Rick Rescorla: A Hero Who Thought of Others Before Himself

This Vietnam vet used his combat training to hone his leadership skills to save thousands of lives during the 9/11 attacks.

The moment the South Tower was hit. Morgan Stanley's head of security, Rick Rescorla, saved over 2,700 office workers by his heroic action on 9/11. Public Domain

On Sept. 11, 2001 Rick Rescorla’s worst nightmare came true. For the second time in 20 years, the World Trade Center (WTC) Twin Towers were attacked.

On this day, as the head of security for Morgan Stanley, Rescorla ignored orders to keep people in place. He used his Vietnam combat training to escort nearly 2,700 co-workers out of the WTC South Tower. His heroism drastically reduced the number of casualties sustained during the attack.