Many have asked me where I was on the day America received the largest terrorist attack in its history. Ten years ago I served as the Navy Chaplain for Carrier Airwing Seventeen (CVW 17). Tuesday September 11th, 2001 the day began as any other with the usual grooming and commute to the Airwing offices at NAS Oceana in Virginia Beach, VA. The early morning was uneventful with the usual cup of coffee and reading emails in the Administration office where my desk was located. Shortly before 9:00am a television set was turned on in the maintenance office down the hall and tuned to CNN where a breaking story reported that a passenger jet collided with the north tower of the World Trade Center. I happened to peek in and I recalled reading while I was a teenager of a B-25 Bomber crashing into the Empire State Building in 1945 and that history was repeating itself. As tragic as it was I wasn’t too concerned.
A few minutes later the Deputy Wing Commander, Captain Dana Potts, burst through the door yelling at the top of his lungs, “It’s F*****G Pearl Harbor Again! Department Heads to the Command Office Now!” In shock, I stood up and made my way to the office of my Commanding Officer Captain Roger Welch. As I entered the receiving area I noticed several of the Department Head Officers already seated. I made my way into the room and sat at the far side of a circle of chairs. There was a quiet hush in the room as other officers entered.
Captain Potts entered the room and barked, “Attention on Deck.” We all stood at rigid attention. Captain Welsh entered and immediately ordered, “At ease. Please sit.” He began to outline that a plane collided with the north tower and that a few minutes ago a second plane collided with the south tower of the World Trade Center. I was in dumbfounded shock but I managed to blurt out, “Sir, before we proceed would anyone object to a word of prayer.” Captain Welsh said, “Please Chaplain, proceed.” I said an awkwardly worded prayer asking for clarity, focus, and strength for the Airwing and for the victims. The Captain thanked me and began to outline the Airwings response.
Captain Welch outlined that the planes apparently were hijacked and deliberately piloted into the twin towers. By coincidence our assigned aircraft carrier the USS George Washington (CVN 73) and Airwing Seventeen was selected to protect the Eastern sea coast from further attacks especially from aircraft that may be arriving from airports overseas. It was then an intelligence officer burst in and said that a plane had hit the Pentagon in Washington D.C. The Commanding Officer stood up and went with the Deputy Wing Commander to a secure place as the rest of us sat. Several minutes later the intelligence officer said that the south tower collapsed.
Another television set was turned on in the Command Office as we awaited the return of Captain Welch and Captain Potts. There we watched in horror as minutes later the second tower began to collapse. It was then the senior officers returned. Captain Welch sternly remarked, “Ladies and gentlemen make all preparations necessary we will begin sending planes to the USS George Washington before the end of the hour for Combat Air Patrol sorties off the eastern coast of the United States. We have been tasked to protect the East Coast from any further attack and we have been given authority to shoot down any aircraft that poses any threat.”
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