Marine gets the job done!

[widgeon13]

NEW YORK (Aug. 15) - For years, authorities wondered about the identity of a U.S. Marine who appeared at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, helped find a pair of police officers buried in the rubble, then vanished.

Even the producers of the new film chronicling the rescue, "World Trade Center," couldn't locate the mystery serviceman, who had given his name only as Sgt. Thomas.

The puzzle was finally solved when one Jason Thomas, of Columbus, Ohio, saw a TV commercial for the new movie a few weeks ago as he relaxed on his couch.

His eyes widened as he saw two Marines with flashlights, hunting for survivors atop the smoldering ruins.

"That's us. That's me!" thought Thomas, who lived in Long Island during the attacks and now works as an officer in Ohio's Supreme Court.

Thomas, 32, hesitantly re-emerged last week to recount the role he played in the rescue of Port Authority police officers Will Jimeno and Sgt. John McLoughlin, who were entombed beneath 20 feet of debris when the twin towers collapsed.

Back in New York to speak of his experience and visit family, Thomas provided the AP with photographs of himself at ground zero. As further proof of his identity, the movie's producer, Michael Shamberg, said Thomas and Jimeno have spoken by phone and shared details only the two of them would know.

Thomas, who had been out of the Marine Corps about a year, was dropping his daughter off at his mother's Long Island home when she told him planes had struck the towers.

He retrieved his Marine uniform from his truck, sped to Manhattan and had just parked his car when one of the towers collapsed. Thomas ran toward the center of the ash cloud.

"Someone needed help. It didn't matter who," he said. "I didn't even have a plan. But I have all this training as a Marine, and all I could think was, 'My city is in need."'

Thomas bumped into another ex-Marine, Staff Sgt. David Karnes, and the pair decided to search for survivors.

Carrying little more than flashlights and an infantryman's shovel, they climbed the mountain of debris, skirting dangerous crevasses and shards of red-hot metal, calling out "Is anyone down there? United States Marines!"

It was dark before they heard a response. The two crawled into a deep pit to find McLoughlin and Jimeno, injured but alive.

Jimeno would spend 13 hours in the pit before he was pulled free. Thomas stayed long enough to see him come up, but left due to exhaustion before McLoughlin, who remained pinned for another nine hours, was retrieved.

Thomas said he returned to ground zero every day for another 2 1/2 weeks to pitch in, then walked away and tried to forget.

"I didn't want to relive what took place that day," he said.

Shamberg said he apologized to Thomas for an inaccuracy in the film: Thomas is black, but the actor cast to portray him, William Mapother, is white. Filmmakers realized the mistake only after production had begun, Shamberg said.

Thomas laughed and gently chided the filmmakers, then politely declined to discuss it further. "I don't want to shed any negativity on what they were trying to show," he said.

As for his story, Thomas said he is gradually becoming more comfortable telling it.

"It's been like therapy," he said.

Great story, too bad more things like this don't get noted by the media.

Semper Fi

[Mr_Wizard]

Semper Fi

[kach22i]

Originally posted by widgeon13
Thomas, who had been out of the Marine Corps about a year

I thought the military was holding over everyone and not letting anyone out. Are they just not letting some people out of service and not others?

Let me get this straight, they have footage of two guys in uniform helping out at ground zero, but could not tell one of them was black? He gave his last name, but no one could track him down?

Best not to think too much and just wave to the hero.

[widgeon13]

Once a Marine, always a Marine

[Seahawk]

Originally posted by kach22i
I thought the military was holding over everyone and not letting anyone out. Are they just not letting some people out of service and not others?

Best not to think too much and just wave to the hero.

Kach,

Depending on the branch of service, some individuals in specific are not being allowed to leave the military, either through retirement or at the end of their obligated service.

The correct term is, "Stop Loss"...

This thread is not the right one to discuss how I feel about Stop Loss.

[Tobra]

He was discharged PRIOR to 9/11/01.

Leave it to a liberal to find the negative grain of sand on the happy friendly beach

Good tale, no surprise to me, have not met the US Marine who is not a good man, must be at least one, simple statistics

[kach22i]

Originally posted by Seahawk
This thread is not the right one to discuss how I feel about Stop Loss.

Cool, was just asking.


Tobra, leave it for another thread.

[gaijindabe]

I ran away as a near blubbering idiot. Two 110 story buildings fell strait down into a smoldering pile about 60 feet high - you could not even imagine anyone was left alive. Those Marines are made of tough stuff..

[Nathans_Dad]

Originally posted by kach22i
I thought the military was holding over everyone and not letting anyone out. Are they just not letting some people out of service and not others?

As a current active duty member who is scheduled to separate from the Air Force this summer I can say without question that you are mistaken.

I have not heard of anyone in the medical corps (that's docs, nurses, tech, pharmacists, etc) being stop lossed. Furthermore, I have not heard of stop losses going on in the Air Force period (believe me, that kind of news travels fast).

[DavidI]

That is an outstanding story of a brave man's actions during the worst of times. Again, I applaud my Beloved Corps!

Semper Fi, David

[rcecale]

Great story, widgeon13, thanks for posting it here.

Semper fi, Leathernecks!!!

Randy

[techweenie]

Real heroes rarely seek the spotlight; rarely brag about what they've done; rarely try to cash in.

[widgeon13]

Originally posted by techweenie
Real heroes rarely seek the spotlight; rarely brag about what they've done; rarely try to cash in.

I don't see any evidence of that behavior. I just thought it was a heartwarming story that was contrary to what we normally see in the news.

I think your comments are unwarranted but now I know how you got to that many posts. Opinions are like *********s, everybody has one. Thanks for your contribution.

[notfarnow]

Originally posted by widgeon13
I don't see any evidence of that behavior.

I think that was his point.

[widgeon13]

Originally posted by notfarnow
I think that was his point.

I would hope so. That being the case, I may have spoken too quickly.

[speeder]

It's funny, but I have a solid recollection of that guy or the other Marine being interviewed immediately after 9/11. I remember him saying that he arrived at ground zero and assisted in a rescue, but it may have been a different guy. There were so many stories being told at that time of tragedy and courage+ unselfish and dangerous sacrifice. I think there was a Marine staff Sgt. and they were on shaky ground, (to put it mildly), and he said that if their footing gave way, "if we go, we all go together!" And the others instantly decided to stay and try to rescue the survivors. That is seared in my mind, not the kind of thing you forget.

I'm sure that TW meant that the guy never came forward for the last 5 years to blow his horn, he sounds like a real man's man and someone you would want covering your back. Semper Fi, indeed.