John Fisher

September 11, 2020 

11 Sep 01 - It was a Tuesday morning just like any other. I had reported to work at Tinker Air Force Base where I was assigned as a Mission Crew Commander (MCC) on the E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS). This specialized airplane is characterized by a huge radar on top with an array of communication capabilities. My crew had “mission planned” the day before to participate in a training mission over Albuquerque - a mission we had performed on numerous occasions.

Our planned takeoff to head to New Mexico was scheduled for late morning on that dreadful day. I remember watching the television that morning. News came quickly that airliners were crashing into the twin towers. Our squadron commander directed that our crew report to her briefing room immediately. The flight crew (pilot, copilot, navigator, flight engineer) and the mission crew(everyone behind the cockpit door) reported in short order; about 27 personnel. The room dead silent, she opened her remarks by saying essentially - well crew, you aren’t headed to Albequerque today as you have planned. It seemed to take forever to receive our new assignment. With an augmented crew (two personnel for each person on the jet) we departed Tinker Air Force Base. It wasn’t long that we received word that our crew would be assigned to a package that would be escorting President Bush from Offutt AFB back to Andrews AFB. The package consisted of fighters, tankers, AWACS and others. Our jet went “On Station” after relieving another Tinker-based E-3 that was returning to Tinker. This robust escort package is heading east while ALL commercial aircraft and ALL general aviation is forced to land immediately with no departures allowed nationwide. As time passed my radar screen would soon become void of air traffic. No radar returns - none! I have three radios cracking inside my headset. My primary radio is assigned to the pilot of Air Force One. Upon checking in on frequency, Air Force One and the armed, prepared, well-trained aircrews escort our Commander-In-Chief back to our nation’s capital. Not much chatter on the radio that day. I remember the pilot of Air Force One leaving the frequency as his wheels touched the ground at Andrews. A very simple - “Thanks for the work “Sentry” was his sign-off. Along with the thousands of the men and women in our military who fulfilled their role that horrific day, I am confident each of them would say it was an honor to have been able to serve and to protect who we are and what we stand for. I will never forget.

JOHN E. FISHER, Lt Col, USAF (Ret.)