On the morning of September 11, 2001, Matt Claymo, a retired officer and a true soldier, was sitting in his office at the Pentagon. When the hijacked plane struck the U.S. Department of Defense building, he did not succumb to the chaos and terror, choosing to stay.
Mixed Emotions on a Bitter Day
Matt Claymo recalls that day, writing: "I acted all day as a good soldier: strong, decisive, emotionless, rational, and impartial." But these feelings completely changed the moment he returned home. He faced a profound sorrow over the loss of life, but another feeling also enveloped him: humiliation.
He continues, saying: "As a nation, we had been humiliated." This retired officer believes that the military force he was part of had been powerless against this great threat and failed to protect its citizens. This feeling of darkness resonated with the darkness of his home when he opened the door.
Bitter Insights from a Historic Day
Claymo remembers that despite all the preparations and security measures, this terrorist attack demonstrated that nothing could protect the American society from such vulnerabilities. He feels a sense of failure not only as a military member but also as a citizen, and he clearly felt this sense of failure in the days that followed.
His bitter experience serves as a reminder that even the strongest institutions and systems can be powerless against unexpected hostilities, and this issue calls for greater vigilance and preparedness in the future.
