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9-11-2025
As I was recently lowering my flag to half mast, in doing so, I found myself lost in thought as I recalled why I was doing it.
On this day of remembrance, this day we now know as Patriot Day, my heart is filled with a special love and respect for those who perished at the hands of some of the most despicable enemies we have ever faced.
I specifically recall where I was and the minute-by-minute happenings after the first plane hit WTC Tower #1.
I received an early morning call from my daughter, who, on the East Coast, was well into her day. At 8:46 a.m., AAL Flight 11 had been flown into the WTC……moments later, the news began filling the airways.
I was still resting, having returned from recent travels around the country as a Captain for Delta Air Lines. As I picked up the phone, she asked, “Dad, are you watching this? Do you have your TV on? You need to see this!”
Barely 7 a.m. in my mountain time zone home, I turned on the news and sat down in horror and disbelief…then came word of another plane inbound with others in question.
I saw the shaky newsreel as United Flight 175, at 9:03 eastern time, struck WTC South Tower……..I then turned to my wife and resolutely said, “It looks like I’m going to war.”
I had recently stepped down as the Commanding Officer of a Marine F/A-18 Squadron at MCAS Miramar with a new assignment at HQ 4th Marine Air Wing/ Marine Forces Reserve in New Orleans, where our team trained to serve as a part of the Joint Forces operations. We soon became a part of CENTCOM and Central Air Forces, then on to a coalition forces command deployed to the Middle East. I was asked to head up the Close Air Support mission of our coalition forces for missions in Iraq. Needless to say, the phones began ringing, and preparations for war began.
I continued to watch the news intently that morning, because, not only did I have USMC responsibilities, I was an active airline pilot and VERY CONCERNED if some of my colleagues were about to face a similar fate as American and United Airlines…. fortunately, such was not the case…. but still, I had powerful concerns for my brothers and sisters, all naval aviators, and worked for other airlines…with some flights still in question…flights that would later hit the Pentagon and then the fields of Shanksville, PA, where greater heroes emerged…. Like Todd Beamer, who, upon realizing their certain peril, decided to fight back with his final known words of “Let’s Roll” as they moved to take the plane back, or at least divert it from a target for mass destruction…a fatal mission, but accomplished.
A few days later, as our skies were reopened to flights, was asked to fly to NYC…. on approach to the airport, as I flew up the Hudson River, I looked down upon the still smoldering carnage…. my heart was deeply troubled as I could feel the panic and dismay of my fellow Americans…and what would turn out to be citizens of some 90 countries around the world.
Later that day, I was allowed to walk along the rubble of the fallen towers. Standing ready to assist if called upon with my crew, the hazards were still too great, and we could only stand clear and watch the real heroes, the first responders and the highly skilled crane operators do their jobs.
Back to training and preparations…a few months later came the call to deploy to the Middle East where I was asked to serve as the Director for Close Air Support for all Coalition Forces in Saudi Arabia, eventually taking me to Baghdad.
Our nation was awakened from the tragedies of that September 11th morning…. but from the ashes arose many who would join our nation’s heroes, from the wars for independence, to a desperate fight to save a divided nation, to the great wars for world peace, to Korea, Vietnam, and others, to now.
Here in our Legion, we find many of these heroes among us, and I am grateful for one and all.
As you go about your activities this Patriot Day, let us not forget those who perished…. and more, those, AS AMERICANS DO, who answered the call for this as well as previous unfortunate wars……those who offered their all…those who gave their last measure of devotion…..and now, those who among us struggle with the demons having survived the fight, but now question their value, their purpose, and often fall to measures of taking their own lives.
We MUST always stand with them as we as veterans, especially of The American Legion, continue to strengthen American by ANSWERING THE CALL to BE THE ONE to save the one….. and that answer is clearly sung when we take the challenge with courage and with all commitment to get beyond so many of our senseless differences, to stand and profoundly declare the answer: “I’M THE ONE.” I’m the one who will get this done. I’m the one who’ll take on this mission and bring it to pass.
With a corps of the committed, nothing is impossible.
Thank you, as we take a moment to pause and remember the heroes among us this Patriot Day.
