Never Forget!

[DukeCanBuildit]

I was on a cycling trip on Martha’s Vineyard that day and saw it on the morning news while getting ready to head to Gay Head Light. As an outsider - a foreigner, I was given a unique window from which to view it all as I made my way around the island and up to Boston over the next few days. I will never forget the expressions on the faces of Americans during those final days in MA before I could get back to Canada.

Two specific points in time stand out; when I arrived at Gay Head and mentioned it to a vendor there who was not yet aware - I still see their shocked reaction whenever I think of 9/11. The other was at the candlelight vigil I attended a few days later in the Boston Common when a mourner passed me a burning candle, I’ll never forget the profound look of sympathy and sadness on their face and how it was exactly the same as that on the face of the next person I passed the candle to a few moments later.

As a close witness to your grief, I felt your pain. May nothing like it ever happen again.

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[brroberts]

There are only two events that have hit me like 9/11. I was an itinerant counselor in three Inupiat Eskimo villages in northwest Alaska. The shutting down of all flights immediately sent us back to the Stone Age. No food could come in, no medical support, those that depended on checks via the post office were stuck. I immediately counted gallons of gas I had for the 4 wheeler and snowmobile, and counted ammo for hunting. I reminded myself to be very careful not to get hurt. There was no other way to get food, and no medical help if you got hurt. The villagers, while not always happy with the white man, nonetheless, felt the grief and supported the nation as all others did. I went from house to house in Brevig Mission trying to encourage a village cut off from air support. The reality of where you were at the time in a remote, roadless place, really sunk in as you craved information and hope for the hurting.

 

[P. A. Schilke]

I posted this a few years ago but it shows the key part the Ranger played in the 9/11 aftermath.

I was to fly to Germany for the Indy Car race on 9/11/2001 as I was a
trackside Indy Car Official. This was when the grave terrorist attack
happened, and all flights were grounded. Shocked beyond belief. Little
did I know as the head of Ranger Pickup Truck engineering, that the
newly created FX4 Ranger would play a critical roll in the aftermath. I
returned to work as my flights to Germany were cancelled. Sitting in my
office, my secretary told me that someone from World Headquarters was on
the line. Ford was going to pull out the stops to help in the aftermath.
I had 20 Ranger FX4 prototypes that were from the pilot program for the
FX4.....We sent these 20 Rangers to the Port Authority of New York and
New Jersey. All the Port Authority vehicles were destroyed in the World
Trade Center Collapse. These Rangers served for some two months on duty
with the Port Authority, and up on return, one was proudly displayed at
Ford World Headquarters for about a month. So the FX4 has a heritage
associated with 9/11.

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

I just found a picture of the Ranger that was on display in the Ford World Headquarters. It is now in an Archive Barn at the Henry Ford Museum. Thanks to AI to find out that it will be preserved for many years!

 

[got3fords]

I just found a picture of the Ranger that was on display in the Ford World Headquarters. It is now in an Archive Barn at the Henry Ford Museum. Thanks to AI to find out that it will be preserved for many years!

We visited the Henry Ford Museum in July. It was incredible! I could spend a week there, but only had a few hours. It is huge and they have displays from all aspects of technology.

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