Lt. Col. Bruce Benyshek, 50th Flying Training Squadron, recalls his experiences on that fateful day in September, 12 years ago. On Sept. 11, flying a 747 flight from Tokyo to San Francisco, Benyshek and his fellow Air Force-trained co-captain received the news of the attacks and took defensive measures to protect the aircraft after realizing the nation was under attack. His plane was redirected to Vancouver and the passengers were taken off the plane, five at a time, and frisked as they disembarked. “I knew America was changed forever,” said Benyshek of the situation, a grim prediction that became altogether too true. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Airman 1st Class Charles Dickens)
Maj. Ken Appezzato, 43rd Flying Training Squadron, was piloting a United flight from JFK International Airport to Seattle at 7 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on Sept. 11, the day he later realized would be the last time he saw the towers erect. About two hours into the flight other pilots began radioing to Chicago Center and each other to gather information about reports of a plane colliding with the first World Trade Center Tower. As the radio chatter continued, Appezzato realized this was no accident and awaited the diversion of his flight. Appezzato would later pilot the first flight into JFK and notes how “there were flags on every bridge,” reflective of the nation’s sense of unity in the face of this tragedy. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Tech. Sgt. Bryan Franks)
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