Rick Rescorla: A Life of Service and Sacrifice
Making Connections
All documents and text associated with this activity are printed below, followed by a worksheet for student responses.Introduction
Explore the following documents related to Rick Rescorla's military service in the Vietnam War and his service during the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.Follow the instructions and answer the questions in the blank boxes that follow each section.
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Worksheet
Rick Rescorla: A Life of Service and Sacrifice
Making Connections
Examine the documents and text included in this activity. Fill in any blanks in the sequence with your thoughts and write your conclusion response in the space provided.Cyril Richard ("Rick") Rescorla was born in the port town of Hayle in the county of Cornwall in the southwest part of England in 1939. Rescorla held a strong interest in America from his childhood in Hayle, a British seaport that served as a staging area for the World War II landing at Normandy. Friends shared that he spoke admiringly of the ideals of American democracy.
Training as a paratrooper in the British Army after enlisting in 1957, Rescorla served in an intelligence unit in Cyprus and as a paramilitary police inspector in what is now Zambia before immigrating to the United States in 1963. Once in New York, he enlisted in the U.S. Army with a recruiter in Times Square.
Training as a paratrooper in the British Army after enlisting in 1957, Rescorla served in an intelligence unit in Cyprus and as a paramilitary police inspector in what is now Zambia before immigrating to the United States in 1963. Once in New York, he enlisted in the U.S. Army with a recruiter in Times Square.
Richard Rescorla`s Award of the Bronze Star Medal for Heroism
Richard Rescorla`s Award of the Silver Star
Richard Rescorla`s Report of Separation (DD 214)
Based on the documents above, summarize Rick Rescorla's Vietnam service. What do these documents reveal about Rick Rescorla's character?
Enter your response
Rescorla later became a naturalized US citizen after returning from Vietnam while still stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia.
Petition for Naturalization of Richard Cyril Rescorla
Petition for Naturalization of Richard Cyril Rescorla
Based on the document above, summarize Rick Rescorla's naturalization process of becoming a US citizen. What does this document reveal about Rick Rescorla's character?
Enter your response
As vice president for corporate security for the financial firm Morgan Stanley Dean Witter & Co., Rick Rescorla was in charge of safety for approximately 2,700 employees in the South Tower of the World Trade Center. Following the World Trade Center bombing in 1993, Rescorla began to develop an emergency evacuation plan and had staff regularly practice evacuating the building.
On 9/11, his planning and actions that day helped save nearly all 2,700 employees. Rick Rescorla was last seen heading up the stairs of the South Tower to make sure that everyone had made it out. He was one of the nearly 3,000 people who lost their lives that day.
On 9/11, his planning and actions that day helped save nearly all 2,700 employees. Rick Rescorla was last seen heading up the stairs of the South Tower to make sure that everyone had made it out. He was one of the nearly 3,000 people who lost their lives that day.
Map of Four Flights and Timeline of Events on September 11, 2001
Memorandum for the Record (MFR) of the Interview of Peter F. Huezy, Eileen Hillock, and Bret Galloway of Morgan Stanley briefing Conducted by Team 8
911: New York City Views
911: Ground Zero
Based on the documents above, summarize Rick Rescorla's service on 9/11. What do these documents reveal about Rick Rescorla's character?
Enter your response
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Richard Rescorla`s Award of the Bronze Star Medal for Heroism
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Richard Rescorla`s Award of the Silver Star
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Richard Rescorla`s Report of Separation (DD 214)
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Petition for Naturalization of Richard Cyril Rescorla
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Petition for Naturalization of Richard Cyril Rescorla
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Map of Four Flights and Timeline of Events on September 11, 2001
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Memorandum for the Record (MFR) of the Interview of Peter F. Huezy, Eileen Hillock, and Bret Galloway of Morgan Stanley briefing Conducted by Team 8
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911: New York City Views
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911: Ground Zero
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Conclusion
Rick Rescorla: A Life of Service and Sacrifice
Making Connections
Read the remarks given by President Trump at his posthumous presentation of the Presidential Citizens Medal to Rick Rescorla.- How does Rescorla's story help us understand how immigrants impact the United States?
- What debt do you think Rescorla thought he owed his new country? How do these documents display his loyalty to both the Nation and his fellow Americans?
- How are Rick Rescorla's actions in Vietnam that earned him a Bronze and Silver Star similar to his actions on 9/11? Explain.
- What do all of these documents reveal about Rick Rescorla's beliefs in service and sacrifice?
Your Response
Document
Richard Rescorla's Award of the Bronze Star Medal for Heroism
12/31/1965
Rick Rescorla was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for Heroism because of his service in Vietnam while in the U.S. Army. This document descibes Rescorla's act of heroism on October 3, 1965.
Later in life, Rescorla worked at Morgan Stanley Dean Witter & Co. in the South Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. On 9/11/2001, his leadership, and the safety plans he had developed, helped save nearly all 2,700 Morgan Stanley Dean Witter employees. Rescorla was last seen heading up the stairs of the South Tower to make sure that everyone made it out. He was one of the nearly 3,000 people who lost their lives that day.
Later in life, Rescorla worked at Morgan Stanley Dean Witter & Co. in the South Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. On 9/11/2001, his leadership, and the safety plans he had developed, helped save nearly all 2,700 Morgan Stanley Dean Witter employees. Rescorla was last seen heading up the stairs of the South Tower to make sure that everyone made it out. He was one of the nearly 3,000 people who lost their lives that day.
This primary source comes from the Records of the Army Staff.
Full Citation: Richard Rescorla's Award of the Bronze Star Medal for Heroism; 12/31/1965; Official Military Personnel File for Richard C. Rescorla; Official Military Personnel Files, 1912 - 1998; Records of the Army Staff, ; National Archives at St. Louis, St. Louis, MO. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/rescorla-bronze-star, April 16, 2024]Richard Rescorla's Award of the Bronze Star Medal for Heroism
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Document
Richard Rescorla's Award of the Silver Star
2/10/1966
This primary source comes from the Records of the Army Staff.
Full Citation: Richard Rescorla's Award of the Silver Star; 2/10/1966; Official Military Personnel File for Richard C. Rescorla; Official Military Personnel Files, 1912 - 1998; Records of the Army Staff, ; National Archives at St. Louis, St. Louis, MO. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/richard-rescorlas-award-of-the-bronze-star-medal-for-heroism, April 16, 2024]Richard Rescorla's Award of the Silver Star
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Document
Richard Rescorla's Report of Separation (DD 214)
4/18/1967
This primary source comes from the Records of the Army Staff.
Full Citation: Richard Rescorla's Report of Separation (DD 214); 4/18/1967; Official Military Personnel File for Richard C. Rescorla; Official Military Personnel Files, 1912 - 1998; Records of the Army Staff, ; National Archives at St. Louis, St. Louis, MO. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/richard-rescorlas-report-of-separation-dd-214, April 16, 2024]Richard Rescorla's Report of Separation (DD 214)
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Document
Petition for Naturalization of Richard Cyril Rescorla
11/9/1966
This primary source comes from the Records of District Courts of the United States.
Full Citation: Petition for Naturalization of Richard Cyril Rescorla; 11/9/1966; Petitions for Naturalization, 1907 - 1991; Records of District Courts of the United States, ; National Archives at Atlanta, Morrow, GA. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/petition-for-naturalization-of-richard-cyril-rescorla, April 16, 2024]Petition for Naturalization of Richard Cyril Rescorla
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Petition for Naturalization of Richard Cyril Rescorla
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Document
Petition for Naturalization of Richard Cyril Rescorla
11/9/1966
This primary source comes from the Records of District Courts of the United States.
Full Citation: Petition for Naturalization of Richard Cyril Rescorla; 11/9/1966; Petitions for Naturalization, 1907 - 1991; Records of District Courts of the United States, ; National Archives at Atlanta, Morrow, GA. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/petition-for-naturalization-of-richard-cyril-rescorla, April 16, 2024]Petition for Naturalization of Richard Cyril Rescorla
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Petition for Naturalization of Richard Cyril Rescorla
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Document
Map of Four Flights and Timeline of Events on September 11, 2001
ca. 2004
These poster size graphics were made by the staff of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, more popularly known as the 9/11 Commission, for display during the Commission's public hearings. They depict the movements and timeline of events related to the four planes hijacked by terrorists on the morning of September 11, 2001, as well as the U.S. Air Force fighters that were scrambled to intercept them. In November 2002, Congress created the independent National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, popularly called the 9/11 Commission, to thoroughly investigate the attack. The Commission saw that much evidence pointing to the plot was known prior to 9/11, but that information was not shared widely enough to connect the dots. After the publication of the 9/11 Commission report in July 2004, Congress passed the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 to create a new Director of National Intelligence (DNI) and a new counterintelligence center to promote information-sharing between agencies.
Text adapted from “Congress Investigates: Pearl Harbor and 9/11 Congressional Hearing Exhibits” in the September 2011 National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) publication Social Education.
Text adapted from “Congress Investigates: Pearl Harbor and 9/11 Congressional Hearing Exhibits” in the September 2011 National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) publication Social Education.
This primary source comes from the Records of Commissions of the Legislative Branch.
National Archives Identifier: 5899988
Full Citation: Map of Four Flights and Timeline of Events on September 11, 2001; ca. 2004; Records of the Commission's General Services Administration Building Office, 3/2003 - 8/2004; Records of Commissions of the Legislative Branch, ; National Archives Building, Washington, DC. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/map-of-four-flights-and-timeline-of-events-on-september-11-2001, April 16, 2024]Map of Four Flights and Timeline of Events on September 11, 2001
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Map of Four Flights and Timeline of Events on September 11, 2001
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Map of Four Flights and Timeline of Events on September 11, 2001
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Map of Four Flights and Timeline of Events on September 11, 2001
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Map of Four Flights and Timeline of Events on September 11, 2001
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Document
Memorandum for the Record (MFR) of the Interview of Peter F. Huezy, Eileen Hillock, and Bret Galloway of Morgan Stanley briefing Conducted by Team 8
10/23/2003
This document is the "memorandum for the record" memorializing one of the hundreds of interviews conducted by the 9/11 Commission after the World Trade Center terrorist attacks on September 11th, 2001.
This interview was with staff from Morgan Stanley Dean Witter & Co., which was in the South Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. Included is a description of the actions of Rick Rescorla, who was in charge of safety for approximately the 2,700 Morgan Stanley Dean Witter employees in the South Tower.
On 9/11, Rescorla's leadership, and the safety plans he had developed, helped save thousands of lives. Rescorla was last seen heading up the stairs of the South Tower to make sure that everyone made it out. He was one of the nearly 3,000 people who lost their lives that day.
This interview was with staff from Morgan Stanley Dean Witter & Co., which was in the South Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. Included is a description of the actions of Rick Rescorla, who was in charge of safety for approximately the 2,700 Morgan Stanley Dean Witter employees in the South Tower.
On 9/11, Rescorla's leadership, and the safety plans he had developed, helped save thousands of lives. Rescorla was last seen heading up the stairs of the South Tower to make sure that everyone made it out. He was one of the nearly 3,000 people who lost their lives that day.
This primary source comes from the Records of Commissions of the Legislative Branch.
National Archives Identifier: 2610335
Full Citation: Memorandum for the Record (MFR) of the Interview of Peter F. Huezy, Eileen Hillock, and Bret Galloway of Morgan Stanley briefing Conducted by Team 8; 10/23/2003; Memorandums for the Record, 2003 - 2004; Records of Commissions of the Legislative Branch, ; National Archives Building, Washington, DC. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/interview-morgan-stanley-911, April 16, 2024]Memorandum for the Record (MFR) of the Interview of Peter F. Huezy, Eileen Hillock, and Bret Galloway of Morgan Stanley briefing Conducted by Team 8
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Memorandum for the Record (MFR) of the Interview of Peter F. Huezy, Eileen Hillock, and Bret Galloway of Morgan Stanley briefing Conducted by Team 8
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Memorandum for the Record (MFR) of the Interview of Peter F. Huezy, Eileen Hillock, and Bret Galloway of Morgan Stanley briefing Conducted by Team 8
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Memorandum for the Record (MFR) of the Interview of Peter F. Huezy, Eileen Hillock, and Bret Galloway of Morgan Stanley briefing Conducted by Team 8
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Document
911: New York City Views
9/11/2001
Original caption: Smoke rises from the site of the World Trade Center.
This primary source comes from the Collection GWB-WHPO: Records of the White House Photo Office (George W. Bush Administration).
National Archives Identifier: 5997250
Full Citation: 911: New York City Views; 9/11/2001; Collection GWB-WHPO: Records of the White House Photo Office (George W. Bush Administration), . [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/911-new-york-city-views, April 16, 2024]911: New York City Views
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Document
911: Ground Zero
10/03/2001
Original caption: A worker stands at Ground Zero in New York City.
This primary source comes from the Collection GWB-WHPO: Records of the White House Photo Office (George W. Bush Administration).
National Archives Identifier: 5997364
Full Citation: 911: Ground Zero; 10/03/2001; Collection GWB-WHPO: Records of the White House Photo Office (George W. Bush Administration), . [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/1-911-ground-zero, April 16, 2024]911: Ground Zero
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