Gen. Dan Caine, currently the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, recounted his experience as a fighter pilot responding to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. On that morning, Caine served as the chief of Weapons and Tactics for the 121st Fighter Squadron at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. He stated that he realized the nation was under attack after witnessing a second aircraft strike the World Trade Center on live television at 9:03 a.m.
Mobilization began as smoke from the Pentagon became visible from the airbase. Caine reported receiving orders from the White House to scramble to defend Washington, D.C. At the time, Ben Sliney, who was on his first day supervising the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airspace system, ordered the closure of U.S. airspace. Caine stated the rules of engagement were "very liberal," and he took off in a jet armed with live air-to-air missiles.
During the response, orders were given to try to intercept United Flight 93, which hijackers planned to fly into a federal building in the capital. Caine noted that some pilots, including Lt. Col. Mark Sasseville and Heather Penney, scrambled in unarmed aircraft and had planned to ram the hijacked plane if necessary. Caine did not have to use his weapons because passengers aboard Flight 93 fought back against hijackers, causing the plane to crash in a Pennsylvania field.
The scale of the military and civilian response mentioned by Caine included the shutdown of U.S. airspace. Caine also highlighted the impact on specific individuals, such as NYFD Chief Pfeifer, whose brother was among the firefighters who died at the World Trade Center. For military personnel, Caine noted that the events initiated a period of conflict, with U.S. forces and allies fighting groups such as the Taliban, Al Qaeda, and ISIS.
Caine stated that the events of that day redefined his understanding of service. While the immediate threat to Washington, D.C., ended with the crash of Flight 93, military operations followed. The 25th anniversary of the attacks will occur in September 2026.