Rescue at the Water’s Edge

    Meanwhile, Carlos Perez was on duty in New York City. He was a Coast Guard officer. The Coast Guard is part of the U.S. military. It helps protect seas, lakes, and rivers. 

    An alarm went off at Perez’s station. He stepped outside. Flames and smoke were coming out of the North Tower. A plane has crashed into it by accident, he thought.

    Perez’s team sped toward Lower Manhattan in their boat. As they did, they saw another plane. It slammed into the South Tower. This is no accident, Perez realized. We’re under attack.

    That day, Carlos Perez was on duty in New York City. He was a Coast Guard officer. The Coast Guard is part of the U.S. military. It helps protect seas, lakes, and rivers.

    An alarm went off at Perez’s station. He stepped outside. Flames and smoke were coming from the North Tower. A plane has crashed into it by accident, he thought.

    Perez’s team sped toward Lower Manhattan in their boat. As they did, they saw another plane. It hit the South Tower. This is no accident, Perez realized. We’re under attack.

    Meanwhile, Coast Guard officer Carlos Perez was on duty in New York City. The Coast Guard is a branch of the U.S. military that helps protect seas, lakes, and rivers.

    When an alarm went off at Perez’s station, he stepped outside and saw flames and smoke coming out of the North Tower. A plane has crashed into it by accident, he thought.

    Then, as Perez’s team sped toward Lower Manhattan in their boat, they witnessed another plane slamming into the South Tower. This is no accident, Perez realized. We’re under attack.

    The attacks were the work of a group called Al Qaeda. It was based in Afghanistan, a country in Asia. It was led by a man named Osama bin Laden. Al Qaeda members were terrorists. They used violence against countries with views different from theirs.

    On September 11, Al Qaeda terrorists took control of four airplanes. Then they crashed them on purpose. One hit the Pentagon, the headquarters of the U.S. military. Another crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. (Many people believe that plane may have been headed for Washington, D.C.) The other two were flown into the Twin Towers.

    The September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center were carried out by a group called Al Qaeda. The group was based in Afghanistan, a country in Asia, and was led by a man named Osama bin Laden. Bin Laden and his followers were terrorists. They used violence against countries that had views different from theirs.

    On September 11, Al Qaeda terrorists took control of four airplanes and crashed them deliberately. One hit the Pentagon, the headquarters of the U.S. military. Another crashed into a field in Pennsylvania. (Many people believe that plane may have been headed for Washington, D.C.) The other two were flown into the Twin Towers.

    Around 10 a.m., Carlos Perez heard a loud noise: BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.

    The South Tower was collapsing. The heat from the fires had melted the building’s steel frame. In 10 seconds, the building was gone. Dust rose up from the rubble. “Everything around me was just white,” Perez says.

    Less than half an hour later, the North Tower collapsed. Another wave of dust covered the city. When it cleared, Perez saw thousands of people near the water’s edge. They were coated in ash.

    Perez’s mission was clear: His team would evacuate as many people as possible.

    Around 10 a.m., as Carlos Perez was trying to shake off his shock, a loud noise filled the air: BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.

    The South Tower was collapsing, its steel frame melted by the heat from the fires. In only 10 seconds, the building had vanished. Dust rose up from the rubble. “Everything around me was just white,” Perez recalls.

    The North Tower collapsed less than half an hour later, sending another massive wave of dust across the city. When the cloud finally cleared, Perez could see thousands of people near the water’s edge, all coated in gray ash.

    Now Perez’s mission was clear: His team would evacuate as many people as possible.

    Thomas and his dad were among those people. They were waiting at the water’s edge. Like others, they wanted to leave Manhattan. They thought there might be another attack.

    Perez and his team sped back and forth across the water. They carried people to safety. But the waiting crowd grew and grew. Perez began to feel overwhelmed.

    Then he saw them: dozens of boats. There were ferries, tugboats, and rafts. They were all coming to help.

    Thomas and his dad boarded a small boat. It was built for 10 passengers. But about 30 people got on. Soon after setting off, the boat began to sink.

    It reached New Jersey just in time. Thomas and his dad waited there for hours. They hoped Judi would get off one of the boats. But she never did.

    Thomas and his dad were among the people waiting at the water’s edge. Like everyone else, they wanted to get out of Manhattan in case there was another attack.

    Perez and his team sped back and forth across the water, carrying people to safety in New Jersey—but as the size of the waiting crowd continued to increase, Perez began to feel overwhelmed.

    That’s when he saw them: dozens of boats. There were large ferries, tiny tugboats, and simple rafts—all coming to assist with the evacuation.

    Thomas and his father boarded a small police boat built for 10 passengers. With about 30 people crammed onto it, the little boat began to sink shortly after setting off.

    Fortunately, the overcrowded vessel reached the dock in New Jersey just in time. Thomas and Vincent waited there for hours, hoping Judi would get off one of the other boats—but she never did.