Gen. Dan Caine reflects on responding to 9/11: "No doubt" nation was at war

On September 11, 2001, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine was in the midst of a scheduling meeting when he was abruptly called to action. The morning began with the tragic sight of the first plane striking the North Tower of the World Trade Center, followed by the second plane hitting the South Tower shortly after.

Caine watched the unfolding events in horror as he realized America was under attack and had entered a state of war. He immediately ordered his squadron to prepare their weapons, including air-to-air missiles, and scramble to defend Washington, D.C.

The rules of engagement were permissive, and orders were given to intercept United Flight 93, which was on a collision course with a federal building in the nation's capital. Two of Caine's squadron pilots, Lt. Col. Mark Sasseville and wingman Heather Penney, were among those who took to the skies. They planned to ram their aircraft into the hijacked plane in a desperate attempt to thwart the attack.

However, they were forced to abort their mission when it became clear that shooting down the commercial airliner would result in the loss of innocent lives.

Caine, who had missiles loaded on his jet, took off and faced the daunting task of deciding whether to take down United Flight 93. He remembered praying for guidance, asking God to help him remain calm and focused in the chaos. The passengers on United Flight 93, who stormed the cockpit and crashed the plane, prevented a direct attack on Washington, D.C., and saved countless lives.

Caine praised their heroism and the courage of the emergency workers who responded to the crash sites, emphasizing that it is the duty of the military to protect and defend the United States of America.