Photo By Joel Chalfin | On the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the Defense Department honors...... read more read more
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Sept. 11, 2001 would quickly change from a normal day to one that will never be forgotten. Soon plans formulated by terrorists would shatter the normalcy of the day.
At 8:46 a.m., a hijacked plane hit the World Trade Center’s northern tower. Sixteen minutes later, at 9:03 a.m., a second plane struck the southern tower. American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon at 9:37 a.m. The fourth aircraft, Flight 93, never made it to its target, but rather went down in a field in Shankesville, Pa., at 10:07 a.m., when passengers attacked the hijackers in an attempt to regain control of the aircraft. Minutes later the World Trade Center Towers collapsed.
More than 2,798 people died on Sept. 11, 2001.
That day, Smith, who was then 610th Security Forces Squadron chief of training and resources, sat in his office cross-checking an equipment list that was used to support a training course. He became aware of these events as several personnel rushed around passing the word.
As a veteran of the armed forces, Smith understood what the attacks might mean for his Airmen and their families.
“In 2001, I had already spent a lifetime, 21 years, as a security forces member, preparing to support and defend the United States against all enemies, both foreign and domestic … So upon hearing of the magnitude of the incident and needing to focus our personnel I told the troops that it looked like we were going to war and soon.”
While some were serving in the military that day, others were still too young to answer their nation’s call.
“When the twin towers crashed I was in first grade at Lincoln Elementary School in Erie, Pa.,” said Senior Airman Kara Cartagena, an information manager for the 301st Mission Support Group. “I remember teachers being on their phones more than normal. Kids were getting called to the office because their parents were picking them up. Eventually my name got called too. I had no idea what was going on, so like any child at that age I was excited to get out of school early.”
At this point, the scope of the attack was unknown to many, especially to children.
“While my mother and I were standing by the office, a lady walked past us saying to her children ‘If we die, we die as a family,’” said Cartagena. “I didn't understand at the time and thought the lady was crazy, but looking back she probably wasn't the only person who thought that on that day. My mom never discussed it. She just took me and my little brother home and tried to act normal.”
As people across America were dealing with the attack in their own ways, military members faced the reality of impending deployments.
As Airmen prepared for what lay ahead, Lt. Col. Mark McDaniel, the head chaplain for the 301st Fighter Wing, began providing support to wing members.
“I had just joined the unit as a newly-minted captain in March 2001 and was serving as the maintenance group chaplain,” he said. “Two days following the attacks I secured permission to come and visit our maintainers, pilots and other support staff who were providing combat air patrols.”
The effects of the terrorist attacks had already started changing things within 48 hours before McDaniel arrived. Immediately after the events of Sept. 11, 2001, the wing supported Operation Noble Eagle with defensive counter air of central and north Texas.
Within an hour of this tasking, the wing had armed its F-16Cs. Maintainers configured and armed two F-16s for 10-minute alerts, and two more for 60-minute alerts with two additional aircraft waiting in the wings. Fighter aircraft launched 14 alert missions. The wing began 24-hours operations.
“I remember how desolate the base was compared to life before 9/11,” he said. “I was so impressed by the incredible morale, determination and professionalism displayed by our personnel. I heard about the herculean effort to convert our F-16 Fighting Falcons from air-to-ground to air-to-air in 2 1/2 hours! I saw our maintainers "living" under the wings of our aircraft like some snapshot from World War II.”
As days turned to weeks, war became a reality for military members.
In October 2001, 301st Airmen deployed to Southwest Asia. During the three-month deployment, the 457th Fighter Squadron flew more than 20 missions and 70 defensive count air combat missions in support of Operation Southern Watch. In support of Operation Enduring Freedom, pilots conducted over 130 combat missions. The majority of the missions occurred at night in difficult weather. Several 12-hour missions were some of the longest-single seat jet fighter missions in wing history.
Airmen from the 301st Security Forces Squadron were also mobilized in October 2001 to support security operations in Southwest Asia, Europe and in the United States. In the first part of 2002, wing security forces Airmen deployed to Spain, Germany and Italy to support Operation Joint Guardian and Operation Joint Forge.
Eventually, it would be Smith’s turn to deploy in May 2002 to Southwest Asia, where he provided security for aircraft and troops moving into and out of Afghanistan. This would turn out to be the first of several trips to different locations, including Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan over the next six years.
“The word for mobilization came down, which would initially be for a year,” Smith said. “For some it would last two years. We quickly found out that we would be tasked to deploy troops downrange and to not only continue our combat skills training schedule, but to increase the training numbers to meet future downrange requirements.”
As years passed in the small town of Erie, Cartagena grew up unaware of the gravity of that day. That all changed after she made a life-altering decision.
“I came from a small town and didn't have many options growing up, so I took a leap of faith and decided to join the Air Force Reserve,” she said. “It was hard for me to understand at that age what was happening, so I grew up unaware and rarely watched the news. It wasn't until I joined that I started making myself aware of what was happening around the world.”
Since that day, those in the armed forces have continued to protect America.
Servicemembers, like McDaniel and Smith, were joined by a generation who were too young to fully understand what happened on that day, but who now serve to keep it from happening again.
“Our personnel are deployed now fighting the same fight begun 15 years ago,” McDaniel said. It is certain that many more deployments will be necessary until the Global War on Terrorism is over. I have interacted and ministered to so many of our warfighters and their family members over these years. I continue to be stunned with pride and admiration to be a part of the 301st Fighter Wing.”
| Date Taken: | 09.11.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 12.12.2016 13:42 |
| Story ID: | 217357 |
| Location: | FORT WORTH, TX, US |
| Web Views: | 162 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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