VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Every year, we remember the deadliest assault on our nation, 9/11. We can never forget the planes that crashed into the World Trade Center and the sound of the hijacked plane crashing into the Pentagon.
First responders jumped into action that day, working to save thousands.
Two decades later, Jim Ingledue still remembers heading to the Pentagon as part of Virginia Task Force 2, with his 2-year-old daughter waiting at home for his return.
"I remember very vividly being on that bus, and when we came around the corner of the Pentagon where you can actually see the damage, it was a lot for your mind to take in," said Ingledue.
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Ingledue captured many photos of the aftermath of the Pentagon attack. He says nothing prepared him for anything of that magnitude.
"I was removing some of the debris, and I came across something almost like a diaper bag. It had small children clothes and some toys. I told the person next to me, I have to stop and walk away because if I remove some of this debris and find the body of a dead child, I don't know how I could take that," he said.
Another memory that sticks out is finding a driver's license through the rubble of American Airlines Flight 77.
"I certainly have some triggers. Jet fuel burning— the smells can take you to places," Ingledue said.
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Ingledue says he's not the type to do anything special to commemorate 9/11, but that date lives in his heart.
"A lot of firefighters lost their lives that day, and a lot lost their lives since that day because of that day and the work they did following the collapse," he said.
While the country mourned and faced one of its darkest hours in history, Virginia Task Force 2 leaders say there was a huge urgency to help and ultimately give families some form of closure.
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"We weren't able to save the lives of the people that were in the building when it happened, but we're certainly giving those people that love them something. That's what drives us," Ingledue shared.
One of Jim's biggest takeaways was being willing and ready to respond to any situation when that bell rang.
"We want to know that you're counting on us, and we want you to know that you can count on us," said Ingledue.
Every year, there are several events honoring the sacrifices of our first responders and those who died on 9/11. Nearly 3,000 people lost their lives in the 9/11 terror attacks.
