New Book Recounts Planning of U.S. Response to Attacks, and Unexpected Impact

New Book Recounts Planning of U.S. Response to Attacks, and Unexpected Impact

  • November 28, 2022
Alan Ruck in uniform, in front of an army helicopter

Photo courtesy Alan Ruck

Alan Mack, the Deputy Commissioner of Emergency Services in Orange County, NY, enlisted in the Army in 1981 and became a helicopter pilot in 1989. Eleven years later, in response to 9/11 attacks, he would fly the first missions into Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. He went on to serve several tours in Afghanistan and Iraq, working with Special Forces and other elite units including Delta Force and Seal Team Six, which killed Osama bin Laden in 2011. In his new book "Razor 03: A Night Stalker's War," the decorated pilot recounts the role he played in the U.S. response to the terrorist attacks — and how it impacted his family. Mack will sign copies of the book at the Museum on Thursday, December 1, and answered some questions for us ahead of time. 

You have two very specific connections with the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. Can you tell us about them?
I was honored to have a part in the installation of Revealed: The Hunt for Bin Ladenwhich examined the greatest manhunt in American history.  I shared personal accounts and loaned artifacts that were on display at the museum.

In 2011, I was invited to represent the Special Operations Aviation Regiment (160th SOAR) for New York’s first unveiling of De Oppresso Liber, the 18-foot bronze statue depicting a Green Beret soldier on horseback. The monument now overlooks the reflecting pools at the Memorial. 

What inspired you to write this book? 
After attending the movie premiere of 12 Strong in New York, I considered a friend's recommendation to write a book about my own experiences from the Global War On Terror (GWOT), especially our response to the 9/11 attacks. Unfortunately, although there are many great books and movies regarding overseas events I experienced, none were from a pilot's point of view or exploring the cost of service on family. I had a compelling story to tell, so I put pen to paper. 

Why is this an important story to tell?        
After my deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, I read several books about those conflicts, which included many excerpts that mentioned me. That was the inspiration to share some of my wartime experiences and highlight some of my proudest moments, along with some challenging times I went through while fighting Taliban and Al-Qaeda terrorists. Writing this book was both cathartic for me and serves as a tribute to the many brave men and women that I served with, including many friends who never made it back home.

Can you tell us a little about your writing process? 
First, I consulted my journals, calendar books, after-action reviews, and award citations to see what documentation I had. An outline emerged as I consolidated my materials. Then I sat at my keyboard nights and weekends until I typed the final period of the first draft.

Why is it important that future generations know about and understand this portion of the legacy - that 9/11 didn't actually end on 9/11? 
People often thank me for my service, but I volunteered to serve where the fighting would be hard. My family signed up for the commitment to my job, but I don't think we expected a years-long fight with such personal sacrifice in support of our national interests. I'd do it all again, and so would my friends and peers. In these difficult times, I want people to know that there are men and women like me who will put service before self, an important concept to keep in mind as the past becomes more distant with each passing year.  

What do you wish more people understood about the aftermath of the attacks? 
Our military members committed to avenging the horrible attacks of 9/11 almost immediately, followed by years of taking the fight to the enemy on foreign soil. We intended to destroy Al-Qaeda and their affiliates or at least disrupt them enough that they could not wage war on our citizens again.

What do you hope people take away from the book?
My family and I held an unwavering commitment to our nation, to a fault. I learned too late the importance of maintaining a work-life balance for the long haul. Whether serving in the military or as a first responder or other hard-working American, if the job comes before family for too long, something will give — and maybe not the part you want. So, do whatever work you do, but consider your family in every career decision you make.

By 9/11 Memorial Staff

Rescue & Recovery: In Their Own Voices With John Paluska

Rescue & Recovery: In Their Own Voices With John Paluska

  • November 4, 2022
John Paluska at Ground Zero, in gas mask, neon safety vest, and hard hat
Courtesy John Paluska

Paluska at Ground Zero, September 2001

Less than one week before the 9/11 attacks, Army veteran John Paluska was a rising college freshman in Iowa. The morning of the attacks — a mere six days into his first year at Fordham University — Paluska stood on the roof of his dorm and watched in horror as the second tower fell. Then he rode the subway downtown, where he ultimately spent almost a week volunteering with rescue and recovery efforts at Ground Zero. In this special Salute to Service installment of our Q&A series "In Their Own Voices," Paluska — who co-founded our Visionary Network in 2020 — talks about the role he played and how the experience inspired him to join the U.S. armed forces. 

Where were you on 9/11? 
I had just moved to New York from Iowa, and I was six days into my freshman year at Fordham University. In my dormitory, I woke up to hearing the news that the towers had been hit and I went to the top of my dormitory and witnessed the second tower fall. Immediately after learning that this was a terrorist attack, and the tragedy of the scene, I jumped on a subway and went downtown to Ground Zero. I took the D train down to 14th Street and walked until I arrived at Manhattan Community College which was two to three blocks north of the World Trade Center. Someone asked me if I was there to be part of the civilian military Response and I said I was there to help. I was asked for my next of kin, however, I didn’t know what that meant, so I gave them my Social Security number. We suited up with some boots and gloves — whatever tools we could find. Off I went into Ground Zero with a group of 30 to 40 other folks. Amongst us were union workers, air conditioner duct workers, iron workers, and military.  

What role did you play in the rescue, recovery, and relief efforts? 
I spent six days at Ground Zero and with a rescue and recovery team on the west side near where the North Tower was. I recovered about four bodies and helped pass along the remains of many other victims, many of which were draped with American flags and others in black or fluorescent orange body bags. In the later days, I ended up helping ironworkers with some of the welding duties and provided general help whenever it was needed.

Can you describe the bond between yourself and other recovery workers? How has this community impacted you? 
The night before the 20th anniversary of the attacks while in a lower Manhattan bar, I met a group of guys, and we started chatting. One was an army commander who had also spent time at Ground Zero.  He showed me photos and somehow remembered me! I hadn’t met with, or spoken with, anyone that I volunteered with until that evening, in fact I rarely talked with anyone about my time at Ground Zero, so it was the most touching experience, and I have met up with him three times since. The bond between fellow rescue recovery workers — whether it be those I worked for or those I worked alongside — and the 9/11 family members is indescribable. It is an infinite and powerful bond that we will never forget. We will always be there for each other. We continue to support the remembrance to honor the victims and it’s a mission that we will never let fail because of the lessons we learned from what happened on September 11, 2001.

What does May 30th mean to you? 
I've made hundreds of friends after 9/11 that did so much more than me and that I have incredible respect for. The people of the 9/11 community inspire me to want to continue to provide more and continue giving more of myself. It’s a community full of heroes, respected authoritative figures, and families whose lives were horrifically changed forever who continue to mourn the huge loss. May 30th is an annual reminder of this. I stay motivated to help educate and bring remembrance to this younger generation.

Do you have any health issues connected to your time at Ground Zero? 
In the weeks after Ground Zero, I ended up developing a postnasal drip and a cough that was relatively significant throughout my freshman year. In November, I went to an ENT doctor to get a chest X-ray. I went back in December. So, despite having only spent six days at Ground Zero, I do have some degree of complications from my short time at Ground Zero. Fortunately, it has not yet turned into anything of a serious nature. 

Regarding the mental health aspects, I think I find solace in being around people who experienced what I experienced. I had been unable to tell my story in detail for 17 years because it was so hard for me to describe what I saw and what I did. It was traumatic for a kid who had just moved from Iowa — from a farm surrounded by cornfields — to see what I saw.

Why is it important to share your story and stories of others with the next generation?
9/11 was a target against humanity. The hardest part over 20 years later is connecting with those who were not born yet and conveying the impact and implications of that horrific day.  The people who gave their lives on that day, and the heroes, in the immediate minutes and hours of the attacks, as well as the community that has come together over the years, showed that you can come back stronger. It shows that no act of evil will ever stop us from representing who we are, what we believe in, nor forgetting and honoring what we’ve been through. 

In 2019, I co-founded the 9/11 Memorial & Museum Visionary Network as a way to connect with the next generation. It is up to us to carry on these stories of heroism and the memories of so many. 
Teaching about the events and honoring those killed is still everyone’s mission. It is important to the 9/11 community to relay the significance of 9/11 and the work that was done, and what happened, because that day shaped the world as we know it.

Anything else you’d like to add? 
Prior to 9/11, I had no intention of joining the military, but I had just served alongside some national guardsmen — folks who were wearing a uniform — and at 18 years old, was one of the youngest to volunteer at Ground Zero. A month after 9/11, I went and spoke to an Army recruiter about my options. I was put in the middle of this catastrophic event, and I was blindsided by the impact it had on me. I was so juvenile, and I had no idea how it would affect me to the point that I completely changed my career and life path. 

I started basic training in April 2002. I later joined the Army ROTC at Fordham and was commissioned as an officer in 2005. I served in the United States Army until March 2017, when I was medically retired following injuries sustained from roadside bombs. As a Green Beret, I was deployed to many countries around the world. As a foreign training advisor, I gained a different understanding of the many different cultures, and the types of hardships people suffer. More than ever, I learned to appreciate the freedoms I have as an American and feel very fortunate to have been born in the United States.

Compiled by Government and Community Affairs Intern Daniella Semper

Yellow Roses on 9/11 Memorial Pay Tribute on Veterans Day

Yellow Roses on 9/11 Memorial Pay Tribute on Veterans Day

About a dozen yellow roses have been placed at the names of victims on the 9/11 Memorial on Veterans Day.
Yellow roses placed on the 9/11 Memorial on Veterans Day. Photo by Jin Lee.

In honor of Veterans Day, we pay tribute to the 9/11 victims who served in the United States military by placing yellow roses in their names at the 9/11 Memorial.

We extend a heartfelt thank you to all veterans and their families for their service, and the sacrifices they make to protect us and keep our country safe.

By 9/11 Memorial Staff

Personal Stories Connect Military Community to 9/11

Personal Stories Connect Military Community to 9/11

Separate photos show Master Sergeant Bubba Beason and Kathleen Santora on active duty in the Middle East. Beason is writing in a notebook and Santora is behind the wheel of a military vehicle.
(L-R) Master Sgt. Bubba Beason and Kathleen Santora while on active duty in the Middle East.

The 9/11 Memorial maintains strong ties with the military community. Ahead of the upcoming five-day Salute to Service in honor of Veterans Day, we highlight two stories from the 9/11 Memorial Museum’s oral history collection that show how the events of September 11, 2001 and the ongoing legacy of the attacks are intertwined with the personal stories of some who serve in the United States military.

Kathleen Santora enlisted in the US Army nearly one year after her brother, FDNY firefighter Christopher Santora, was killed in the line of duty on 9/11. She wanted to do something in response to the attacks, and began her military service the day after the first anniversary. Listen to a segment from Santora’s 2011 oral history where she reflects on how her decision to serve was her personal tribute to her brother.

Master Sgt. Bubba Beason was serving as an airline mechanic in the US Airforce on 9/11. He has made it a personal mission to make sure that those who serve in the Middle East have a tangible reminder of "why we are there" by transporting World Trade Center steel to Afghanistan. Listen to Beason discuss the power of the World Trade Center steel in an oral history that took place in 2010, before his seventh deployment to Afghanistan.  

By Jenny Pachucki, 9/11 Memorial Content Strategist

Sincerely Thank You

Sincerely Thank You

MemorialWaterfall.jpg
A 9/11 Memorial reflecting pools at night. (Amy Dreher photo)

We have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.

The 9/11 Memorial was dedicated this September for the families of those who were lost, and people from across the country and around the globe are now able to pay their respects at the World Trade Center site. It was a tremendous honor to open this place of remembrance and we continue to be inspired by the more than 500,000 people who have visited.

We are also thankful for the incredible support of people like you, who share our dedication to honoring the nearly 3,000 lives taken too soon in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 and February 26, 1993. The opening of the Memorial could not have happened without your generosity. We simply can't thank you enough for your commitment to this national tribute.

We are also deeply indebted to the men and women who have dedicated their lives to protecting our country and its values. From our troops at home and abroad to our first responders, these individuals light even our darkest hours, and we are thankful for their sacrifice and commitment all year round.

As we come together this Thanksgiving, we are also reminded that this occasion can be a difficult one for those who are remembering lost loved ones and holidays past. Our thoughts go out to you and your families this holiday season.

By Joe Daniels, 9/11 Memorial President

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