Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
“For me, September 11th in Washington was a beautiful morning, it was Tuesday. Fortunately
for my family and I, we would say a prayer and hug each other every day before we left.
But that morning I didn't get to do that because we were running late for whatever reason.
So it was just a peck, got to go, and we all departed our separate ways. But our prayer
was always, 'bring us back together' ”
Col Marilyn Wills was working in the Pentagon, the headquarters of the United States Department
of Defense on September 11th 2001.
“About 0936 or 0937, somewhere along that time you heard a loud explosion and the lights
went out. We were in a new part of the building, so we thought it was a problem with some part
of the construction.”
That morning, as part of coordinated attacks including that on the World Trade Center,
a plane hijacked by Al-Qaeda terrorists crashed into the western side of the Pentagon building.
“Lady behind me, she was holding onto me said, 'Colonels Wills I can't go any further'
and I'm like, “yes, you can, you can do this, we gotta get out of here”. And she
says, “I can't”. I'm like, 'ok, get on my back and I'm going to carry you, but we
gotta get out of here'.”
In the darkness, smoke and confusion Colonel Wills carried the woman as well as leading
several others towards the window to try and escape.
“We finally got to the window and we start banging on the window to the Pentagon, but
it just would not open. I could not look at this lady any more. I knew we were going to
die. And we just kept banging on the window. And an E4, he came to the window, he had a
printer and he threw it at the window and it wouldn't break. At that point I just start
praying, “God, just be with my girls. I'm going to die.”
“So he picked the printer up again and threw it at the window and it just would not break.
So me and another colonel and this specialist, we just kept pounding on the window. We used
our feet and he threw the printer again and the window popped open. I mean, just enough
for a child to get through.”
Through this tiny gap, Colonel Wills and her superior officer lowered people down to rescuers
below, making sure everyone with them got out. But she knew there were more people in
the building.
“So these men had built a human ladder. They had stepped on each other to try and
get to that window to get us out. So I finally got out and my colonel got out.”
She was taken to a nearby hospital with burns to her face, legs and back, damage to her
arms and severe effects of smoke inhalation. Reunited with her family, her husband told
her what had happened and that several of her co-workers had died.
“My office-mate was killed. The gentleman sitting in my chair was killed. Two people
in the meeting I was in were killed. My senior office, General Maud, at the time was killed.
My sergeant-major. And many others that were killed right there in our office because our
office was right there that everybody seen the impact on that second floor.”
“But there were a lot of us who survived. And I'm here today. I'm here today, I'm in
Afghanistan. I'm resilient as all service members are. I've bounced back. Ten years
is a long time, but for me it's just like yesterday. That whole experience, I know I'll
never forget. So I'm a walking history book and it's okay. I'll accept that responsibility.”
Colonel Wills helped to save the lives of six people that day and was awarded the Purple
Heart for her bravery. Now ten years on, she's in Afghanistan as the US forces commander
Inspector General. That means she's key in making sure the mission, that started a decade
ago, is realised and understood by every US soldier on the ground.
“Around the 8th, 9th, 10th of September, it weighs heavy on me and I do start to think
about it. But I learned how to put it behind me and move on.”
And part of moving on is having a deep connection with the mission here in Afghanistan and an
understanding of why international forces are here.
“You know, as I move about this country I see the oppression, I see the destruction,
I see the young children and girls who are uneducated. Absolutely I understand why we're
here.”