THE INSPIRATION BEHIND KNIGHT EAGLE: The Symbol of American’s Freedom By Robert Marshall Boyer © 2013 by Robert Marshall Boyer The Symbol of American’s Freedom—the American Bald Eagle—will arrive at the half-frozen Mississippi River between December and February. It will migrate between the cities of Clinton, Iowa and Fulton, Illinois. It will roost about three months beside the United States Army’s Corp of Engineers’ Lock and Dam 13 in Fulton, IL. Every winter season the Lock and Dam 13 will attract hundreds of Bald Eagles between the cities of Clinton and Fulton. It is winter season of 2001/2002 in Iowa and Illinois. The Bald Eagles have descended on the riverbank. The eagles are beside the Lock and Dam 13. The migrating eagles are roosting on the Iowa side of the Mississippi River. A few eagles are gliding gracefully through the air, high above the lock and dam. Some of the eagles sit on the frozen river—in front of the damn—waiting to catch a fish below the rushing water. However, some of the eagles dot the riverbank’s trees. This group of Bald Eagles started to migrate—from the north—in search for food. Once the northern Mississippi River freezes over, they migrate further south. In addition, the cities of Clinton and Fulton are near one of the rivers widest points. The Lock and Dam 13—between Clinton, IA and Fulton, IL—keeps the Mississippi River from freezing over. The river provides Bald Eagles with a big area to hunt their primary food source—river fish. At the same time, they will roost in large trees that surround smaller trees—near their food source. The Bald Eagles’ roosting area will be approximately 60 yards, or less, from a river’s edge. In addition, their roosting area provides protection from the weather elements and outsiders. On the Fulton, IL side of the Mississippi River—in the winter season of 2001/2002—I am with a small group of people. I am with my missionary companion, Steven, and two other missionaries. We are 5 miles north of downtown Fulton, IL. We are directly across the river from Clinton, IA. We are watching the Bald Eagles’ natural behavior from the observation deck connected to the Lock and Dam 13. I don’t remember much that day at the Lock and Dam 13, but watching the Symbol of American’s Freedom reminded me of September 11, 2001. * * * * * A few months earlier—on September 11, 2001—the alarm clock goes off at 6:30 a.m./7:30 a.m. ET. It is a normal day for a volunteer missionary from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). I am in DeWitt, Iowa (20 miles west of Clinton, Iowa). I am serving in the Illinois Peoria Mission based out of Peoria, IL. In addition, I am in the middle of my full-time, 2-year proselyting mission. My missionary companion and I get ready—like normal proselyting days. We have our personal and companionship prayers. We take our showers. We eat breakfast. Last, we do our personal and companionship scripture studies. Missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can’t watch or listen to any media/entrainment sources, during their 2-year mission. With that said, my missionary companion and I don’t know what is happening on September 11, 2001. * * * * * During the early morning of September 11, 2001, the public doesn’t know what is going on until American Flight 11 crashes into the World Trade Center complex. The first hijacked airplane—American Flight 11—leaves Bostons Logan International Airport at 7:00 a.m./8:00 a.m. ET. The Boeing 767 has 92 people on the flight. It is heading to Los Angles. The second hijacked airplane—United Flight 175—leaves Boston’s Logan International Airport at 7:14 a.m./8:14 a.m. ET. The Boeing 767 has 65 passengers on the flight. It is heading to Los Angles. The third hijacked airplane—American Flight 77—leaves Washington Dulles International Airport at 7:21 a.m./8:21 a.m. ET. The Boeing 757 has 64 people on the flight. It is heading to Los Angeles. Nineteen minutes later—unknown to the public—the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) informs North American Aerospace Defense Commands (NORAD) Northeast Air Defense Sector about a suspected hijacking—Flight 11—at 7:40 a.m./8:40 a.m. ET. One minute later, the last hijacked airplane—United Flight 93—leaving Newark International Airport at 7:41 a.m./8:41 a.m. ET. The Boeing 757 has 44 passengers. It is heading to San Francisco. Two minutes later—unknown to the public—the FAA informs NORAD’s Northeast Air Defense Sector about another suspected hijacking—Flight 175—at 7:43 a.m./8:43 a.m. ET. At 7:46 a.m./8:46 a.m. ET, Flight 11 crashes into the north tower of World Trade Center. Approximately three minutes later, at 7:49 a.m./8:49 a.m. ET, CNN shows a live video feed of the World Trade Center complex in New York City. CNN headline reads, “WORLD TRADE CENTER DISASTER.” The north tower is smoking. It has a gaping hole, near the top of the tower. Flames are coming out of the hole. CNN anchor, Carol Lin, tells the viewers, “…We have unconfirmed reports this morning that a plane has crashed into one of the towers of the World Trade Center...” At 8:03 a.m. /9:03 a.m. ET, Flight 175 crashes into the south tower of the World Trade Center. Shortly after the second crash, CNN changes its headline to read, Second plane crashes into World Trade Center. After the two towers (Twin Towers) was attacked, the FAA bans all nationwide takeoff flights going to, or through, New York airspace at 8:08 a.m./9:08 a.m. ET. In addition, the FAA closes down all New York City-area airports after the second airplane flew into the south tower. At the same time, all bridges and tunnels into Manhattan are closed. At 8:24 a.m./9:24 a.m. ET, the FAA notifies NORADs Northeast Air Defense Sector about a suspected hijacking—American Flight 77. Two minutes later, FAA bans all takeoff flights for civilian aircraft. Approximately 8:30 a.m./9:30 a.m. ET, in front of 200 students and teachers in Florida, the United States President, George W. Bush, calls the World Trade Center airplane attacks an apparent terrorist attack on our country. Approximately ten minutes, Flight 77 crashes into Pentagon at 8:40 a.m./9:40 a.m. ET. Five minutes later, at 8:45 a.m./9:45 a.m. ET, the FAA orders all aircrafts to land at the nearest airport. At the same time, there are more than 4,500 aircrafts in air. At 8:48 a.m./9:48 a.m. ET, the U.S. Capitol and White Houses West Wing are evacuated. When the U.S. Capitol and White House’s West Wing are being evacuated, President Bush leaves Florida at 8:57 a.m./9:57 a.m. ET. When President Bush is onboard Air Force One, the south tower of the World Trade Center collapses at 8:59 a.m./9:59 a.m. ET. Approximately, at 9:07 am/10:07 a.m. ET, United Flight 93 crashes in a rural field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. At 9:28 a.m.,/10:28 a.m. ET, the north tower of World Trade Center collapses. The New Yorks primary elections—scheduled for September 11, 2001—are postponed at 9:50 a.m./10:50 a.m. ET. At 9:56 a.m./10:56 a.m. ET, the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat speaks in Gaza. First of all, I am offering my condolences, the condolences of the Palestinian people, to their American President, President Bush, to his government, to the American people, for this terrible time. We are completely shocked, completely shocked. Unbelievable.” * * * * * After companionship study with my missionary companion—on September 11, 2001—we travel on U.S. Highway 61. We are heading to Maquoketa, Iowa. We are north of DeWitt, but south of Maquoketa. More importantly, we don’t know what is happening on the East Coast of the United States. It is approximately 10:00 a.m./11:00 a.m. ET when my missionary companion and I walk up to a house in the small town of Maquoketa. We knock on the front door. We are about to visit an elderly couple from the DeWitt Branch (LDS Church congregation). Once inside the elderly couple’s house, my companion and I see the wife. She is in distress. She has tears in her eyes. At the same time, my companion and I walk in the living room with her husband. In the elderly couple’s den, we see second-to-second live coverage of the collapsed Twin Towers on CNN. An unknown terrorist group attacked the World Trade Center. At the same time, the wife said with tears in her eyes, “They attacked us!” Moments later, CNN shows the footage of the Twin Towers seconds before the second commercial airplane hits the south tower. Meantime, heavy, black smoke is pouring out of a big hole, near the top of the north tower. In addition, flames are coming out of the gaping hole. A few seconds later, a Boeing 767 flies into the south tower. It makes a blazing, gaping hole. Then flames and smoke pours out of the south tower. In addition, debris falls from the south tower. The debris crashes on the ground. * * * * * At 10:00 a.m./11 a.m. ET—on September 11, 2001—the New York City, Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, orders the evacuation of lower Manhattan—south of Canal Street. Four minutes later, the United Nations is fully evacuated. Between 11:04 a.m./12:04 p.m. ET and 11:15 a.m./12:15 a.m. ET, the Los Angeles International Airport and San Francisco International Airport—the destination of the hijacked airplanes—are closed and evacuated. Shortly after the two international airports are closed, at 11:30 a.m./12:30 p.m. ET, the FAA has 50 flights in U.S. airspace, but there is no problems reported. * * * * * Approximately 11:00 a.m./12:30 a.m. ET— on September 11, 2001—my missionary companion and I leave the elderly couple’s house in Maquoketa. We are heading back to DeWitt. At the same time period, we go to Steve’s house. Steve is a LDS Church member from the DeWitt Branch. Around midday, my missionary companion and I see more images of the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers with Steve. Maybe we saw the burning images of the Pentagon, too. In addition, we learn the fate of Flight 93. Flight 93 crashed in a Pennsylvania field approximately 10:07am/11:07am ET. * * * * * At 12:04 p.m./1:04 p.m. ET—on September 11, 2001—inside Barksdale Air Force base in Louisiana, President Bush announces that the U.S. military is on high alert worldwide by saying, Make no mistake: The United States will hunt down and punish those responsible for these cowardly acts. The next few hours, President Bush departs Barksdale Air Force Base. He travels to Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska. At the same time, the Navy dispatches missile destroyers to Washington, D. C. and New York City. When President Bush is on Air Force One the empty 47-story Seven World Trade Center (7 WTC) collapses at 4:25 p.m./5:25 p.m. ET. At 6:00 p.m./7:00 p.m. ET, President Bush arrives at the White House. He is preparing a Presidential Address to the nation. At 7:30 p.m./8:30 p.m. ET, during the Presidential Address, the President tells the nation, we will find those responsible and bring them to justice. Sometime after September 11, 2001, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) links the 9/11 terrorist attacks to the terrorist group, al-Qaeda. On December 13, 2001, the U.S. government releases a video tape. On the tape, Osama bin Laden takes responsibility for the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Seven days later, on December 18, 2001, the U.S. Congress approves a measure that allows the president to designate September 11th as Patriot Day on every anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. * * * * * Since I was on a church mission—from August 2000 to June 2002—I didn’t know all the details about the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack. However, when I got home in the summer of 2002, I learned more details about the 9/11 terrorist attack including the commercial airline flights that hit the Twin Towers, the Pentagon, and the Pennsylvania field. In addition, I learned how everything transpired before the terrorist attacks and the 9/11 aftermath. During the tragic events of September 11, 2001, there were approximately 3,000 victims killed, however, thousands of survivors suffered many degrees of scars over the years. They suffered physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually scars. Today, some 9/11 survivors continue to suffer, but some survivors died, years after the terrorist attack. Those survivors—who died years later—inhaled toxic dust during the 9/11 aftermath. More importantly, all 9/11 survivors will carry different type of scars during their lifetime. Among the victims on September 11, 2001 were the first responders. At the World Trade Center complex, 343 New York City firefighters died. Among the firefighters, 23 New York City police officers died. In addition, 37 Port Authority police officers died. * * * * * Sometime in early 2003, I started to type the original concept of Knight Eagle. To put a long story short, the events surrounding the story of Knight Eagle: A New Breed of Superhero that Fights Terrorism were in New York City, New York. However, I rewrote the main location. The new location would be Charlotte, North Carolina—the Queen City. The main reason I rewrote the main location, the headquarters of the United States Army Special Forces—Green Berets—is in Fort Bragg (Fayetteville, North Carolina). In addition, Knight Eagle becomes a Green Beret. It made since to rewrite the location from New York City to Charlotte, North Carolina. It has been more than a 12-year journey to complete the story of Knight Eagle. However, the story was a personal journey. In a way, it was therapy for me. By using other people’s feelings, and what I have learned about 9/11, I created a storyline similar to 9/11 terrorist attacks. However, to complete the story of Knight Eagle, I had to create a fictional superhero that had human feelings, however, with supernatural-godly traits. The superhero became Knight Eagle—a Green Beret superhero. Knight Eagle is a patriotic soldier—a Green Beret. He is a Symbol of American’s Freedom. He is part American Bald Eagle through a God-given Bald Eagle. Brandon Newman is clawed by the Bald Eagle, transforming him into Knight Eagle. Inside the story of Knight Eagle, there are Native American undertones involving the character, Knight Eagle. Everything about Knight Eagle represents freedom, patriotism, love, relationships, and human survival. In addition, there are raw feelings inside the story of Knight Eagle based on real relationships. In addition, the overall story of Knight Eagle is about human survival by dealing with domestic and foreign terrorism. Since the original concept was written and rewritten, there has been another domestic bombing in Boston, Massachusetts. On April 19, 2013, two brothers—with extreme Islamic beliefs— bombed the Boston Marathon. Life was lost, but many were hurt. Please enjoy the patriotic story of Knight Eagle. You, as a reader, will connect to this story because it is based on tragic events like the Oklahoma City Bombing, Boston Marathon Bombing, and the worst terrorist attack in the United States, September 11, 2001. Robert Marshall Boyer Creator and Author of Knight Eagle
Posted on: Mon, 28 Oct 2013 17:47:33 +0000
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