Rick Rescorla: An American Hero To Remember On Memorial Day Video Added
If you never heard of Rick Rescorla, you are missing out on one of the best stories of an “American” hero.
Born born Cyril Richard Rescorla in Hayle, Cornwall, in 1939.
During WWII the 175th Infantry Regiment of the U.S. 29th Infantry Division was headquartered in Rick’s hometown. Being a typical young boy he fell head over heals in love with the American G.I.s. He grew up an athlete, excelling in boxing.
In 1957 Rescorla joined the British Army The Parachute Regiment and also serving with intelligence. Upon leaving the military he served various jobs as a police officer.
He moved to the United States and joined the United States Army in 1963 … wanting to go to Vietnam to fight. In 1965 he was a platoon leader in the 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) and faught in the Battle of Ia Drang … the battle recounted in the book and depicted in the movie “We Were Soldiers (Once … And Young)”
That’s Rick Rescorla on the cover.
While serving in Vietnam Rick earned the Silver Star, the Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster, a Purple Heart, and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry …
And didn’t come back to the United States to throw any of them on the White House lawn … nor did he join The Winter Soldiers and undermind his military brothers still fighting, bleeding and dying in Vietnam.
Rescorla was a very bright and astute man. He was a critical thinker. In 1992 he warned the World Trade Center’s Port Authority that the massive structures were vulnerable to (what we call now) VIEDs in the basement parking garage … but his warning was not heeded … In 1993 the first terrorist attack on the WTC happened. Rick helped evacuate the building, and was the last man out.
Rescorla became director of security for Morgan Stanley headquartered in the World Trade Center in 1997. Feeling the WTC was too vulnerable a target for terrorists, Rick recommended Morgan Stanley leave the structure and find new office spaces. But they were locked into a lease. So, Rescorla then made certain all employees of Morgan Stanley train and practice in emergency evacuations from the WTC building, drilling them every three months.
On September 11, 2001 Rick Rescorla was supposed to be on vacation … Instead, he was filling in so one of his deputies could go on vacation.
This, I believe, is one of the last known pictures taken of Rick Rescorla on 9-11-01 as he coaxed and lead the evacuation of Morgan Stanley’s staff and employees out of WTCT2 and WTC5.
When all the Morgan Stanley employees were safely out, Rick went back inside to help more people escape the inevitable doom he had feared and predicted years before …
On the warm, bright, sunny morning of September 11, 2001 Rick Rescorla was not … the last man out of the World Trade Center …
Rick Rescorla’s birth certificate may have said England but he was … an American hero through and through, and in every cell of his body, and every fiber of his heart and soul.
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This man deserves the Medal of Freedom for his heroic efforts on 9-11 at a minimum. Or we can set a precedent as was done in Bob Hope’s case and give him a military award. In Hope’s case he was made an honerary veteran.
In Riscola’s case, since this happened in the first day of the war on terror, and because his actions that day are with intrepidy and above and beyond the call of duty…how about an honorary MOH?
There are at perhaps 3,000 people alive today because of the efforts of this good man. Somehow the Medal of Freedom just isn’t enough.
May 24th, 2008 at 8:12 pmBrave man. The book “Heart of a Soldier” was written about him after Sept. 11th. What pissed me off about the movie “We Were Soldiers” was the fact that he was all but excluded.
May 24th, 2008 at 9:00 pmWell that is another book about a great person I need to read.
It seems these days when we loose people like Rick the Evil of the world has something to do with it.
May 24th, 2008 at 11:12 pmAwesome, He’s so right about backing the wrong side because of
May 25th, 2008 at 1:29 amcivilian greed —- makes my blood boil. We need the separation of business and state soon or there will be no state to defend. The best medal to give him would be to honor his words.
I read that book about him-it was amazing and should be made into a movie. too bad he is not around anymore
. I agree, he desrves some kind of award.
May 25th, 2008 at 2:29 amSounds to me like he was a “blame America” guy in the end.
May 25th, 2008 at 4:25 amDon’t forget … He made the interview in 1998.
Had he survived 9-11 and saw the vast extent of the day in Washington D.C. and in that field in Shanksville, Pa. … He may have had a completely different opinion about ‘policing’ the world.
My bio of Rick did not include his battle with cancer. Hid name is well worth the “google” to read more about him.
May 25th, 2008 at 7:25 amThanks for posting that Drill. I was hoping more people would comment about Rick and his foresight and courage. I first heard about him a few weeks after Sept. 11th. I think LGF when they had survivor stories at their site a few years later, someone maybe even Tilly and her incredible story, recounted hearing “some guy coming down the stairwell with a bullhorn saying ‘remember this day and be proud you are an American!’ in between singing songs like God Bless America.”
Another figure who keenly understood the islamic threat and died in the North Tower that day was John O’Neill-former assistant director in the FBI.
May 25th, 2008 at 12:56 pm