Lapel Pin
- Description
- American Red Cross commemorative lapel pin. The pin is a gold-colored rectangle with "September 11 | Recovery Program" printed at the top. Two blue towers flank the text with a pentagon in the center. "11 | 175 | 77 | 93" is printed in the pentagon, and the American Red Cross logo is at the bottom.
- Historical Notes
- Volunteers of every age, background, and ability flocked to Ground Zero, intent on supporting rescue and recovery operations. Some signed on with organizations such as the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army, while others volunteered independently.
Curator's Comment
Shortly after United Airlines Flight 175 struck the World Trade Center’s South Tower, Martin Sher, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, closed his private practice in Marine Park, Brooklyn and headed back into the city to assist.
Once back in Manhattan, Dr. Sher boarded a bus filled with other physician-volunteers intent on reaching the World Trade Center disaster scene. They were dropped off at Stuyvesant High School, which had transformed into a command center. As the only credentialed surgeon among approximately a dozen other medical professionals, Dr. Sher was instructed to set up an operating room in the lobby.
Dr. Sher stayed near Ground Zero for approximately three hours, awaiting patients who ultimately never arrived. He finally decided to leave, discouraged by the implications of his inactivity. In the days following the attacks, Dr. Sher volunteered his services at the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner and was assigned to the morgue to perform autopsies for identification purposes. Overwhelmed by the violence inflicted on the recovered human remains, he was only able to manage a single day of service.
Once back in Manhattan, Dr. Sher boarded a bus filled with other physician-volunteers intent on reaching the World Trade Center disaster scene. They were dropped off at Stuyvesant High School, which had transformed into a command center. As the only credentialed surgeon among approximately a dozen other medical professionals, Dr. Sher was instructed to set up an operating room in the lobby.
Dr. Sher stayed near Ground Zero for approximately three hours, awaiting patients who ultimately never arrived. He finally decided to leave, discouraged by the implications of his inactivity. In the days following the attacks, Dr. Sher volunteered his services at the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner and was assigned to the morgue to perform autopsies for identification purposes. Overwhelmed by the violence inflicted on the recovered human remains, he was only able to manage a single day of service.
- Accession Number: C.2014.487.2
- Dimensions: 1.75 in X 0.75 in X 0.375 in
- Dimensions (Metric): 4.445 cm X 1.905 cm X 0.9525 cm
- Source: Martin Sher
- Credit Line: Gift of Dr. Martin Sher
American Red CrossMedical Professionals New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner (OCME)Philanthropic ResponseVolunteers
All materials made publicly available by the 9/11 Memorial & Museum on this site are intended for research and educational use only. Users may need to obtain other permissions for their intended use(s) and are responsible for determining copyright status and securing these permissions.
To inquire about copyrights and reproductions, contact: xxx@911memorial.org
