[RGD.]

I was in my office here at the house going over some jobs with my two foremen. The TV just happened to be on when they broke the news. We all just sat here stunned. And then the Pentagon got hit.

I live less than 7 miles away from the Pentagon. In my wife's job - she is frequently at either Crystal City or the Pentagon in the Army section - which is the section that got hit.

I spent the next three hours frantically trying to contact her, cell phones and land lines were jammed/down. I can't tell you the thoughts that went through my mind when I could not reach her. When I finally did reach her - she was safe. But a girl in the office - lost her husband at the Pentagon. Sad note here is that she showed up for work the next day. She was in shock and had to be taken to the hospital.

All told we lost 8 people that my wife and I knew through her work. And there were more that she knew of from meetings/briefings that she attended there.

The next day when I arrived on my companies job site - it was tough to keep my eyes dry - our workforce is primarily Guatemalan - and every one of their vehicles was flying an American flag from it's antenna.


Ron