Rick Rescorla - Hero

[Thomason]

I was reading another knife forum recently and noticed that one of the posters had a reference to Rick Rescorla in his signature line. In 1969 I was in the Oklahoma National Guard, attending OCS. Our Senior Tac Officer was a 1LT Rescorla. We knew at the time that he was born in England, served with the British Army in Africa and later with the American Army in Viet Nam but that was about all we knew. He was the kind of guy who made a lasting impression on you.

So wondering if it could be the same person, I began to google. It was him. Remember the Mel Gibson movie "We Were Soldiers" about the Battle of Ia Drang? Rescorla was a platoon leader in that battle and won the Silver Star, Bronze Star and Purple Heart. He was killed in the Twin Towers on 9-11 after getting hundreds of people out of the building.

All these years and I had no idea what a heroic life he led until a few days ago. So if you are in the mood to read about a truly unique individual, do some googling and follow a few of those links.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Rescorla

 

[Andrew Taylor]

I moved to Canada from the county of Cornwall in England and I can can tell you that Rick was a Cornishman born and bred, and the people of Cornwall are very proud of him. They have built a tribute to him in the town of his birth, Hayle. He gave his life in the Twin Towers of 9/11 making sure others managed to leave.

For those that don't know Rick Rescorla was a security officer.

 

[OldPhysics]

I was reading another knife forum recently and noticed that one of the posters had a reference to Rick Rescorla in his signature line. In 1969 I was in the Oklahoma National Guard, attending OCS. Our Senior Tac Officer was a 1LT Rescorla. We knew at the time that he was born in England, served with the British Army in Africa and later with the American Army in Viet Nam but that was about all we knew. He was the kind of guy who made a lasting impression on you.

So wondering if it could be the same person, I began to google. It was him. Remember the Mel Gibson movie "We Were Soldiers" about the Battle of Ia Drang? Rescorla was a platoon leader in that battle and won the Silver Star, Bronze Star and Purple Heart. He was killed in the Twin Towers on 9-11 after getting hundreds of people out of the building.

All these years and I had no idea what a heroic life he led until a few days ago. So if you are in the mood to read about a truly unique individual, do some googling and follow a few of those links.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Rescorla

Oh, I've heard THAT name.

He saved some of my people on 9/11. We won't ever forget him ... or his colleagues (too many!) who died that day.

R.I.P., brave man.

 

[TIZWIN]

If you read the Wikipedia article, you wil find a link to an on line petition to award him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Too bad that his part of Ia Drang had to be left out of the fine Mel Gibson film.

 

[Xeones]

An amazing man. I didn't realise he had such a history.

It seems he has been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom though.

Go to here:

http://www.medaloffreedom.com/notable_recipients.htm

Scroll down to 'September 11th' and this is the link:

http://www.medaloffreedom.com/RickRescorla1.htm

It details his life story via an article from the Washington Post.

Surely this means he's been awarded the medal, though his name is not listed on the recipients post 1993 list. A bit confusing. Maybe there is an error in the main list?