09/11/2024
Every year on 9/11, it’s not uncommon to hear this phrase: “I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing.”
It’s a day I remember clearly. I remember the salt spray in the air as our Coast Guard boat pushed through the waters of the San Francisco Bay, in search of unknown threats. These “threats” could have been harmless boaters enjoying a day on the water, or a terrorist preparing to blow up a bridge. Either way, we approached each one the same exact way. With 9mm Berettas on our hips, some of us had Re*****on 12 gauge shotguns, and some had M-16s. I had the latter.
With the butt of my M-16 pressed firmly into my shoulder and my finger close enough to the trigger for fast target engagement but far enough to maintain good trigger discipline, I was prepared for anything. Every boat was intercepted at gunpoint. If they were harmless, we told them to get off the water and stay off for the foreseeable future.
Our nation was under attack, and the San Francisco Bay had easy access to a number of very high-value targets. Every vessel we approached we had no idea if we were going to engage the enemy or frighten the hell out of a few harmless boaters.
Our orders were to stay visible, stay alert, and don’t let the terrorists carry out any more successful attacks. Intel, and common sense, said that we were high on the list.
It was all hands on deck at Coast Guard Station San Francisco. We were a 30-person unit responsible for search and rescue operations and enforcing federal maritime laws in the San Francisco Bay. Many of them are connected with me here on Facebook. It was, and always will be, an honor to have served alongside you.
We organized into 12-hour shifts. No one left the station for days or even weeks unless they had to. Each shift spent 12 hours on the water, followed by 12 hours to rest while the other crews took over. This ran 24 hours a day, for many months.
We had bomb scares on the bridge, suspicious boats anchored too close to the San Francisco Airport runway, lone individuals taking pictures from a dinghy at midnight of cargo ships docked in the Oakland Estuary, and more. Every threat needed to be assessed. Every high-value target needed to be checked at least twice a day, every day. Just in case the terrorists were watching.
We weren’t allowed to wear clothing that indicated we were in the Coast Guard off base. We were told they might be watching us. If they did, we will never know.
These experiences were not unique to me or my shipmates. I’m not the only one with these types of memories. While I’m sharing my story, this post isn’t really about me. All across the country—and the world—first responders were on high alert. They were taking protective actions to secure valuable assets, whether that was a skyscraper, a ballpark, a military base, a subway station, a hospital, a school…the list goes on.
They didn’t have the time or ability to glue their eyes to the TV and watch the news on repeat. They were on duty, on guard, and ready to give their lives in defense and protection of others and this country. They hugged their families and said they weren’t sure when they would return.
As we remember those who lost their lives in the attacks on 9/11/2001, we also honor the bravery, commitment, selflessness, and resolve of every man and woman who answered the call to protect our country, its people, and its critical infrastructure. Like me, first responders across the country remember exactly where they were that day—not through words, but in silence, out of respect for those who are no longer with us.
Thank you for your unwavering service and sacrifice. Today, and every day, we honor you.
