Handy remembers Sept. 11, military service
Gen. John Handy, U.S. Transportation Command and AMC commander, traveled from Scott AFB, Ill., to attend the ball and meet with base airmen, retirees and local civic leaders. About 900 people attended the ball, which celebrated the 55th anniversary of an independent Air Force.
During the ball, Handy presented Lt. Col. Steve Groenheim, 14th Airlift Squadron commander, and Capt. Joseph Grindrod, 14th AS pilot and 2001 Company Grade Officer of the Year, with the Gen. Joseph Smith trophy for best airlift squadron in the command.
Handy said he was thrilled to speak at the Air Force ball because he got another chance to say thanks.
“When I think about the Air Force, I think about what all of you have done together,” said Handy. “I think about service.”
He described an experience where he had met a staff sergeant and activated reservist in the lobby of a fire station at McGuire AFB, N.J. The sergeant was working as a firefighter in New York City near the twin towers when the terrorists struck, and Handy relayed the conversation they had to the audience.
“He was on duty at his fire station, and he heard a terrible noise (the sound of a jet slamming into one of the World Trade Towers) and went running toward it,” said Handy. “He had gone down into the basement and ran into a woman who was terribly burned. She stumbled out of the elevator and fell into his arms and they collapsed on the floor. Smoke, dust and debris were everywhere. They looked at each other and struggled with how do they deal with the tragedy?
“Our staff sergeant carried her out,” continued Handy as he recalled the story. “He remembers running across the concrete when they were suddenly blown to the ground (when the first tower crumbled), but he scooped her up again and moved on.
“The women died two weeks later,” said Handy. “His four NYC firefighter friends died that morning, but he found the strength to go on, and that new strength filled my soul. I’ll never forget that conversation.”
Handy added that today he had a chance to hug his granddaughter, who lives in the local area, but said many will not because of what happened Sept. 11.
“If I reflect back on Sept. 11, we all know, without being reminded, that almost 3,000 people were killed,” said Handy. “Nearly 2,000 children lost a parent that morning. No matter where we are all come from, we’re locked in this fight and we’ll prevail.
Handy repeatedly praised Team Charleston’s path of action in the war on terrorism.
“I can’t thank you enough for what you do for our nation,” he concluded.
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