's on-board telephones and spoke for 13 minutes with GTE operator Lisa D. Robinson, Beamer's wife said. He provided detailed information about the hijacking and - after the operator told him about the morning's World Trade Center and Pentagon (news - web sites) attacks - said he and others on the plane were planning to act against the terrorists aboard.

``They may have realized that (the hijackers) were planing to do the same thing with their plane,'' Beamer said Sunday in a telephone interview from her Hightstown, N.J., home. ``So they chose to do what they could to prevent other people from being hurt.''

Before the call ended and with yelling heard in the background, Todd Beamer asked the operator to pray with him. Together, they recited the 23rd Psalm. Then he asked Robinson to promise she would call his wife of seven years - who is expecting a third child - and their two sons, ages 1 and 3.

After receiving clearance from investigators, Robinson kept her promise Friday.

``People asked me if I'm upset that I didn't speak with him, but I'm glad he called (Robinson) instead,'' Lisa Beamer said. ``I would have been helpless. And I know what his last words would have been to me, anyway.''

Beamer said her husband placed the call at 9:45 a.m. Tuesday and told Robinson that there were three knife-wielding hijackers on board, one who appeared to have a bomb tied to his chest with a belt. The other two hijackers took over the cockpit after forcing the pilot and co-pilot out.

The jet was bobbing and changed course several times; the passengers knew they would never land in San Francisco.

``They realized they were going to die. Todd said he and some other passengers were going to jump on the guy with the bomb,'' Lisa Beamer said.

Several other passengers made phone calls from the jet before it crashed southeast of Pittsburgh: Jeremy Glick, 31; Mark Bingham, 31; and Thomas Burnett Jr. 38. Glick and Burnett said they were going to do something.

Todd Beamer dropped the phone after talking to Robinson, leaving the line open. It was then that the operator heard Beamer's words: ``Let's roll.''

Then silence.

Shortly afterwards, the plane crashed, killing all 45 aboard.

``Some people live their whole lives, long lives, without having left anything behind,'' Lisa Beamer said. ``My sons will be told their whole lives that their father was a hero, that he saved lives. It's a great legacy for a father to leave his children.''

[CedarDave]

I recall seeing those pics on TV, too. I think the camera caught the first smoke at the Pentagon when there was so much confusion. From the camera's vantage point, the EOB was between the camera and the smoke from the Pentagon.

[CedarDave]

On Meet the Press, VP Cheney said he had talked to one of the relatives already, and was trying to get in touch with one of the others. He probably will talk to all of them when the names are known.

[mrobison]

I've said it before, I'll say it again:

Good people like Todd Beamer will have what their murderers can never have: an audience with a loving and pleased God.

[Humidston]

What a fantastic point! I must admit, I'd never thought of it that way. Incredible, what brave men they were.

[okie01]

"There is NOTHING in this telling about a bomb."

Read again.

"Beamer said her husband placed the call at 9:45 a.m. Tuesday and told Robinson that there were three knife-wielding hijackers on board, one who appeared to have a bomb tied to his chest with a belt. The other two hijackers took over the cockpit after forcing the pilot and co-pilot out."

[6ppc]

These men should be given the civilian version of the Congressional Medal of Honor..
.....and that would be......?

I believe it's called the Medal of Freedom.

[FR_addict]

gave us ALL our marching orders... LET'S ROLL!!!!!!!!

Your're right. His words should be repeated as we go to war.

[Diddle E. Squat]

I think it highly doubtful that they actually had a bomb, but rather a decoy designed to look like one. The whole idea was to present the THREAT of a bomb, and use that threat to gain control of the plane, and to keep that control.

[OldFriend]

Just repeating what I heard on the news.....that debris was found too far from the crash site......one of the hijackers had something tied to his body as reported by one of the passengers. The hijacker told the passengers it was a bomb and the heroes decided after learning of the planes flying into the towers determined they were going to bring down the man with the 'bomb'. The transcripts of these phone calls is available on the net and in the papers. It would appear that some people not having heard about the 'bomb' have decided it didn't exist.

[Glick & Burnett live on.]

Thanks for remembering us.

[okie01]

Osama Bin Laden & Co. should consider the repercussions, and tremble.

Let's roll.

[Glick & Burnett live on.]

I am borrowing your flag for my profile, thanks in advance.

[Gracey]

one who appeared to have a bomb tied to his chest with a belt.

I'm with you. IMO, they had no bombs. It was a wonderful scare tactic to keep everyone in their seats!!! These people were professional.

If the all the passengers were smart enough to jump these bastards(but none of us are under these averse circumstances) they'd probably all be alive today. Hind site is wonderful!!!

[Gracey]

How about adding Beamer?

[at bay]

"We can't, so it is best the rethink the whole policy, and understand that a "disarmed victim zone" is not the way to stop terrorists!" When weapons aboard planes were outlawed, then only outlaws had weapons aboard planes. Thousands of off-duty cops and licensed security personel have gun permits. Why on Earth can we not fly with our best friend? Or in the case of Smith and Wesson, our two best friends? Let's roll on rethinking everything. Thank-you, American heroes.

[Humidston]

You know, I've read this entire thread. I've savored each word written here and I have been inspired and heartened to know we still have our heroes. Thank you. It's been a hard morning, for some reason. But now I have hope and courage. God bless you.

[at bay]

"The only Beamer I wanna hear about was named Todd"

[Glick & Burnett live on.]

"Glick and Burnett said they were going to do something. "

[BurkeanCyclist]

I sure hope GTE has enough smarts NOT to bill the guys credit card for the call.....

It's probably done automatically by computer. I doubt a human being ever even checks it.

But, gven the number of cell phone conversations we're hearing about, they may make a special effort to make sure none of them get billed.

[Bill Rice]

What is being done to provide for these families? It seems to me someone should start a college trust fund or something for them.