NAS PENSACOLA, Fla.— In commemoration of the 25th anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001, Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola held observances onboard the installation, Sept. 11, 2026.
A 9/11 remembrance ceremony, organized by NAS Pensacola and Naval Air Technical Training Command (NATTC), was held at the Charles E. Taylor hangar at NATTC. Uniformed service members, local first responders, and civilian employees observed a moment of silence to honor the victims of the attacks, and a reading of the events of the terrorist attacks 25 years ago.
“For a quarter century, our nation has kept a solemn promise: we will never forget,” said Capt. Ronald Rumfelt Jr., Naval Aviation Schools Command’s commanding officer and guest speaker at the event. “To never forget is not merely a slogan, it is an operational imperative. For 25 years, the men and women of our armed forces have answered the call born on that morning. Some of you may not have been born when our nation was attacked, yet stand here, entrusted with the task of bearing our heritage into the future, and keeping our solemn promise: we will never forget.”
Additionally, a public ceremony was held at the National Naval Aviation Museum’s Blue Angels Atrium onboard NAS Pensacola. Among the speakers in attendance were retired Vice Adm. John Totushek and retired Cmdr. Steve Scheibner, who recounted their experiences of the events of Sept. 11, 2001.
Scheibner, then an American Airlines commercial pilot, was originally scheduled to fly Flight 11 the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, which was hijacked and ultimately flown into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Scheibner was rescheduled to a different flight on Sept. 10, 2001.
“I think all of us, if we’re old enough, remember exactly where we were on that terrible day,” said Scheibner. “That first television screen you saw is etched into your mind forever. It’s one of those moments where your brain takes a snapshot of exactly where you were.”
Totushek, the former Chief of Naval Reserve and Commander, Naval Reserve Force, was inside his office when American Airlines Flight 77 struck the Pentagon building in Arlington, Virginia.
“God bless the brave people that fought fires and went into buildings and rescued people that day,” said Totushek. “God bless the military people and contractors who worked so hard to get the Pentagon back up and running in less than a year. And we’ll never forget. It’s up to us and our leadership to be ever watchful.”
The ceremony concluded with a ceremonial wreath presentation and the playing of “Taps.”
Founded in 1826, Naval Air Station Pensacola, known as the “Cradle of Naval Aviation,” supports operational and training missions for several tenant commands, Naval Air Technical Training Center, Naval Aviation Schools Command and Center for Technical Training. The installation also hosts Marine Aviation Training Support Group 21 and Marine Aviation Training Support Group 23 and serves as the headquarters for Naval Education and Training Command. In addition to an active airfield, NAS Pensacola maintains a deepwater port supporting operations for the U.S. Coast Guard.