Gen. Dan Caine reflects on responding to 9/11: "No doubt" nation was at war
Summary
On September 11, 2001, Gen. Dan Caine and his fighter squadron quickly responded to the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. They were ordered to defend Washington, D.C., and prepared to intercept hijacked planes, but thanks to passengers fighting back on United Flight 93, the squadron did not have to shoot down any aircraft.Key Facts
- Gen. Dan Caine was chief of Weapons and Tactics for the 121st Fighter Squadron at Andrews Air Force Base on 9/11.
- Caine and his team first learned of the attacks when a plane hit the North Tower, then watched live as the second plane hit the South Tower.
- They received emergency orders from the White House to scramble fighters to defend Washington, D.C.
- The rules allowed the pilots to shoot down any unauthorized aircraft in D.C. airspace.
- Some pilots, including Lt. Col. Mark Sasseville and Heather Penney, were prepared to ram hijacked planes if needed.
- United Flight 93 crashed in Pennsylvania after passengers fought hijackers, preventing an attack on Washington, D.C.
- Caine praised the bravery of both the passengers and first responders who rushed into danger.
- The events of 9/11 deeply affected Caine and shaped his understanding of military service.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
