Travis member at Pentagon during 9/11

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Kristen Rohrer
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Most remember where they were and what they were doing when they first heard about or watched as tragedy unfolded seven years ago on Sept. 11, 2001. 

For one Travis member, the events of that tragic day were witnessed first-hand. 

Then Capt. Timothy Tenne started his day at the Pentagon as part of the J5 Division within The Joint Chief's of Staff like any other. He was part of an office responsible for overseeing important global developments in China and other parts of Southeast Asia. 

"I was on the phone with the FBI Counter-Terrorism unit and we were talking, ironically enough, about Osama Bin Laden," said the now Lt. Col. Tenne, 21st Airlift Squadron Operations Officer. "Then I heard commotion down the hall and the fire alarms started going off." 

A look at the television in his office revealed what was happening; the first of the twin towers, the North Tower, of the World Trade Center, had been struck by an airliner and was engulfed in flames. 

"At first it was like was this an accident? But once we got outside it was just surreal. I saw the tail of the aircraft fully intact, sticking out of the Pentagon, and knew the World Trade Center wasn't an accident," he said. 

And it wasn't . In a series of coordinated attacks, terrorists had hijacked four airliners earlier that day and flew two of them into the North and South Towers of the World Trade Center and a third, American Airlines flight 77, into the Pentagon. The fourth Airliner, whose target was believed to be the U.S. Capitol Building, crashed near Shanksville, Pa.
"Chaos and panic ensued, it was just pandemonium. People were coming out of the building with burns and scrapes." But the chaos and uncertainty didn't stop people from going back into the building amidst the smoke, fire and rubble to try and rescue those trapped inside, he added. "For every person pouring out, there were just as many people running back in." 

Military and civilian personnel were carrying cribs and children out of the nearby Child Development Center to a safer location. Colonel Tenne also noticed former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld assisting people out of the building. 

Hours after the event, Colonel Tenne like many others, was able to get a ride from passing motorists who offered to help in any way they could. After finally reaching a payphone that still worked, he was able to call his wife to let her know he was okay.
The next day Colonel Tenne returned to the crash site to pick up rubble and start the cleanup process. 

"When I stood on the roof of the Pentagon, I never once thought I would be pushing broken tiles instead of paper, but it just felt right to help out and do the right thing."
"Everytime we saw a family portrait or a piece of clothing, we all stopped and had a moment of silence. People did not want to leave, they wanted to stay and help," he said.
Colonel Tenne recalled, how at that time, an event of that magnitude was completely unforeseen on American soil. 

"Prior to that time, no one thought it would happen, we are not immune from something like this." 

The memorial that now represents those lost on that day is the only reminder of the destruction that was once visible seven years ago. Colonel Tenne returned to the Pentagon in 2006. "I made it a point to go to the spot, they did a great job memorializing and showing respect to those that had paid the ultimate price and had given outstanding service to our great nation."