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REMEMBERING 9-11:
Tribute to Father Mychal Judge
Just 'Doing Their Job'
The 69th Called Into Action (4-Part Series)
'Today We Stand Our Ground': 69th Marks Its 150th B'day
Zouaves, FDNY: Tragedy Renews Bond
Tipperary Native an Early FDNY Hero
NY Bard Pens Lament To FDNY's Fallen
Special WGT 9-11 Polls: Canonization for Mychal Judge? More.
Nothing But Old Glory
New York picks up the pieces
PART 4 OF A 4-PART SERIES -- THURSDAY -- DAY 3 [Sept. 13] (continued)
Barbara [Vic's wife] works at Baruch College -- a not quite completed $320 million
complex right across from the 69th. They forgot to install a
flagpole so I go over and to get American Flags -- to hang in the windows
of her office and one for the 2nd Floor of the 69th -- for all to see as
they climb up to the second floor.
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Photo by Gerry Regan
Sidewalk vendors and immigrant-owned storefronts do a brisk business feeding New Yorkers' yearning to standby the flag. |
As I walk up 26th Street to a flag distributor I see nothing but Old Glory on cars, buildings and businesses. Most of the people in this area are Chinese, Korean,
Pakistani, Indian, Middle Eastern -- all the "gift store" junk and I see
that they are afraid. This is "knock-off city," where you buy the $5
Rolex and the 40 cents "gold" chain. The Flag business I go to is legit
-- been there forever -- and I buy his last 2 US Flags and a dozen smaller
ones. I bring them to Barbara, who along with her coworkers tells the
Department Chairman to get out the check book -- he agrees (really has no
choice with all these PO'd women). The flags now hang on 2 windows over
the atrium of Baruch College for all to see -- it is against the rules to
hang anything, but I pity the poor functionary or politico who says take
it down! (I remember the old Barbara Fritchie poem from grade school).
I go back pass the Armory and see Ali, Zuckerman, Soto and others of the
88th [Brigade, New York State Guard] on traffic and security duty. I go into the Armory and report in to Command Sergeant Major Mike Cruzado of the 69th -- his office has been commandeered, and he has a little room with a phone and a computer. He
says the Battalion is beat up but the guys are really putting out and he
does not need anything from me, Bob Davis or any of the Vets (who are
calling in from the suburbs looking to help). We have sort of a one way
conversation and I think he will close his eyes on my next word. I tell
him I will be gone until Monday and he asks if I can be reached if they
need me -- the answer of course is yes.
| ... the headline in bold letters
'BASTARDS'
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I walk out the entrance and it is like swimming against the tide -- I am
leaving, and streams of volunteers and family members flood in.
Our son-in-law Greg, from Boston, calls and says one of the women he
worked with in Boston and left to start her own Company was on one of
the planes that hit the WTC.
The headline in the ultra-liberal Village Voice has a picture of the
second plane as it hits and has the headline in bold letters
"BASTARDS."
We have not been down to our place of business at Long Beach Island on
the Jersey Shore in 6 weeks with all our Irish Festivals and will go
there early and hopefully get a little R & R. There is nothing else we
can do here to assist and the "system" is in full gear and old timers
like us will only be in the way.
On Tuesday evening I will be at the O[fficers] Club and hope by that time the
69th is released from duty or at least in a stand down so I can at least
pop a beer with those heroes of 2001.
We have received about 300 e-mails -- some a few words -- some many
paragraphs. The support from around the planet is 100%, and somehow when
this is over all the men of the 69th will get copies of your prayers,
praise, support and compliments. It has taken many, many hours to put
them all together and I regret that we could not respond to each
individual one -- although they really deserved such a response from us
individually.
I trust you will all accept a general and universal "Garryowen" from me
on behalf of the Fighting 69th and their comrades including the 105th
Infantry, the 258th, the 88th Brigade of the NY Guard and the 69th
Veteran Corps.
Next week I hope to be able to talk to the soldiers who were there and
to give you a report of their activities.
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Photo by Gerry Regan
On Day 4, Friday, Sept. 14, millions of Americans in thousands of small towns and large cites gathered in candlelight vigils like this one in Manhattan's Union Square. |
Eventually, I will send you all a copy of the e-mails received. I have
changed the names to initials and have avoided identification except for
the military ones received. Right now, even abridged and condensed it
is 14 pages.
I can only hope that by the time we awake on Monday morning, we will know
of ONE person who was rescued alive -- it will mean so much to all our
brave search and rescue teams who have given their all.
Fly your Colors at half mast and light a candle at 7 PM Friday in honor
of our dead.
God Bless America!
Let this message be understood by every person on earth from here on --
DON'T MESS WITH THE U.S.!
Vic and Barbara Olney
Part 1: Just 'Doing Their Job' -- Tuesday, Sept. 11 and Wednesday, Sept. 12
Part 2: Looking for a Miracle -- Wednesday, Sept. 12
Part 3:The Forlorn Hope -- Thursday, Sept. 13
Vic Olney, the proprietor of Tara Hall (www.fighting69th.com), is a veteran of the 69th New York, and is the volunteer manager of the armory's Officers Club. Vic has graciously allowed WGT to reproduce these dispatches, which he previously sent to all on Tara Hall's e-mail update list. To subscribe to Tara Hall's list, e-mail Vic at tarahall@earthlink.net. Vic is also a major force behind behind the Friends of the Active Battalion, 69th Infantry, which is open to all. For information, check the Friends' site.
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