Dave Karnes
Encyclopedia
David W. Karnes is a retired U.S. Marine, who with Jason Thomas
located and helped rescue two police officers trapped in the rubble from the September 11, 2001 attacks
at the World Trade Center
.
by profession, left his office at Deloitte and Touche in Wilton, Connecticut
on September 11, 2001 soon after witnessing the attacks on television. Karnes said to his co-workers, "You guys may not realize it, but this country is at war."
According to a Slate magazine
profile, Karnes drove to a local church and asked the pastor and parishioners to say a prayer that God would lead him to survivors. A devout Christian
, Karnes often turned to prayer when faced with decisions.
Having spent 23 years in the Marine Corps infantry, he got a regulation hair cut, put on his Marine Corps camouflage utility uniform
and obtained equipment that included rappelling gear. He drove from Connecticut
to the World Trade Center to assist with the disaster. At the site he ran into another Marine, Jason Thomas
, and walked with him into the rubble. At the time he only knew his fellow Marine as "Sgt. Thomas." His full identity was not discovered until years later.
According to a Defense Department profile of Karnes:
and John McLoughlin
, a pair of police officers buried in the rubble.
Karnes spent a total of nine days at the site before returning to his office. Upon returning home, he reenlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve and went on to serve in the Philippines
and Iraq
. He served for 17 months, including two tours of duty in Iraq.
movie, World Trade Center, which tells this story, Karnes is played by Michael Shannon
.
Karnes did not cooperate in the making of Stone's World Trade Center movie due to Stone's Anti-Bush views. Some critics took issue with the portrayal in the film. Rebecca Liss of Slate magazine observed, "The film seems to overplay his zeal without conveying his motivations and reasoning." It notes he is unfairly portrayed as "a robotic soldier of Christ—a little wacky and simplistic."
Jason Thomas
Jason Thomas is a former U.S. Marine who located and rescued people after the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York City. With David W...
located and helped rescue two police officers trapped in the rubble from the September 11, 2001 attacks
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
at the World Trade Center
Collapse of the World Trade Center
The twin towers of the World Trade Center collapsed on September 11, 2001, as a result of al-Qaeda's September 11 attacks, in which terrorists affiliated with al-Qaeda hijacked four commercial passenger jet airliners, flying one into the North Tower and another into the South Tower...
.
During the 9/11 attacks
Karnes, an accountantAccountant
An accountant is a practitioner of accountancy or accounting , which is the measurement, disclosure or provision of assurance about financial information that helps managers, investors, tax authorities and others make decisions about allocating resources.The Big Four auditors are the largest...
by profession, left his office at Deloitte and Touche in Wilton, Connecticut
Wilton, Connecticut
Wilton is a town nestled in the Norwalk River Valley in southwestern Connecticut in the United States. It is located in Fairfield County. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 18,062. In 2007, it was voted as one of CNN Money's "Best Places to Live" in the United States.Located along...
on September 11, 2001 soon after witnessing the attacks on television. Karnes said to his co-workers, "You guys may not realize it, but this country is at war."
According to a Slate magazine
Slate (magazine)
Slate is a US-based English language online current affairs and culture magazine created in 1996 by former New Republic editor Michael Kinsley, initially under the ownership of Microsoft as part of MSN. On 21 December 2004 it was purchased by the Washington Post Company...
profile, Karnes drove to a local church and asked the pastor and parishioners to say a prayer that God would lead him to survivors. A devout Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
, Karnes often turned to prayer when faced with decisions.
Having spent 23 years in the Marine Corps infantry, he got a regulation hair cut, put on his Marine Corps camouflage utility uniform
Battle Dress Uniform
The Battle Dress Uniform were the fatigues that the armed forces of the United States used as their standard uniform for combat situations from September 1981 to April 2005. Since then, it has been replaced in every branch of the U.S. military. Only the U.S. Navy currently authorizes wear of the...
and obtained equipment that included rappelling gear. He drove from Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
to the World Trade Center to assist with the disaster. At the site he ran into another Marine, Jason Thomas
Jason Thomas
Jason Thomas is a former U.S. Marine who located and rescued people after the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York City. With David W...
, and walked with him into the rubble. At the time he only knew his fellow Marine as "Sgt. Thomas." His full identity was not discovered until years later.
According to a Defense Department profile of Karnes:
"As we were walking we were yelling at the top of our lungs 'United States Marines, can anyone hear us?'" Karnes described. “As we approached the depression of the south tower I thought I heard something. Indeed it was some muffled call for help, I ensured them that "Thomas and I were both looking for them so keep yelling so we can find you.”The two men found Will Jimeno
Karnes instructed Thomas to position himself on some high rubble for visibility and to guide any responding rescuers to the trapped men.
After Karnes called his wife and sister on his cell phone with instructions to relay to the authorities his whereabouts, he and Thomas were able to find two survivors.”
Will Jimeno
William J. Jimeno is a Port Authority Police officer who survived the September 11 attacks. He was buried under the rubble for a total of 13 hours, but survived, along with fellow Port Authority officer John McLoughlin....
and John McLoughlin
John McLoughlin (World Trade Center attack survivor)
John McLoughlin is one of two Port Authority Police Officers who survived after being trapped in the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center...
, a pair of police officers buried in the rubble.
Karnes spent a total of nine days at the site before returning to his office. Upon returning home, he reenlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve and went on to serve in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
and Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. He served for 17 months, including two tours of duty in Iraq.
In film
In the 2006 Oliver StoneOliver Stone
William Oliver Stone is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. Stone became well known in the late 1980s and the early 1990s for directing a series of films about the Vietnam War, for which he had previously participated as an infantry soldier. His work frequently focuses on...
movie, World Trade Center, which tells this story, Karnes is played by Michael Shannon
Michael Shannon (actor)
Michael Corbett Shannon is an American stage, film, and television actor. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Revolutionary Road...
.
Karnes did not cooperate in the making of Stone's World Trade Center movie due to Stone's Anti-Bush views. Some critics took issue with the portrayal in the film. Rebecca Liss of Slate magazine observed, "The film seems to overplay his zeal without conveying his motivations and reasoning." It notes he is unfairly portrayed as "a robotic soldier of Christ—a little wacky and simplistic."
See also
- Jason ThomasJason ThomasJason Thomas is a former U.S. Marine who located and rescued people after the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York City. With David W...
- John McLoughlinJohn McLoughlin (World Trade Center attack survivor)John McLoughlin is one of two Port Authority Police Officers who survived after being trapped in the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center...
- Will JimenoWill JimenoWilliam J. Jimeno is a Port Authority Police officer who survived the September 11 attacks. He was buried under the rubble for a total of 13 hours, but survived, along with fellow Port Authority officer John McLoughlin....
- Dominick PezzuloDominick PezzuloDominick A. Pezzullo was a Port Authority Police Department officer who died in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001...
- September 11 attacks
- World Trade Center (film)World Trade Center (film)World Trade Center is a 2006 American disaster-drama film directed by Oliver Stone and based on the September 11 attacks at the World Trade Center. It stars Nicolas Cage, Maria Bello, Michael Peña, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Michael Shannon. The film was shot from October 19, 2005 - February 10, 2006...