I started Sep 11th workday at 5am and was in my office when my boss came in and said come into the control room, a plane just crashed into the World Trade Center!

Well, I must add I was in the military at the time (36 years of it)and our unit's mission was just recently changed from being AIR DEFENSE of the NYC to Washington DC area by Congress. Since the mid 1970's we always had jet fighters on 5 minute alert status to respond to anything that we were called upon to intercept, but when the Cold War ended, the country decided they did not need as much coastal air protection anymore and they change our mission from guarding the NYC to DC area to just being a regular F16 fighter unit that would drop bombs.....

So, with that in mind, at the moment the 911 incidences were going on we had at least a half dozen F16's at the end of the runway, but they were loaded with bombs, no ammo in the guns, nor any air to air missiles installed. So, our planes were helpless to be "scrambled" for that tragic day.

But, at that moment and to this day, the mission changed back and our unit is now a Air Defense Unit again and it is just a shame we were not in that posture on that day, although I doubt any of the planes could have been stopped, since it was such a surprise.

So, my 5am work call on 911, turned into a long day, I believe I worked 15 hours that day, while we reconfigured all our aircraft to go on 24 hour 2 planes in the air at all times for many, many weeks to come.

We all worked non-stop for 12 hour shifts and it was awhile until we finally were allowed to get one day off to rest.

It was a stressful time for us and I do rest assured now that we do have better coverage in the air for any future instances, although I would hate to have to be a pilot and have to follow through on orders to shoot down a civilian airliner.

Several members of our unit worked either in the Trade Center or in buildings nearby, but none were injured.

Jyes