Can't remember what, exactly, I was doing when the first jet hit Tower #1 but I was in the process of getting ready for the morning Stand Up at Air Combat Command Headquarters. As the Director of Staff, it was my job to make sure everything was ready for the 4-star's morning staff meeting.
Except we didn't have a 4-star. The Vice was standing in while we waited for the Senate to confirm the new 4-star list. The previous tenant started his new job as CSAF today...in the Pentagon.
I walked into the conference room and saw the CNN feed on the main screen framing the burning tower. Neither I, nor the audio-visual guru had any idea what had happened, other than "an airplane had hit the WTC." A few seconds later, I saw another jet approach from the right side of the screen and fly by the towers at a very low altitude. Except it didn't fly by. I thought, "Damn, he's low." then "Hey, he hasn't appeared on the other side...naw, it couldn't be..." and that's when I saw the debris fly out the opposite side of the second tower. Then came news that the Pentagon was struck. The impact point was on the side of the building opposite the CSAF's offices so he was spared. Ironically, our political advisor and his deputy were up there on the Chief's first day of work in his new job and, standing in his office, felt the building "move" when Flight 77 hit. Hell of a way to start a new job.
We were stunned. The next several days are a blur. We owned 1st AF, the guys responsible for air defense of the US and needless to say, the scenes in both ACC HQ and 1AF in Florida were chaotic as we scrambled to respond to this and subsequent attacks that never came.
I spent the rest of my Air Force career in ACC Command Section managing the commander's staff as he supported our spin-up to war in Afghanistan. We got used to the F-15s and F-16s taking off at 0300 to fly cap over DC and NYC, and when at home tried my best to assure my wife that we were doing all we could to fend off the next attack.
In the last few years, I've resented (but not been surprised by) the media's attempt to downplay that day. It's hard for them to show videos of the buildings being struck ostensibly to not "whip up a hysterical reaction from the American people against Muslim citizens." Total bullshit and shows an utter lack of understanding of the American people--typical of the media "elites" and their left-wing, USA-hating fellow travelers. Of course it was all OUR fault.
We need to remember why we're fighting. Some don't need reminding but, alas, most do. Roll the tape...again and again.
Except we didn't have a 4-star. The Vice was standing in while we waited for the Senate to confirm the new 4-star list. The previous tenant started his new job as CSAF today...in the Pentagon.
I walked into the conference room and saw the CNN feed on the main screen framing the burning tower. Neither I, nor the audio-visual guru had any idea what had happened, other than "an airplane had hit the WTC." A few seconds later, I saw another jet approach from the right side of the screen and fly by the towers at a very low altitude. Except it didn't fly by. I thought, "Damn, he's low." then "Hey, he hasn't appeared on the other side...naw, it couldn't be..." and that's when I saw the debris fly out the opposite side of the second tower. Then came news that the Pentagon was struck. The impact point was on the side of the building opposite the CSAF's offices so he was spared. Ironically, our political advisor and his deputy were up there on the Chief's first day of work in his new job and, standing in his office, felt the building "move" when Flight 77 hit. Hell of a way to start a new job.
We were stunned. The next several days are a blur. We owned 1st AF, the guys responsible for air defense of the US and needless to say, the scenes in both ACC HQ and 1AF in Florida were chaotic as we scrambled to respond to this and subsequent attacks that never came.
I spent the rest of my Air Force career in ACC Command Section managing the commander's staff as he supported our spin-up to war in Afghanistan. We got used to the F-15s and F-16s taking off at 0300 to fly cap over DC and NYC, and when at home tried my best to assure my wife that we were doing all we could to fend off the next attack.
In the last few years, I've resented (but not been surprised by) the media's attempt to downplay that day. It's hard for them to show videos of the buildings being struck ostensibly to not "whip up a hysterical reaction from the American people against Muslim citizens." Total bullshit and shows an utter lack of understanding of the American people--typical of the media "elites" and their left-wing, USA-hating fellow travelers. Of course it was all OUR fault.
We need to remember why we're fighting. Some don't need reminding but, alas, most do. Roll the tape...again and again.
