The Victors

15 minutes later, United 175 crashed into the South Tower, and the chapel service changed. Our headmaster Vance Wilson was a stoic man who offered himself and his plain answers to the students with questions. What is happening and why? Who is doing this? But it was still a tragedy happening to other people in another city.

Then the service changed again at 9:37, when American 77 crashed into the Pentagon. I remember Reverend Ware running into the chapel with a look on his face and something possessing his body that we had never seen before in him. He was a jolly man, almost unserious and goofy in his joviality. He had a bouncy voice that always had a chuckle in it. But at this moment his face was drained of blood and his eyes of color. He whispered something urgently to Mr. Wilson. He made sure we couldn’t hear but we later learned he said we have to get the boys out of here and underground.

Mr. Wilson led us out of the chapel towards the music classroom, which was at least a basement. But exiting the chapel put us on Mount St. Alban, technically the highest point in Washington.

So we stepped out onto the hill and looked south to see the Pentagon already burning and we realized that this tragedy was not just happening to other people but to all of us.