Subj: the Pentagon

Date: 9/14/2001 5:50:07 PM Pacific Daylight Time

From: thovis@mindspring.com (tom hovis)

To: B17banta@aol.com

Gentlemen,

On this day of prayer I went to the Pentagon and prayed for those Americans that died at the hands of those evil monsters.

My office is 8 miles from the site. The recovery teams working 18 hour shifts are just now getting to the body of the aircraft that went right through the outer ring at full power according to eyewitnesses.. Being a former transport type (60's era) I cannot understand how that plane hit where it did giving the direction the aircraft was taking at the time.

As most know, the Pentagon lies at the bottom of two hills from the west with the east side being next to the river at 14th street bridge. One hill is at the Navy Annex and the other is Arlington Cemetery. The plane came up I-395 also known as Shirley Hwy. (most likely used as a reference point.)  The plane had been seen making a lazy pattern in the no fly zone over the White House and US Cap. Why the plane did not hit incoming traffic coming down the river from the north to Reagan Nat'l. is beyond me. Strangely, no one at the Reagan Tower noticed the aircraft. Andrews AFB radar should have also picked up the aircraft I would think. Nevertheless, the aircraft went southwest near Springfield and then veered left over Arlington and then put the nose down coming over Ft Myer picking off trees and light poles near the helicopter pad next to building. It was as if he leveled out at the last minute and put it square into the building. The wings came off as if it went  through an arch way leaving a hole in the side of the building it seems a little larger than the wide body of the aircraft. The entry point was so clean that the roof (shown in news photo) fell in on the wreckage. They are just now getting to the passengers today. The nose wheel I understand is in the grass near the second ring. Right now it is estimated that it will take two years to repair the damage. Ironically, the area had just been remodeled with most of the area was still blocked off and some offices were empty.

I know a young Army Major who went to a planned staff meeting at 8:30 am sharp. He left his office and attended the meeting, there was something he needed. He called his friend also a major near his office on his cell phone.  As they were talking his friend said, My God a plane has just came through near your office "(which was not part of the new area, but near it ). Fire rolled down the hallway, somehow his friend on the phone ducked down another hallway. Four of the Major's friends did not make it.

Incidentally, the fireball also went along the outside of the building as shown by the blackened side of the building to left of the impact point. The reason the fire took so long to put out was because the attic was filled with "horse hair" for insulation put there in 1942 when the building was built.

Pardon for this long description, it makes feel better to describe my experience. For those who have been to the Pentagon or served there, the hallways are full of people almost all day. Due to the construction, that hallway was almost vacant at the time of the crash.

My son works in Alexandria. He passed the Pentagon on the 14th St bridge 10 minutes before the crash. When he arrived at work, the entire town of Alexandria was consumed by smoke due to the wind direction similar to a forest fire being in the area. The smell was like burning wiring for the most part and it got worse later from you can only imagine what that was from.

Tom Hovis, Fairfax, Assoc. Member

If anyone has any questions, I will be happy to answer them. Keep in mind my computer is at work, so I will respond when I can .

GOD BLESS AMERICA.