Pennsauken 9/11 survivor recalls Pentagon attack at memorial ceremony

PENNSAUKEN, N.J. (WPVI) -- An Army veteran who survived the Sept. 11, 2001, attack on the Pentagon shared his story Friday as part of a touching memorial ceremony in Pennsauken.

Oscar Phillip Benjamin, who lives just blocks from the memorial, was working as chief of anti-terrorism operations and intelligence at the Pentagon when American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the building.

As bagpipes played "Amazing Grace" during Friday's ceremony, Benjamin wiped away tears while reflecting on the people who died that day.

"Today's just a great time to remember some people lost," Benjamin said through tears. "I'm happy to still be here to represent them."

Benjamin recalled realizing the Pentagon could be a target after hearing reports about a plane flying near the building.

"There was a plane coming west to east. I said, OK, that doesn't sound good," Benjamin said. "They said it just went past the Pentagon; it's out over the Potomac. I went, 'We're the target.'"

"Civilians, evacuate; military, man your stations," he recalled ordering to those in the building.

Within minutes, the plane struck the Pentagon.

"Three to six minutes ... There was just a slight shudder, and we'd been hit," Benjamin said.

He described thick black smoke filling the building as people tried to escape.

"The smoke was knee-high, black smoke. Anybody in or out had to crawl out," Benjamin said. "People were crawling in, starting to tell us: big fire, casualties."

Benjamin said he does not remember everything about getting out of the Pentagon that day. But he remembers the unity and compassion that followed.

"The unity, empathy, compassion, I hope it doesn't take another 9/11 type event to bring us back to that point in America," he said.

Friday's ceremony included speeches from local leaders, music, bagpipes and bells commemorating the four planes that crashed during the attacks.

Pennsauken Mayor Patrick Olivo said the annual ceremony also serves as a way to pass the memory of 9/11 to younger generations.

"We remember where we were. We remember confusion," Olivo said.

"For the younger people joining us this afternoon, September 11 is something they only know through history books, photographs, videos and the stories that we have passed down to them," he added.

Residents in Pennsauken also placed American flags around the memorial Thursday night as part of an annual tradition honoring the victims.