Enter to Win a One of a Kind, Iconic Photo

A Piece of History can hang on your wall....

The Marine Corps Coordinating Council, Southeast Texas was gifted a one of a kind photo taken from the cockpit of a 1951 Marine Corps L-17 aircraft on August 26, 2001 by Retired Marine Captain Ben R. Cascio - two weeks before the World Trade Centers were attacked and destroyed - this photo can never be taken again.

You will now have an opportunity to own this piece of Marine Corps History by purchasing a raffle ticket to help us support our Mission and Purposes.

To enter, you must purchase a ticket by clicking the PayPal link posted below. Tickets are $10.00 each. With only 250 tickets available, you can purchase as many as you would like to increase your chances of winning - purchase soon before we run out.

The winning ticket will be drawn on Friday, April 30, 2021. We will draw earlier if tickets sell out before the drawing date. We will notify the winner by phone so make sure the number you provide is clearly written when you purchase your ticket.

The Photo's History

As Written by Captain Ben R. Cascio, USMC (Ret)

This photo of the World Trade Center with Marine Wing was taken on 26 August 2001, two weeks before the Twin Towers were attacked by terrorists. It was taken from a 1951 Marine L-17, beautifully restored by Frank Flagg at Casey Aviation in Mansfield, MA, and one or our crew chiefs in HMM-362 in Vietnam (1967-1968. An L-17 is a four passenger, single engine, propeller driven, low wing, bubble canopy aircraft used by the Marine Corps in Korea and early Vietnam.

In the late afternoon of August 26, 2001, we were returning to Teterboro Airport having shown the aircraft at Sussex Air Show that weekend. Flying up the Hudson River, prior to making our final approach, I took out my pocket camera and snapped the usual "touristy" photos of the Statue of Liberty, the World Trade Center, the Intrepid, and the Washington Bridge, never intending to get the wing in the photo.

I had forgotten that I had even taken the pictures, until months later, when I finally had the film developed. It was then that I discovered this photo with the Marine Wing framed between the towers. Apparently, as I took the pictures, I leaned away from the canopy causing the wing to come up and become framed between the towers, which ironically distinguishes this picture from the thousands taken of the WTC.

This photo has since become famous within the Marine Corps and related communities. The original enlargement was presented to General James Jones, the former Commandant of the Marine Corps, when I was presenting a Warfighting Seminar at the Basic School under the Commandant's Mentoring Program. It later hung behind his desk, when he was the Supreme Allied Commander of NATO, and was fond to relate that when people invariably commented on the photo, he took pride in saying: "That's why we are there." I am proud to present this photo to Marines and their Families. It has never, and will never be sold, but only donated for Marine-related charitable purposes, and given to those Marines who have requested copies.

Capt. Ben R. Cascio USMC, Retired

Saepe nefas, quod numquam pro dubio

"Seldom wrong, but never in doubt"

The Letter from Capt. Cascio is on the back of the framed photo - see framed photo below.

How to Purchase Your Ticket

Purchase your ticket for this framed photo....

To purchase your ticket for this framed photo, you can click the PayPal link below and make your payment with a debit or credit card.

You can purchase tickets by sending your payment to:

The Marine Corps Coordinating Council, Southeast Texas

310 Morningside Drive, Box 260

Friendswood, Texas 77546

Make check payable to: MCCC, SETX

If you need more information about this raffle, you can contact the Marine Corps Coordinating Council, Southeast Texas Secretary at mccc.houston@gmail.com.