For Hobokenite Who Lost Dad on 9/11 Osama Death Brings Back Emotions

UPDATED—10:42 a.m.

As the world responds to the death of Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden, and more police officers are stationed at Hoboken’s major transportation hub, Sunday’s historical killing does not mean closure for everyone.

“There will never be total justice as far as I’m concerned,” said Greg Morrone, a 32-year-old Hobokenite whose father was killed in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Morrone’s father, Fred Morrone, was a 63-year-old officer with the Port Authority and went to work voluntarily that day. The Port Authority lost 37 officers that day.

When the news broke of Bin Laden’s death on Sunday night, Morrone was alone, in his home town down the shore. “I couldn’t help but break down,” he said. He received a text message from a friend before turning on the television.

“A lot of emotions came rushing back in,” Morrone said. Morrone’s father’s body was never found, he said.

“It makes us confront a lot of feelings again,” Morrone said. Morrone said that the commute into New York City will be an unnerving experience for him as security is heightened.

“The threat is very real,” he said.

The additional manpower around the PATH station and Hoboken's major transit terminal is "substantial" after Sunday night's news of the kiling of Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, according to an officer from the Port Authority.

Although officers are always stationed at the terminal during rush hour, those hours were extended on Monday, said the officer, who wished to remain anonymous. He added that there were also more cops at the World Trade Center PATH station. He could not say how many added cops there were stationed on Monday.

The presence of more cops will be "clearly noticable," the officer said.

Anthony Romano, a former Hoboken police captain who currently serves on the Hudson County Anti Terrorism Task force, called Bin Laden's killing "closure" for families and a "boost" for the country.

"We can't let our guard down," Romano said. "I'm sure it's a heightened alert."

The Port Authority Officer agreed. "We need to keep our guard up," he said, "there's always a chance of reprisal."

The officer said that he heard the news through a friend who is a marine in Iraq.

President Barrack Obama announced the news around 11:30 p.m. on Sunday after announcing a special addres from the East Room of the White House. "Tonight I can report to the American people and to the world tha tthe United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama Bin Laden, the leader of Al Qaeda, and a terrorist who's responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent men, women and children."

Romano said he was eating at One Republik late Sunday night after a game of softball when he heard the president announce the news on television in a rare Sunday night address from the White House.

"All the tv's were on and everybody was cheering," Romano said.

But the good news does leave a lot of questions for Romano. "What is this going to mean?" he asked.

For the Port Authority officer, who has been on the job 26 years, Bin Laden's death means justice.  

He heard the news from a friend who is a marine in Iraq, he said. His friend sent him a photo of the American flag at Ground Zero with the words, "we finally got him."

But among his colleagues, the good news was "quietly understated," he said. There isn't much talk about it, he said, "just a nod. A smile."

Hoboken resident Ron Rosenberg, who is originally from Israel, called Bin Laden's death a "good day for America." But he said, "we have to be vigilant, they may be seeking retribution."

Upon hearing the news, Rosenberg said, "I gasped."