Dear Editor:
West New York’s Billy Cashman was an unsung hero of Flight 93.
He was a special guy. People described him as a smaller version of Clint Eastwood. There was some physical resemblance but more of a likeness to the Eastwood image. Billy was softspoken, principled, strong physically and morally; a paratrooper, a karate expert; a daily attendant at Mass; a master welder; a very generous man to everyone who needed help.
On Flight 93 Billy didn’t take his cell phone, which was characteristic of him. His was way was action, not talk, and he would never have called his Maggie to worry her.
President Bush, when told of Billy’s background, stated that he was sure Billy was involved in taking over the cockpit. Billy helped build the Twin Towers. If he was not on Flight 93 he would have been at Ground Zero the next day.
But no-one hears of Billy Cashman except those who knew him.
It is hoped that this too brief notice of Billy’s heroism receives recognition.
Several years ago, Billy received last rites as a result of a severe gastrointestinal condition. Maggie thinks his daily Mass attendance was his way of thanking God for letting him live.
He once said, “Maybe God saved me for something else.”
Maybe he did.
Charles Carluccio, M.D.