Looking back at 9/11: Retired admiral remembers the uncertainty after attacks

3 years ago 264

Shocked crowds of downtown Manhattanites observe the burning World Trade Center towers successful New York City aboriginal Sept. 11, 2001. Three hijacked planes crashed into large U.S. landmarks connected the aforesaid day, destroying some of New York's Twin Towers and plunging the Pentagon successful Washington into flames, successful an unprecedented battle connected cardinal symbols of U.S. subject and fiscal power.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – A retired admiral is speaking retired astir however the U.S. Navy reacted arsenic they learned the state was nether onslaught connected Sept. 11, 2001.

Retired Admiral Robert Natter is present a Ponte Vedra Beach nonmigratory but he’s been successful Washington D.C. attending galore subject events arsenic the federation remembers what happened 20 years ago.

In 2001, Natter was commanding the Atlantic Fleet and said the world of 9/11 is that America didn’t cognize however extended the onslaught would be: was it the 4 hijacked planes oregon was determination much coming?

“We were determination to support the state and besides the fleet, rather frankly, due to the fact that if you harken backmost to that time nary 1 knew what the grade of those attacks would be. We didn’t cognize erstwhile they would stop, we didn’t cognize if that would entail not lone from the aerial but different assets. So we were deployed and I got to springiness a batch of recognition to the men and women connected the ships and squadrons for doing their job,” Natter said.

Natter laid retired the changes the Navy had to instantly acquisition which included rerouting aggregate ships backmost to the U.S.

“After the attacks, successful fact, the time of the attacks, [USS Enterprise] was headed to the southbound of Africa and really turned around,” helium said. “The battleground commandant determined that helium needed to beryllium added back. We had 2 carriers disconnected Pakistan, wrong a time oregon two, acceptable to motorboat strikes acceptable to bash what we needed to do.”

Natter said the U.S. effect connected 9/11 was not chaotic and the subject reacted arsenic they were trained to.

News4Jax besides asked Admiral Natter astir the pull-out from Afghanistan.

He said the 1 happening we person present that wasn’t determination 20 years agone is simply a batch of quality successful Afghanistan to support way of immoderate terrorists. But, helium said different parts of the satellite similar East Africa and the Middle East could beryllium problematic to U.S. security.