n the morning of September 11, 2001, members of the NYPD’s Emergency Service Unit (ESU) responded to Lower Manhattan as the attacks on the World Trade Center unfolded. Equipped with ropes, saws, and other rescue gear, they entered the Twin Towers, prepared to assist evacuations. When the towers collapsed, ESU suffered devastating losses: 14 officers were killed, many more injured; the deadliest day in the unit’s history. Survivors continued searching the wreckage for possible survivors despite overwhelming grief.
A Glimmer of Hope in the Rubble
By 8:30 that evening, near Liberty and Church Streets, a group of exhausted ESU officers gathered for what they expected would be the last search-and-rescue briefing of the day. The smoldering ruins stretched for acres, and hope was fading. Then came a report: cries for help had been heard from deep within the debris.
The lead came from Dave Karnes, a former Marine from Wilton, Connecticut. After watching the attacks on television, Karnes put on his old fatigues, drove to Manhattan, and made his way to Ground Zero. There he met another Marine, Sergeant Jason Thomas, and together the two began searching the ruins. Near the footprint of the South Tower, they believed they heard voices.
Several ESU officers rushed to the location and began calling out to those trapped. They were joined by Chuck Sereika, a former paramedic and civilian volunteer. One ESU officer squeezed into a narrow void, inching downward toward the sound.
There, beneath tons of concrete and twisted steel, was Port Authority Police Officer Will Jimeno. His partner, Sergeant John McLoughlin, was buried even deeper, unseen but still calling out.
At first, ESU officers clawed at the debris with their hands, but the wreckage was too heavy and the space too confined. They called for power tools, and firefighters and other ESU members rushed to assist. The conditions were hazardous: smoke choked the air, heat radiated through the rubble, and every shift of debris threatened collapse. It took approximately three hours to free Jimeno. Unfortunately, McLoughlin was trapped deeper in the void and required many more hours of effort.
For the next 12 hours, multiple ESU teams and other rescuers worked continuously to reach McLoughlin. Teams cut away steel and concrete throughout the night, refusing to surrender to exhaustion.
As dawn broke on September 12, their persistence paid off. Port Authority Police Sergeant McLoughlin was pulled from the ruins alive. He was one of the last survivors recovered from the site, kept alive through the night by several ESU cops trained in advanced life support.
The rescue of Jimeno and McLoughlin became a symbol of hope on a day defined by loss. For ESU, it represented the core of their mission: courage in dangerous conditions and the refusal to abandon those in need. Yet the achievement came at an immeasurable cost. Fourteen ESU officers were lost that day, their names permanently part of the unit’s history and the city they served. Survivors carried both the memory of the rescue and the burden of their fallen colleagues.
More than two decades later, ESU’s actions on 9/11 are remembered as both a devastating loss and an example of heroism. The unit’s sacrifice and resilience stand as a reminder that even in the darkest hours, duty and determination can prevail.
On September 11, 2001, ESU endured its most tragic day. In the early hours of September 12, it experienced one of its finest.
The rescue of both Jimeno and McLoughlin was the result of a massive team effort. Dozens of ESU officers, working in different search teams, contributed to the success of the mission. Based on eyewitness accounts, ESU team rosters, and roll calls, the following members are recognized for their extraordinary efforts in the rescue of Port Authority Police Officers Jimeno and McLoughlin.
Editor’s note: Tremendous effort has gone into documenting the first responders on this rescue. It is inevitable that someone may be left off or information needs to be added or corrected. Please notify the author or REMA if you have such information.
- Captain Gin Yee
- Sergeant Timothy Adrat
- Sergeant Ken Bowen
- Sergeant John Boesch
- Sergeant John Lamkin
- Sergeant William Kennedy
- Sergeant Andrew Oberfeldt
- Sergeant John Scrivani
- Police Officer John Bushing
- Police Officer Steve Clifford
- Police Officer Stephen Collins
- Police Officer James Derby
- Police Officer William Doerler
- Police Officer Steve Elter
- Police Officer Kevin Keuchler
- Police Officer William Lutz
- Police Officer Gregg Matthius
- Police Officer Lawrence McAlister
- Police Officer Robert Masucci
- Police Officer John McCarty
- Police Officer Patrick McGee
- Police Officer John Moran
- Police Officer Eddie Reyes
- Police Officer Al Rosenthal
- Police Officer Scott Strauss
- Police Officer Kenneth Winkler
- Police Officer Gregory Welch
- Police Officer Don Carney, Nassau County Police Department (NCPD)
- Police Officer Richard Doerler, Nassau County Police Department Emergency Service Unit (NCPD-ESU)
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I tried extremely hard to list all those who participated in the recovery of these two officers, never-the-less, I’m sure I missed somebody. If I did, please let me know and I’ll add the name above.
Great job Mike. I am amazed at how many of those names ring a bell to me. I was retired on 911 but was at 110 Williams Street. I went back to ESU the following two weekends and pitched in.
The rescue of both PAPD Officers was a coordinated and complicated operation. Through the entire operation members of ESU performed a near impossible task with dedicated determination. I’m proud ,
Great job Mike. Rich Doerler NCPD was a Sergeant at the time. Dr John Chovones from Pennsylvania was the only other medical provider with me delivering medical aid to Sgt McLoughlin during his rescue.