Amid all the stories of tragedy and heroism on September 11, there is one tale that has yet to be told-the gripping account of ordinary men and women braving the inferno at the Pentagon to rescue friends and co-workers, save the nation's military headquarters, and defend their country. Pentagon firefighters Alan Wallace and Mark Skipper had just learned the shocking news that planes had struck the World Trade Center when they saw something equally inconceivable: a twin-engine jetliner flying straight at them. It was American Airlines Flight 77, rushing toward its target. In his Pentagon office, Army major David King was planning a precautionary evacuation when the room suddenly erupted in flames. Arlington firefighters Derek Spector, Brian Roache, and Ron Christman, among the first responders at the scene, were stunned by the sight that met them: a huge flaming hole gouged into the Pentagon's side, a lawn strewn with smoking debris, and thousands of people, some badly injured, stumbling away from what would become one of the most daunting fires in American history. For more than twenty-four hours, Arlington firefighters and other crews faced some of the most dangerous and unusual circumstances imaginable. The size and structure of the Pentagon itself presented unique challenges, compelling firefighters to devise ingenious tactics and make bold decisions-until they finally extinguished the fire that threatened to cripple America's military infrastructure just when it was needed most. Granted unprecedented access to the major players in the valiant response efforts, Patrick Creed and Rick Newman take us step-by-step through the harrowing minutes, hours, and days following the crash of American Airlines Flight 77 into the Pentagon's western façade. Providing fascinating personal stories of the firefighters and rescuers, a broader view of how the U.S. national security command structure was held intact, and a sixteen-page insert of dramatic photographs, Firefight is a unique testament to the fortitude and resilience of America.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
A very good, detailed account of the firefighters who saved The Pentagon.:
If you are in the firefighting profession, then I wouldn't hesitate to buy this book. For me it was a good entertaining book but I didn't find that it was a page turner. I could easily go a few days without reading it and then read off a few chapters in one sitting. This book doesn't buy into the hysteria of 9/11 conspiracy theories, and from what I've gathered reading the other reviews, most all of the bad reviews were from people who buy into that crap (in my humble opinion.). It's a vey... more info
A fast-paced, gripping, expertly-researched must-read!:
As a novice in the area of firefighting yet a subject matter expert on September 11, I picked up this book to learn more about this mostly overlooked piece of American history, and was delighted to find such a well-written, important and fascinating account of the 9/11 terrorist attack on the Pentagon. This book is accurate and insightful - and the research impeccable. It is fast-paced and highly readable, and a great addition to the information of the events of this tragic day in our nation's history.... more info
One of the year's best:
When American Airlines Flight 77 hit the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, local firefighters were the first responders to the inferno. A huge hole marked the point of impact of the jetliner, the building was doused in jet fuel , flames roaring out the hole with the people inside in various stages of awareness of what had just occurred. Within moments ordinary men and women stepped into the breech and began to do whatever needed to be done to try and rescue the building's occupants and to give aid to the... more info
A good read:
This book is a good read but probably too much detail for most readers. It is a good book telling how ordinary people made extraordinary decisions to save people's lives that day. It also shows how many firefighters and others worked as quickly as possible to save people, and put out the fire that was raging in the Pentagon while overcoming the confusion that reigned in the first hours after the plane hit the building.
