The September 11, 2001 attacks was the first time a major city in the mainland United States had been attacked since the War of 1812. It had been almost 200 years since the east coast had experienced war.
That day, Tuesday, September 11, 2001 I was working for the US Dept of Agriculture. We were using a small plane to control livestock depredation on a ranch in northeast Oklahoma. I will never forget landing the plane in the pasture and listening to the events unfold on the radio in the truck. I will also never forget the air traffic control tower was frantically searching for our plane when we took off back to the airport for lunch. They were worried we might have been terrorists.
A few weeks later my supervisor asked if I would go on a TDA (temporary duty assignment) to go help with the recovery efforts in New York. I told him I would.
I didn’t have a credit card, back then so I had to take out a small loan at the bank in order to have money for my airfare, motel and food. I had never flew in an large airplane either. I worried about my bad ear giving me trouble, my left ear was reconstructed when I was five.
We didn’t know if more attacks were coming, so my dad gave me his railroad engineer operator card in case there were more attacks and a train was the only way to get back home. His seniority would have gotten me on a train. Like I said, we didn’t know what to expect.
My dad also showed me how to make weapons that I could sneak onto the plane when I flew. These weapons weren’t detectable by the metal detectors, they were simple things, but very, very deadly if I had to use them. I’m fairly sure that my dad learned some stuff in Vietnam, stuff that you shouldn’t ever talk about. Needless to say I was well armed when I flew and I was fairly confident I could hold my own if anyone tried anything on the plane.
A few days before I left for New York I was visiting with my father in law, he is a retired Oklahoma City fire Cheif. I will never forget what he said, “somewhere there’s a fire Chief up there feeling really guilty about sending those men into those buildings, but I guess I’d have done the same thing.” The New York fire department lost over 300 firefighters on 9-11.
I flew into Newark, New Jersey. That evening several of my coworkers went to dinner, there was one couple from Alaska, a husband and wife. Years later I learned that it was Sarah Palin’s parents.
I helped at the Fresh Kills landfill on Staten Island. That’s where the debris from ground zero was taken. The sea gulls and rats were scavenging on the remains of the victims. It was my job to prevent them from doing so, we worked from before sunup until after dark each day. The landfill produced so much methane gas the mud puddles in the road bubbled, and it smelled like rotten eggs. I would get the dry heaves each morning when I arrived to work, the smell took a little getting used to each day.
I didn’t have a cell phone back then and there was one in the Jeep Cherokee with instructions as to how to use it. I couldn’t ever figure it out. Finally, one day it rang and I happened to push the right button. The New York state director Richard Chapman was fairly upset that I hadn’t been calling and checking in each day. It has always meant a lot to me that his primary concern was how my spirits were and if I was handling this awful situation ok. I told Richard about a mean old dude down on the docks that talked awful to me, the next day that guy was kissing my butt. I’ve always remembered Mr Chipman’s leadership in the years since and I’ve tried to copy his style. He was the first person from New York I ever met, and he set the standard high. I’ve had supervisors since him that didn’t come close to measuring up to him.
The debris for each building was transported from ground zero so that when it got to the landfill we knew which building each load of debris came from. The CIA had offices in building 7, they were very stand offish at the landfill. However, I worked closely with the NYPD and the FBI each day.
There was a lady that held a homemade cardboard sign where the workers got on the highway outside the landfill. I think her sign basically said thank you. I’ve always wished I would have stopped and talked to her. Did she lose loved ones in the attacks, or was she just a good hearted person who wanted to say thanks? I’ve always wondered about her.
One evening after work we went to a steakhouse. They figured out we were from the landfill and they absolutely refused to let us pay for our meal. It was the first time I’d ever had prime rib. I was worried how I’d be treated by all those Yankees in New York, everywhere I went they treated me great and I fell in love with New York City, It’s a whole nother planet is the best way to describe it. I see now why they sell “I love New York” T shirts.
Several of us took the Staten Island ferry over to Manhattan one evening after work. We walked all the way around ground zero. I will never forget the Red Cross worker at the police memorial who got so upset by all the letters from loved ones we had to help her walk back to the ferry, too be honest we all cried a little that night.
The ferry took us by the Statue of Liberty at night and the disposable cameras I had didn’t take a single good photo of it. Somewhere there is a roll of film that’s never been developed, maybe one day I’ll find it.
There was chain link all the way around ground zero. On the chain link about every fifty feet were signs that said, “no street vendors on this side of the street.” New York has a lot people selling T shirts and souvenirs on the streets. There was a guy that had a little TV tray selling books about terrorists on the side of the street that said “No street vendors.” I watched as a big guy with a New York accent proceeded to scream at the guy selling the books and let him know how disrespectful it was to sell books on that side of the street. He then proceeded to smash his TV tray and stomp his books into the ground.
There was a small crowd of people that had stopped to watch the commotion. Everyone clapped when the guy stomped the street vendor’s stuff. I was glad to see the crowd protecting the dignity of the fallen, no one should profit from such horror. I clapped to, right with the rest of the crowd.
In the weeks and months after the attacks there was a lot of worry. There were rumors of more attacks, especially on our water supply. We were afraid of our drinking water being poisoned. My agency was tasked with monitoring wildlife diseases after 9-11. This was in case of biological weapon or chemical weapon attacks we could watch the wildlife and help determine if there was an attack.
I will always remember those days in New York. Although it’s been 25 years I can still hear the trucks and equipment at the landfill and see the debris, it wasn’t that long ago for me. Every now and then a certain smell takes me back there.
Working in New York changed me greatly, although I didn’t realize it at the time. Even today I have a fear this might be my last day to live. I don’t like small spaces, because it reminds of being trapped in the rubble.
The asbestos from the towers has left some spots on my lungs. Thousands of 9-11 workers are having health issues. We are called the walking wounded. Since I found out I have spots on my lungs I’ve kind of tried to live each day with purpose.
I’ve went on vacations I couldn’t afford and set some goals that were pretty lofty for a guy that used to trap big rats for a living. I’ve tried to make a positive difference in the world, in however small a way that I could.
The people in those towers never dreamed some idiot would fly a plane into their building. I still don’t comprehend the hatred of the terrorist and why they did what they did. Over the years I have reasoned that Jihad is religion for idiots, because it makes no logical sense to me.
The challenges our nation faces today seem trivial to me, compared to what we experienced on September 11, 2001 and the days and months after. After the attacks our nation came together and we proved that our common bonds are much greater than our differences. We worked together back then. We were one nation under God, indivisible, with justice for all.
On this the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks I ask that you do something kind for a stranger, in my mind it’s kind of spitting in the eye of the terrorists who wanted to sow hate and discord around the world.
Jesus said the second greatest commandment is to love thy neighbor. It’s fitting to remember his teachings and to help someone on this day.
I will never forget 9-11-01.
God Bless the USA
James Lockhart
Team Leader World Trade Center Recovery Effort – Sea Gull Reduction Program
Heavener, Oklahoma
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