An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Article Display

McGuire 9/11 responders share personal experiences

  • Published
  • By Airman Rebekah Phy
  • McGuire Public Affairs
MCGUIRE AIR FORCE BASE, N.J. --  Can you remember where you were on Sept. 11, 2001? Seven servicemembers from the 514th Air Mobility Wing recently shared their stories with members of the 305th Mission Support Group. 

Shortly after the fifth anniversary of Sept. 11, each of the seven attendees was asked to share their experience at the 305th MSG officer's call, describing their courageousness and heroism on that tragic day. 

As the first to share his story, Senior Master Sergeant Ronald Colaninno, 514th Security Forces Squadron NCO in charge of training, said he was on his way to work in Manhattan when the first tower was hit. The second tower was hit while he was at work. Sergeant Colaninno organized the evacuation of his building, which included roughly 150 people. 

Sergeant Colaninno said his first instinct was to locate his wife, who worked closer to downtown, and his sister. After finding and evacuating his family out of the city, he changed into his Air Force BDU's, and while everyone else was running from the city, he was headed back in. 

Sergeant Colaninno assisted Ladder 23, a fire department he passed each day on his way to work. 
"Ladder 23 was the first place I thought of going," he said.
He worked all day and into the night getting supplies to Ground Zero, helping with crowd control and anything else that needed to be done, he said. 

"As a New Yorker, an American and servicemember, I wanted to do anything I could to help out," said Sergeant Colaninno. "I knew things were changing, and at that moment, I felt like I had to do something." 

After assisting directly with the Sept. 11 efforts, Sergeant Colaninno was called to duty with his unit here and mobilized for 18 months during Operation Noble Eagle. Due to McGuire's proximity to Ground Zero and increased manning requirements, his unit assisted active-duty security forces members here. 

Another servicemember to share his story was Master Sgt. Dana Walton, 514th Civil Engineering Squadron firefighter, who was working as a New York City police officer with the Manhattan North precinct that day. 

"I responded from my precinct ... I was two blocks away when the second tower came down," Sergeant Walton said. He helped with the evacuation of citizens and other officers, he said. 

As a police officer in New York and a firefighter in the Air Force, Sergeant Walton was more than qualified to take on such a task. He helped with the city's evacuation until early the next morning, and he continued his efforts every other day for 16 weeks. 

Now a New York state trooper, he retired from the NYC police department in 2003, Sergeant Walton said, "It was a tragedy, but helping out, being there, was a positive experience for me - TV can't really show what went on that day." 

Thousands of people rushed to aid those in need on Sept. 11, just like Sergeant Colaninno and Sergeant Walton. Many believe the terrorist attacks were made to break our unity and spirit. Instead, Americans formed a bond stronger than ever before. These stories are only two counts of unity on that tragic day, but they represent the thousands of others who are as heroic as our own servicemembers. 

Whether assisting directly at Ground Zero, deployed overseas, or here on base, Americans and servicemembers, proved their strength, courageousness and heroism that tragic day, and it continues each day forward.