A highly decorated officer, he rarely talked about his days in the military. The operas focus shifts to his idyllic autumn romance with susan greer, who became his second wife. Born cyril richard rescorla in cornwall with a spirit for adventure, he was a largerthanlife action hero who wanted to join the military from an early age. The voice pounding through on the scratchy tape was a voice out of the pages of history for me the voice of rick rescorla. Remembering cornish 911 hero rick rescorla sacrificed. Heart of a soldier is the extraordinary story of war, love and comradeship, danger and heroism, told by a pulitzer prize winner who is one. He enlisted in the british army in 1957, training as a paratrooper with the parachute regiment, and then serving with an intelligence unit in cyprus during the eoka cypriot insurgency from 1957. Rick rescorla was 62 years old and dying of terminal bone marrow cancer on september 11, 2001. A day to be proud of rick rescorla yesterday president trump awarded a posthumous presidential citizens medal to rick rescorla. They found each other late in life, and had too short a period together, but it was very meaningful. Sep 04, 2011 the first thing we did, before we wrote a word, ms.
Heart of a soldier is the extraordinary story of war, love and comradeship, danger and heroism, told by a pulitzer prize winner who is one of our finest writers when rick rescorla got home from vietnam, he tried to put combat and death behind him, but he never could entirely. Susan rescorla with husband rick it is good to have something in his home town that can let people know of what he did on. Herlihy citizenship award on behalf of her late husband col. Authored by susan rescorla touched by a hero is the inspirational journal of susan rescorla, whose husband, retired army colonel rick rescorla, sacrificed his life to safely evacuate nearly 2,700 people from the world trade center during the 911 terrorist attacks. He padded it with all kinds of newage rescorla religious ideas, chicklit pre rick romance drama from susan s college days and a bunch of adolescent, barroomquality warstories about dan and rick to produce a truly mundane bit of journalistic bio fluff, a shallow, postmodern relationship book that time magazine called the best nonfiction. Rescorla lived a life that epitomized this warrior ethos.
The fourteenth chapter of the book rescorla s game describes him as the cornish hawk. The vietnam stuff from hal moores book and the chapter on rescorlas final hours on 911 are very good. He was also working on the 44th floor of world trade center tower 1 when a plane crashed into the building. Ia drang the battle that changed the war in vietnam by general hal moore and joseph galloway. Susan rescorla donated rick rescorlas dark green lincoln mark viii, which had been left in the station parking lot, to be auctioned off for charity as a heros car. Rick rescorla cornish 911 hero transceltic home of. Sep 11, 2001 the fourteenth chapter of the book, rescorlas game, describes him as the cornish hawk. That is what susan rescorla, a former morristown resident and widow of rick rescorla, said monday of the retired u. He was also in the battle of ia drangremember the book and movie. When rick rescorla got home from vietnam, he tried to put combat and death behind him, but he never could entirely. I wrote this column on the 10th anniversary of the september 11 terrorist attacks, after sharing several conversations with susan rescorla, widow of rick rescorla. A story of love, heroism, and september 11 james brewer stewart, author, susan rescorla, epilogue by, epilogue by susan rescorla. Susan remembers him emerging from the bathroom, imitating anthony hopkins as the weirdo ventriloquist in magic, the movie. The first thing we did, before we wrote a word, ms.
She is a producer, known for the man who predicted 911 2005. Rescorla was one of my heroes when i was a sergeantturnedcadet and began reading extensively about viet nam and the ia drang valley. Susan rescorla accepts the american veterans centers edward j. The story of rick rescorla, vietnam vet and 911 hero. In his wildest dreams, hill said he never imagined being the subject of. After the planes hit on 911, morgan stanley security chief rick rescorla put into effect plans that he had developed years before. Sep 11, 2019 that same year, rescorla met the love of his life, susan, who he married in february of 1999.
He also served in northern rhodesia where he was a member of northern rhodesia police nrp. Bin laden death moral victory for 911 widow morristown. Heart of a soldier is the extraordinary story of war, love and comradeship, danger and heroism, told by a pulitzer prize winner who is one of our finest writers. Cyril richard rescorla may 27, 1939 september 11, 2001 was a soldier, police officer and. Rick rescorla, who died on september 11, 2001 after leading almost 2,700 people to safety from the south tower, is being awarded the presidential citizens medal. Ever since the 1993 terrorist attack, when a bomb blewup in the buildings basement, rescorla worried that it would happen again. Nov 08, 2019 a day to be proud of rick rescorla yesterday president trump awarded a posthumous presidential citizens medal to rick rescorla. Despite this tough image, according to his second wife and widow susan rescorla in her book, touched by a hero, music was so.
Dinovelli, the librettist, said, was to pay a visit to ricks survivors, susan rescorla and dan hill, to get their firsthand stories. Love reading reading lists rick rescorla joining the british army schuster history books nonfiction books great books books to read rick rescorla was a hero of 911. Benning, georgia below is video from the unveiling ceremony below are photos from the unveiling ceremony. But on that september morning in 2001, fate had other plans. Trump announces presidential medal for vietnam veteran.
Stewarts book chronicles the life stories of susan rescorla, rick rescorla and daniel hill. And, to the extent we have people like rick rescorla in. Rick rescorla and susan greer were married on february 20, 1999. First, you must read the definitive post about rick rescorla by greyhawk at the mudville gazette.
Rescorla, who had already gone through a terrorist attack in the same building near 20 years earlier, jumped into action. May 02, 2011 that is what susan rescorla, a former morristown resident and widow of rick rescorla, said monday of the retired u. The role rick played on 911 as morgan stanleys second vice president for corporate security in getting all but of the firms nearly 2,700 employees out of the world trade center. This is the story of his life, not just that day, but it gave me real insight into that tragic day. Rescorla picked susan up the following sunday morning, and they drove to. As the director of security for the financial services firm morgan stanley.
Army officer who was one of about 3,000 people that died on sept. Heart of a soldier is the extraordinary story of war, love and comradeship, danger and heroism, told by a pulitzer prize winner who is one of our finest. Sep 11, 2001 cyril richard rick rescorla may 27, 1939 september 11, 2001 was a retired united states army officer of british birth who served with distinction in northern rhodesia as a member of the northern rhodesia police nrp and as a soldier in the vietnam war, where he was a second lieutenant in the united states army. Susan rescorla with husband rick it is good to have something in his home town that can let people know of what he did on september 11 and be very proud of him, mr daniels added. Rick rescorla, the american hero, died selflessly because of love the love for his country and the love for his people. Sep 08, 2002 rick rescorla and dan hill, the longago soldiers and longtime comrades at the center of james b. Sung by rick rescorla in the stairway of wtc tower 2 on september 11, 2001. Susan rescorla, widow of 911 hero, rick rescorla, becomes emotional. Susan rescorla looks at a pic of her september 11th hero rick rescorla at hayle, view to hayles phillack church. In her first interview with a brit newspaper, susan rescorla, 74, tells the full story of how her husband died a hero in new york jump directly.
Augustine, florida at a ceremony attended by dan hill and his wife. Susan rescorla looks at a picture of september 11th hero rick rescorla at hayle. Rick rescorla, born as cyril richard rescorla, was a united states army officer as well as private security officer of british origin. At a later reunion, rescorla teased his old commander that the title should have been we were soldiers once and thin. One of these individuals is rick rescorla, who was the head of security for morgan. When rescorlas cancer went into remission, he credited susan, who had introduced him to a specialist in herbal medicine. During the 1993 attack, rescorla was upset that the building evacuation had gone so. Susan has wanted to write a book that not only preserved the legacy of rick rescorla, a genuine american hero, but also hopes to inspired others to find the hero within themselves, the strength to heal from the trauma of loss, and ultimately reawaken to life. As we approach the 17th anniversary of 911, im sharing rick s story again, just as i promised susan i would do each year. The cover of moores book featured a photograph of rick rescorla. Rick rescorla a real man man for the history books. The role rick played on 911 as morgan stanleys second vice president for corporate security in getting all but of the firms nearly 2,700 employees out of the world trade centers south. Rick rescorla, a legend in vietnam who acted heroically as a civilian in the south tower of the world trade center on sept. Moments after the first airliner slammed into the north tower, rick rescorla threw on his suit jacket, and left.
Stewart comes the extraordinary story of american hero rick rescorla, morgan stanley security director and a veteran of vietnam and the british colonial wars in rhodesia, who lost his life on september 11. Heart of a soldier, opera about rick rescorla, 911 hero the. The fourteenth chapter of the book rescorlas game describes him as the cornish hawk. He served in the vietnam war as a commissioned officer of the united states army. The story starts as they meet in postcolonial africa, and progresses through a. Rick rescorla biography facts, childhood, family life. In pats words, the main focus of the talk was a fellow lt. He focused on his life with susan, and their plans and goals for the future. Rick rescorla interesting stories about famous people. Heart of a soldier is the extraordinary story of war, love and comradeship, danger and heroism, told by a pulitzer prize. Lieutenant general harold moore, who was working on a book about the campaign. Susan rescorla s life was turned upside down by the death of her husband retired army colonel rick rescorla on 911, and not only for the obvious reasons. The bride wore a versace suit that the groom had chosen for her, and carried a single calla lily. Rick went into the building to work because a colleague was off.
Sep 11, 2001 rick met susan greer in 1998 in the townhouse complex where he lived. Susan rescorla is the author of touched by a hero 3. Rick s statue is now on permanent display on the walk of honor at the national infantry museum at ft. Cyril richard rescorla may 27, 1939 september 11, 2001 was a united states army officer and private security officer of british origin who served as a commissioned officer in the vietnam war, where he was a second lieutenant in the united states army. He subsequently earned bachelors, masters, and law degrees from the university of oklahoma, and proceeded to teach criminal law at the university of south carolina from 19721976, before he moved to chicago to become director of security for continental illinois bank and trust.
Twin towers hero who predicted terror attacks led 2,700 to. From the day he joined the british army to fight a colonial war in rhodesia, where he met. Despite this tough image, according to his second wife and widow susan rescorla in her book, touched by a hero, music was so central to rick s life that he sang to his troops in vietnam to calm them something he would later employ during 911. New book by 911 widow honors husbands heroic legacy prweb. Rick s life really is an inspiring story and part of it deals with the ia drang. Rick s heroism continues to inspire others even 10 years later. Cornwallborn, naturalized american citizen, infantry officer in vietnam, head of security at morgan stanley on 91101, credited with saving hundreds of lives before dying in the collapse of the towers. Susan rescorlas life was turned upside down by the death of her husband retired army colonel rick rescorla on 911, and not only for the obvious reasons. Rick rescorla acted heroically as a civilian in the south tower of the world trade center on sept.
With benedict cumberbatch, david bedella, rick rescorla, susan rescorla. Rick rescorlas life story is a case study in leadership and in the importance of placing oneself at the decisive point in battle as a leader. Rick rescorla born a brit in cornwall who became an american and fought in vietnamwas worried about the safety of new york citys world trade center. Touched by a hero is the inspirational journal of susan rescorla, whose husband rick rescorla sacrificed his life to safely evacuate nearly 2,700 people from the world trade center during the 911 terrorist attacks. Fort hood dedicates room to vietnam war and 911 hero rick. The book, and of course the fabulous bronze statue, which will be on heroeswalk in 2008 will endure forever, as his legacy, as a new hero in our new millinium. Stewarts book about the life of rick rescorla, heart of a. Rick rescorla the man who predicted 911 the last refuge. Shop the latest titles by susan rescorla at alibris including hardcovers, paperbacks, 1st editions, and audiobooks from thousands of sellers worldwide. Sep 11, 20 the story of rick rescorla september 11, 20 at 10. Shortly before the south tower collapsed, rick called his wife susan. Apr 04, 2020 rick rescorla was a soldier of the old school, a celtic fighter, who fought in two nations armies and was killed in the terrorist attack on the world trade center on 911, while heroically saving the lives of around 2,700 people. Retired army colonel rick rescorla, who on 911 was the head of security at morgan stanley, sacrificed his own life that day to save approximately 2,700 people.
In her first interview with a brit newspaper, susan rescorla, 74, tells the full story of how her husband died a hero in new york jump directly to the content the sun, a news uk company close. Heart of a soldier is a biography of rick rescorla and his lifelong friend, dan hill. Touched by a hero is the inspirational journal of susan rescorla, whose husband, retired army colonel rick rescorla, sacrificed his life to safely evacuate nearly 2,700 people from the world trade center during the 911 terrorist attacks. Dinovelli, the librettist, said, was to pay a visit to rick s survivors, susan rescorla and dan hill, to get their firsthand stories. By frank misurelli, picatinny arsenal public affairs september 17, 2015. Susan has wanted to write a book that not only preserved the legacy of rick rescorla, a genuine american hero, but also hopes to inspired others to find the. Heart of a soldier, opera about rick rescorla, 911 hero. You may remember rick from several documentaries that air each year as the anniversary of 911 approaches. Rescorla s beloved wife, susan, and his two children were on hand. Wife of 911 hero speaks about late husband and importance of. Despite this tough image, according to his second wife and widow susan rescorla in her book, touched by a hero, music was so central to ricks life that he sang to his troops in vietnam to calm them something he would later employ during 911. Hed been fearing an attack since a terrorist bombing in 1993 and insisted on. Rescorlas beloved wife, susan, and his two children were on hand.
The story starts as they meet in postcolonial africa, and progresses through a lifetime of combat, family, and friendship. Now his legacy will live on at the 27 cav on fort hood with a room dedicated to honoring his brave actions. Rick rescorla helped save thousands of people on 911. Army soldier learns the four distinct statements of the warrior ethos. They would have followed rescorla in an assault upon the gates of hell. Aug 06, 2017 rick rescorla became a us citizen in 1967.
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