Photo By Andrew Miller | Service members bow their heads in a moment of silence during a service held here...... read more read more
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CAMP DWYER, Helmand province, Afghanistan – Regimental Combat Team 5 saluted those who died in the terrorist attacks 10 years ago during a service here, Sept. 11.
Marines and sailors of RCT-5 reflected on the tragedy and paid homage to the 3,000 Americans who lost their lives in New York, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania a decade ago. A reading of the sequence of events of that day was conducted. A portion of it was read as follows:
8:00 a.m.: American Airlines Flight 11, Boeing 767 with 92 people, takes off from Boston's Logan International Airport for Los Angeles.
8:14 a.m.: United Airlines Flight 175, Boeing 767 with 65 people, takes off from Boston's Logan airport for Los Angeles.
8:21 a.m.: American Airlines Flight 77, Boeing 757 with 64 people, takes off from Washington Dulles International Airport for Los Angeles.
8:41 a.m.: United Airlines Flight 93, Boeing 757 with 44 people, takes off from Newark International Airport for San Francisco.
8:46 a.m.: American Flight 11 crashes into north tower of World Trade Center.
9:03 a.m.: United Flight 175 crashes into south tower of World Trade Center.
9:40 a.m. (approx.): American Flight 77 crashes into Pentagon.
9:59 a.m.: South tower of trade center collapses.
10:07 a.m. (approx.): United Flight 93 crashes in a Pennsylvania field.
10:28 a.m.: North tower of World Trade Center collapses.
That evening, President George W. Bush addressed the nation, calling the attacks "evil, despicable acts of terror" and quoting from Psalms 23: "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil for you are with me."
Following the reading, the Marines, sailors, soldiers and airmen in attendance held a moment of silence for the victims. Col. Roger Turner, RCT-5 commanding officer, reminded those in attendance why they are currently serving here in Afghanistan.
“These attacks were planned, developed and launched by Al Qaeda in a Taliban-controlled Afghanistan,” said Turner, addressing the assembled crowd. “We watched in horror as the towers fell and they stood right here on this same ground and cheered.”
Since their attack on American soil, Al Qaeda has terrorized nations around the globe with attacks in London, Madrid, Bali and Iraq leaving a trail of dead and wounded civilians in their wake. They justify these attacks as an act of Jihad, disparaging the peaceful religion of Islam in the process.
“I think everyone realizes now their philosophy is a fraud to Muslim religion, it’s a fraud to Islam,” said Turner. “Their methodology just doesn’t resonate anywhere, including here in Afghanistan.”
Like most Americans, Marines and sailors of RCT-5 remember every detail of 9/11 as if it were yesterday.
“I was a freshman in high school. I remember getting to school, and they had canceled class for the day so we just watched it on the news and talked it over with the teachers,” said 1st Lt. Kyle Publos, a ground intelligence officer with RCT-5 from Placerville, Ca. “There was nothing we could do but sit and watch.”
Young Americans joining the armed forces after 9/11 saw that attack on our nation as a stark contrast to the relative peace that followed the Persian Gulf War.
“Growing up in the 90’s I had no real concept of war,” said Pubols. I was a kid when the first Gulf war ended, I could barely remember it. This really brought everything home that hey this is real, there are real people who want to do us harm.”
For Pubols, becoming a Marine wasn’t something he did out of anger or a need for revenge against an unseen enemy.
“I’m not really into vengeance. As a Christian and someone who is forward looking, this is not about revenge,” he said. “This is about preventing the next attack.”
For Staff Sgt. Quintina Pearson, the female engagement team staff non-commissioned officer-in-charge, this date means something different. She was celebrating her one year anniversary in the Marine Corps at her first duty station in Okinawa, Japan.
“I will always remember this day not only as the day I came in the Marine Corps, but also as the day it changed the face of how we fight and what we are doing in the military,” said Pearson, a native of Lansing, Mich. “We’ve been at war for 10 years now so it shows our dedication to the mission.”
Turner acknowledged the rare breed of Americans who joined the military after 9/11, knowing they would be fighting in Iraq or Afghanistan. For those Americans already serving before 9/11, this anniversary marks 10 years that they have spent away from home, overseas, taking the fight to the enemy and, most importantly, keeping the fight out of our backyard.
These men and women, regardless of when they joined the fight, have made great progress in denying the insurgents the ability to regain a foothold in Afghanistan.
”The reason that Al Qaeda is not here and the Taliban is not here is because we are,” Turner said. “There are still challenges ahead, but I think we all know that our mission here in Afghanistan is critically important.”
Editors Note: RCT-5 is assigned to 2nd Marine Division (Forward) which heads Task Force Leatherneck. The task force serves as the ground combat element of Regional Command (Southwest) and works in partnership with the Afghan National Security Forces and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to conduct counterinsurgency operations. The unit is dedicated to securing the Afghan people, defeating insurgent forces and enabling ANSF assumption of security responsibilities within its area of operations in order to support the expansion of stability, development and legitimate governance.
| Date Taken: | 09.11.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 09.13.2011 03:02 |
| Story ID: | 76923 |
| Location: | CAMP DWYER, HELMAND PROVINCE, AF |
| Web Views: | 329 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, RCT-5 honors victims of 9/11, by Andrew Miller, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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