JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas -- A four-ship formation of T-6 Texan II aircraft flew over the Taj at 8:37 a.m. Sept. 11 at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
The four-ship formation represented the four aircraft hijacked during the attacks: American Airlines Flight 11, United Airlines Flight 175, American Airlines Flight 77 and United Airlines Flight 93.
The flyover honored the nearly 3,000 people killed in the attacks and recognized the first responders, military members and civilians whose lives and service were shaped by the events that followed.
The timing of the flyover carried particular significance as it marked the time American Airlines Flight 77 struck the Pentagon, one of the defining moments of the attacks.
For the U.S. military, Sept. 11 marked a turning point. Within weeks, the nation mobilized for a prolonged global response, and Airmen shifted from preparing for potential conflict to conducting combat operations around the world.
The Air Force entered a generation of continuous operations. Airmen deployed repeatedly to support combat operations, airlift, aerial refueling, intelligence, surveillance, force protection and other missions across the globe.
Training organizations also adapted to prepare Airmen for an evolving operational environment.
The 12th Flying Training Wing remained part of that effort, continuing its mission to train Airmen in the fundamentals of airmanship, instruction and leadership. Many pilots who began their aviation careers at JBSA-Randolph later flew advanced aircraft and supported missions around the world, including operations stemming from the conflicts that followed the Sept. 11 attacks.
For many of those aviators, the T-6 Texan II represented the beginning of that journey. The aircraft provided the foundational flight training and skills needed to progress through military aviation training and eventually serve in operational units.
“As we reflect back on the past 25 years, we are more resolute than ever in our mission to train combat-minded aviators that stand ready to answer our nation’s call,” said Col. James Long, 12th Flying Training Wing commander.
Twenty-five years after the attacks, the anniversary also connected generations of Airmen. Some serving at JBSA-Randolph remembered the events firsthand, while others were too young to remember or had not yet been born. The flyover provided an opportunity for today’s Airmen to honor those who lost their lives and recognize the generations who served in the years that followed.
At 8:37 a.m., four T-6s passed over the Taj in formation, marking a moment in history that continued to shape the Air Force’s mission and the lives of those who served.
Twenty-five years later, the mission continued. The memory remained.
We will never forget.