Editor's Note: A special thanks to Past International President Ching for sharing this story with Sertoma on the 25th anniversary of September 11th. While many people have undoubtedly heard his harrowing story before, we share it here in his own words so that it can be maintained in the Sertoma archives so that future generations may never forget. 

By Darryl Ching, Lieutenant Colonel (Retired), U.S. Army
Honolulu Sertoma Club

Twenty-five years ago this month, before this generation of Serteens was born, I had a ring side seat to history being made.  September 11, 2001, would be a date remembered in American history.  It brought back memories of December 7, 1941, and the attack on Pearl Harbor.

On September 11, 2001, terrorists crashed civilian airliners into three buildings, the North Tower (Tower 1) of the World Trade Center, the South Tower (Tower 2) of World Trade Center, both in New York City and the Pentagon in Washinton, D.C.  A fourth civilian airliner crashed in a field near Shanksville, PA and did not make it to the intended target.  The passengers on this plane fought back and caused the terrorists to crash the plane.