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CNN Live Today

Survivors Discuss Pentagon Attack

Aired September 04, 2002 - 13:38   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Those two soldiers featured in that piece are these gentlemen: Lieutenant Colonel Ted Anderson and Sargent Major Tony Rose. They join us from Washington to share some of their dramatic stories.
Gentlemen, it is a pleasure.

LIEUTENANT COLONEL TED ANDERSON, U.S. ARMY: Great to be with you, Kyra.

SARGENT MAJOR TONY ROSE: Hello.

PHILLIPS: Hello.

Sergeant Major Rose, let's begin with you. Take me back to that moment when the Pentagon was hit. Your training kicked in, didn't it?

ROSE: Immediately. In fact, it seemed like I was on the floor for a long time, but it was only the matter of seconds before we were getting up and looking for wounded and started getting people out of the building.

PHILLIPS: Describe what it was like inside, and how close were you to the actual impact?

ROSE: We were on the second floor, about 150 feet from the impact. The fuselage of the aircraft actually came directly under our desk. As the aircraft blew, it blew a hole through our floor, and all of the petroleum smoke started pouring into our office as (UNINTELLIGIBLE) were trying to ventilate the building.

PHILLIPS: So what did you do? What was the first thing you did? I mean, you obviously didn't run out of there; you actually, you thought quite the opposite: You had to not leave one man or woman behind. What was your -- the second that happened, what did you do?

ROSE: I started getting everybody together that we could see that was mobile and get them out of the building. Of course, we started going back into the fire in the offices to ensure that there were not wounded or other people incapable of coming out.

PHILLIPS: Sergeant Major Rose, when you looked in thier eyes, these individuals that were frightened, because obviously, you knew what you had to do: You had to help get them out there. What were their eyes telling you? What were they saying to you? Could they even speak? ROSE: I will never forget them. Even though people who were scared and it was chaotic and so much was happening around them, there was a determination in their eyes that, I am going to get out, I am going to take care of others, even those, we were all scared to death of what was going on at the time.

PHILLIPS: Did they reach for you?

ROSE: Some did. And others we had to reach for.

PHILLIPS: Colonel Anderson, you are a soldier: You don't leave a man or a woman behind. Tell me your story.

ANDERSON: Kyra, your comments about never leaving anybody behind are quite real. It was our immediate response that day to get outside and work from outside the building in and ensure that our colleagues and comrades had the same opportunity that we had to get out. So the mission at hand was to ensure that nobody was left behind.

PHILLIPS: Why did you kick open the emergency doors? Why was that your first plan of action, and how did you know it was OK to do so?

ANDERSON: Well, quite actually, we were told from the very beginning that we'd need not go out those exits because the security guards at the Pentagon thought we were under attack from right outside of that building entrance. At one point, I just knew that the best course of action would be to get 200 to 300 folks that were in the hallway down the corridors out, and that was the closest exit to get them out of it.

PHILLIPS: As you know, as a soldier, remaining disciplined and very calm is extremely important in combat, and also emergency situations. How did you keep people calm, colonel?

ANDERSON: You know, quite actually, Kyra, I don't remember people being calm or panicked. I do recall people's reactions were different. Some were in a daze. Some were quite stunned. Others were very angry, emotional. So it ran the gamut throughout the day.

PHILLIPS: Sergeant Major Rose, how many times did you go in and out of the Pentagon?

ROSE: Went back to the building five times that day.

PHILLIPS: Wow! How many people did you pull out?

ROSE: Pulled out nine people.

PHILLIPS: Why did you keep going back in with flames?

ROSE: Because I was alive and well and healthy and knew that there were other people in there that needed our help, and we were trained to help.

PHILLIPS: Colonel Anderson, what about you? How many people were able to get out?

ROSE: I think along with the sergeant that was assisting me, Staff Sargent Chris Braymond (ph), we pulled out a total of four. And then the last time that we made an attempt to go back in the building, we were prevented from going back in. The firemen basically saved our lives.

PHILLIPS: Sergeant Major Rose, I know that you feel lucky to be alive. Are you angry, those, in any way?

ROSE: I realize, it is a blessing to be alive, and I thank God for that. For a while, there was some guilt associated with why didn't I die that day. But later as we took a look at the map of where people had died, I had an assurance to know that there was no one in the sector where I was that died. We had gotten them out. Maybe that is why I was there that day?

PHILLIPS: Colonel Anderson, how do you find peace of mind?

ANDERSON: Just day to day working, Kyra. We come to work early in the morning, we leave late in the evening. There is a war effort ongoing. This war against terrorism will continue, and the end state is a long way off, and we have lots of work to do before we can rest.

PHILLIPS: Isn't that the truth? We feel that way, I think.

Quickly, gentlemen, before I let you go, First Sergeant Major Rose, do you speak with any of the folks whom you saved?

ROSE: Quite frequently. We'll meet in the hallways, and it's a hug, a hello, a genuine wanting to know how each other is -- and that is a good feeling.

PHILLIPS: Colonel?

ANDERSON: Yes, been in contact. Unfortunately, one of the folks that we pulled out later died, but we have done our best to remain in contact, yes.

PHILLIPS: Well, both of you have done your best to remain true soldiers, dedicated and acting in the name of duty -- definitely.

Gentlemen, thank you so much. It was a pleasure talking with you.

ROSE: Thank you.

ANDERSON: Thanks, Kyra.

ROSE: And keep the flag flying.

PHILLIPS: Absolutely. You can bet on that, sir.

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