What's your 9/11 story? Staff Sgt. Travis Wilson

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Travis Wilson
  • 162ng Fighter Wing Airfield Management
I remember I was maybe 12 or 13, in 8th grade waiting to go to school. My mother, Lt. Col. Trish Wilson, called me at home and told me to turn on the news because an airplane had just crashed into the world trade center.

At the time I had no idea what the world trade center was. The whole bus ride to school all the radio stations were talking about the horrific scene in New York. By the time I reached my school, the second plane had already hit the second tower and a third plane had hit the Pentagon.

I remember in school that day all of the classrooms had the TVs on different news channels, trying to figure out what had happened. I also remember them showing then President Bush reading to the elementary school children and being told what had happened.

By the time I got home, they had declared it a terrorist attack. My mother was a DSG [drill-status Guardsman] with the 162nd at that time, in the coming weeks she was brought on fulltime and has been with the unit ever since. After my graduation from high school, I followed in her footsteps and joined the unit.

Editor's note:

Ten years after Sept. 11, 2001, 162nd Fighter Wing members recall where they were that fateful day, and reaffirm their commitment to serve in the Arizona Air National Guard. Do you have a story to share? If so, email it to 162fw.pa.omb@ang.af.mil for posting here on the wing's official website.