ARLINGTON, Va. — It sounded more like a crunch.
The sound of the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashing into the Pentagon was memorable to Alan Wallace in the most unexpected way. More than two decades after surviving one of the darkest days in our nation’s history, Wallace will tell you what he vividly remembers the most, is the “incredibly blue sky.”
The retired Fort Myer firefighter undoubtedly has plenty of memories from September 11. He was outside the Pentagon during the plane crash and spent more than three hours with his team rescuing victims from the burning building and providing aid.
“From the time we see the plane until it strikes the building, it was a second-and-a-half,” said Wallace. “I screamed. At this point, we’re running.”
Wallace spoke during the 9/11 remembrance ceremony at the Join Base Myer-Henderson Hall alongside Gov. Glenn Youngkin, R-Virginia.
He talked about how he and his fellow firefighters, Mark Skipper and Dennis Young, were on duty at the Pentagon Fire Station to support the heliport landing pad. They were also working with a new Emergency One Titan 1500 truck called Foam 161, which caught on fire.
Wallace remembers hitting the ground to avoid the fireball from the explosion. However, he still suffered from first and second-degree burns from the intense heat.
Despite his injuries, Wallace worked. Still shocked. Still reeling from an incident that he confidently knew was a terror attack. After all, his fire chief called earlier that morning warning they likely would be the first ones to respond in case of a similar attack seen in New York City.
“I have no helmet, I have no gloves and no breathing apparatus, and I had no idea what I was going to do,” added Wallace. “But I was going to do something.”
There was only so much he could do since the extinguisher from the fire hall could only reach so far. The firetruck was already in a blaze.
With the rear of the truck on fire, Wallace jumped into the cab, called the Fort Myer Fire Dispatch and provided firefighters with the exact location of the incident.
“Foam 161 Fort Myer, we’ve had a commercial airline crash into the west side of the Pentagon at the heliport on the Washington Boulevard side, come at once!” Wallace recalled.
Being the first ones already on the scene, his team and an Army lieutenant colonel jumped into action by pulling victims out of the burning building including Sheila Moody, who he continues to stay in contact with.
He remembers carrying people out to the nearby Washington Boulevard.
Acts of heroism were recognized by military officials 22 years later. Wallace says he remembers what happened every single day and wants younger generations who weren’t alive to realize the gravity of the tragedy.
“These are people who are humble,” said Join Base Commander Col Tasha Lowery. “Humble about their actions that day and who continue to serve our country in so many ways.”
“Every single hero who expressed on that day a clear belief that there is no greater way to love than to sacrifice your life for others,” said Youngkin.
If the memories were not enough of a reminder, inside the fire station where the ceremony was held, pieces of Foam 161 hang above their heads.