Return to Transcripts main page

Live From...

Pentagon Rescuer

Aired September 11, 2003 - 11:42   ET

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

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


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: There were many heroes of 9/11. In New York, ordinary people went back into the burning towers to rescue coworkers. Well, the scene was no different here at the Pentagon.
With his story, joining me is one of the heroes of 9/11, Navy Lieutenant Commander Dave Tarantino. Thanks so much for being with me.

Take me back to 9/11, two years ago, right behind us, behind those doors.

LT. CMDR. DAVE TARANTINO, U.S. NAVY: Well, my office was back in there, a little deeper into the Pentagon. It started like any other day, until we heard about what was going on in New York. We turned on the TV and it wasn't too long after we saw the second plane hit the second tower that we felt a violent shuddering of our office, pretty much instantly assumed we were under attack also. The sirens started going off to evacuate.

Instead of just leaving right away, I thought, since I'm a physician, I'm go in and see if there's injured people that I can provide medical care to. So I made my way to the scene of the devastation, and right away, the corridors were full of thick black smoke from ceiling to floor. You couldn't see your hand in front of your face. And so myself and others started directing people through the smoke into the center courtyard of the Pentagon, where there was fresh air and a safe environment. I found myself after a few different floors into one of the open air alleyways of the Pentagon where the landing gear of the aircraft had penetrated through three rings of the Pentagon and other aircraft debris was there. That's when I -- until then, I didn't know exactly what had happened, but then I knew for certain...

PHILLIPS: You saw parts of that aircraft, you knew what had happened.

TARANTINO: Right, right. And then from inside that wall, we could hear voices of people trapped, asking for help. So a few of us grabbed fire extinguishers and started fighting our way in, throwing out the debris, and making a makeshift passage to get people out. And we found a few people trapped, and were able to get them free. They said there's another guy to help out, Mr. Henson, he's trapped deeper inside. So Captain Dave Thomas and I went in even deeper into -- and this is just really devastated scene, the jet fuel, the smoke, the flames, the structure starting to collapse. But out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mr. Henson trapped under a mound of burning debris.

PHILLIPS: What was he saying? And were you calling out to him?

TARANTINO: I was yelling, get out, get out, come on over here, we'll get you out. But he said that he was pinned, he had been trying to get free, he couldn't. I couldn't believe he was still alive, because he had been there for a while and the smoke was overpowering, the heat was incredible. And so we knew we didn't have time to go get help. It was really now or never. So I kind of crawled in to where he was, into the -- sort of the cave that he was in and tried to pull him free, and Dave Thomas tried to pull from the outside, and we couldn't budge it. And so out of desperation, I laid on my back and put my feet on the debris and kind of lifted it with my legs, and that got a few inches, and I was able to wriggle him out and push him out to Dave Thomas, who took him out toward the courtyard.

PHILLIPS: Your friendship now -- we have a picture actually of the three of you, you, and the captain and also Jerry. What's it like now to see him in the hallways? And what does he say to you? I just can't imagine the bond between the two of you now.

TARANTINO: Yes, in some ways, it's indescribable also. It's just we have this natural bond. We went through something that no one else really understands the details of, but it's very easygoing. I love to see him in the halls. He calls me now and then. I've gotten to know his family. My wife has gotten to know his family. He has kids my age. And just having their gratitude, and knowing that he's still around to be a part of his family is very rewarding.

PHILLIPS: And, Dave, when I asked you earlier on -- this is my final question -- you told me you had to go in and get him because you looked him in the eyes, and at that point there was no turning back.

TARANTINO: That's true. We made eye contact. I couldn't -- and he had asked for my help. And I couldn't very well leave at that point. and in the military, we don't leave people behind, if at all possible. So it was my duty to go in and get him.

PHILLIPS: Lieutenant Commander Dave Tarantino, what a pleasure to talk to you. Thank you.

TARANTINO: Thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired September 11, 2003 - 11:42   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: There were many heroes of 9/11. In New York, ordinary people went back into the burning towers to rescue coworkers. Well, the scene was no different here at the Pentagon.
With his story, joining me is one of the heroes of 9/11, Navy Lieutenant Commander Dave Tarantino. Thanks so much for being with me.

Take me back to 9/11, two years ago, right behind us, behind those doors.

LT. CMDR. DAVE TARANTINO, U.S. NAVY: Well, my office was back in there, a little deeper into the Pentagon. It started like any other day, until we heard about what was going on in New York. We turned on the TV and it wasn't too long after we saw the second plane hit the second tower that we felt a violent shuddering of our office, pretty much instantly assumed we were under attack also. The sirens started going off to evacuate.

Instead of just leaving right away, I thought, since I'm a physician, I'm go in and see if there's injured people that I can provide medical care to. So I made my way to the scene of the devastation, and right away, the corridors were full of thick black smoke from ceiling to floor. You couldn't see your hand in front of your face. And so myself and others started directing people through the smoke into the center courtyard of the Pentagon, where there was fresh air and a safe environment. I found myself after a few different floors into one of the open air alleyways of the Pentagon where the landing gear of the aircraft had penetrated through three rings of the Pentagon and other aircraft debris was there. That's when I -- until then, I didn't know exactly what had happened, but then I knew for certain...

PHILLIPS: You saw parts of that aircraft, you knew what had happened.

TARANTINO: Right, right. And then from inside that wall, we could hear voices of people trapped, asking for help. So a few of us grabbed fire extinguishers and started fighting our way in, throwing out the debris, and making a makeshift passage to get people out. And we found a few people trapped, and were able to get them free. They said there's another guy to help out, Mr. Henson, he's trapped deeper inside. So Captain Dave Thomas and I went in even deeper into -- and this is just really devastated scene, the jet fuel, the smoke, the flames, the structure starting to collapse. But out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mr. Henson trapped under a mound of burning debris.

PHILLIPS: What was he saying? And were you calling out to him?

TARANTINO: I was yelling, get out, get out, come on over here, we'll get you out. But he said that he was pinned, he had been trying to get free, he couldn't. I couldn't believe he was still alive, because he had been there for a while and the smoke was overpowering, the heat was incredible. And so we knew we didn't have time to go get help. It was really now or never. So I kind of crawled in to where he was, into the -- sort of the cave that he was in and tried to pull him free, and Dave Thomas tried to pull from the outside, and we couldn't budge it. And so out of desperation, I laid on my back and put my feet on the debris and kind of lifted it with my legs, and that got a few inches, and I was able to wriggle him out and push him out to Dave Thomas, who took him out toward the courtyard.

PHILLIPS: Your friendship now -- we have a picture actually of the three of you, you, and the captain and also Jerry. What's it like now to see him in the hallways? And what does he say to you? I just can't imagine the bond between the two of you now.

TARANTINO: Yes, in some ways, it's indescribable also. It's just we have this natural bond. We went through something that no one else really understands the details of, but it's very easygoing. I love to see him in the halls. He calls me now and then. I've gotten to know his family. My wife has gotten to know his family. He has kids my age. And just having their gratitude, and knowing that he's still around to be a part of his family is very rewarding.

PHILLIPS: And, Dave, when I asked you earlier on -- this is my final question -- you told me you had to go in and get him because you looked him in the eyes, and at that point there was no turning back.

TARANTINO: That's true. We made eye contact. I couldn't -- and he had asked for my help. And I couldn't very well leave at that point. and in the military, we don't leave people behind, if at all possible. So it was my duty to go in and get him.

PHILLIPS: Lieutenant Commander Dave Tarantino, what a pleasure to talk to you. Thank you.

TARANTINO: Thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com