25 years later: USAFA remembers Sept. 11

U.S. Air Force Academy cadets march to the Academy cemetery during Sept. 11 remembrance activities at the Academy, Colo., Sept. 11, 2026. The USAFA Sept. 11 remembrance included a Cadet Wing march and memorial ceremony honoring those who lost their lives in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ray Bahner)

By Anthony Mayne
U.S. Air Force Academy Strategic Communications

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – Sept. 11, 2026, marks 25 years since the terrorist attacks that killed 2,977 people in New York City, at the Pentagon and near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

At the U.S. Air Force Academy, cadets and permanent party continue to honor those who were lost through annual remembrance activities and traditions. Today’s Cadet Wing was born after the attacks and knows the events through history and the experiences of those who lived through them.

“9/11 is a time to remember the many lives lost and a reminder that the freedoms and security we often take for granted come at a cost,” said Cadet 1st Class Ashley Baklarz, Group 2 A-3 Training Division chief from Greensboro, North Carolina.

The U.S. Air Force Academy’s Sept. 11 memorial stands on the north side of the Air Gardens on the Terrazzo at the Academy, Colo., Sept. 11, 2025. Dedicated Sept. 9, 2011, as part of the Class of 1976’s 35th reunion class giving project, the memorial incorporates a World Trade Center girder. Two granite slabs represent the Twin Towers atop a five-sided foundation representing the Pentagon. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ray Bahner)

Remembering Sept. 11

For Anthony Mayne, media operations chief at the U.S. Air Force Academy, the anniversary brings memories of experiencing Sept. 11 as a young Soldier stationed in Germany.

Mayne had been on active duty for about a year and had just completed a summer of training when members of his infantry platoon told him a plane had struck the World Trade Center. He and several friends rushed to a television and watched as the second plane hit.

Mayne remembers the silence and disbelief that followed as he and his fellow Soldiers watched the events unfold.

Twenty-five years later, today’s cadets have no personal memories of the attacks. Annual remembrance activities provide opportunities for them to learn about Sept. 11 and those who were lost.

U.S. Air Force Academy cadets salute during a Sept. 11 remembrance ceremony in front of the Academy’s Sept. 11 memorial on the Terrazzo at the Academy, Colo., Sept. 11, 2020. The memorial, featured as part of the USAFA Sept. 11 remembrance, incorporates steel from the World Trade Center and serves as a focal point for annual remembrance activities. (U.S. Air Force photo by Trevor Cokley)

A tradition of remembrance

In 2011, the Class of 1976 used its 35th-anniversary class project to establish a memorial on the Terrazzo. Dedicated Sept. 9, 2011, the memorial incorporates a girder from the World Trade Center. Two granite slabs representing the Twin Towers stand on a five-sided foundation representing the Pentagon. The words “World Trade Center,” “The Pentagon” and “Shanksville, Pa.” are etched into the memorial.

Since its dedication, Academy cadets have led annual Sept. 11 remembrance activities honoring the people who died in the attacks.

“Every year our cadets plan and execute a remembrance ceremony to honor those who lost their lives on Sept. 11,” said Master Sgt. Tien Tran, military training instructor. “This year, our cadets marched to the Academy cemetery to reflect on their service and the service of those who preceded them on the Long Blue Line. After the march, the Cadet Wing held a memorial ceremony on Terrazzo to honor those who lost their lives that day.”

The march also recognized the service and sacrifice of first responders, including law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical personnel and military members who responded during and after the attacks.

In prior years, cadets have completed road marches, stair climbs and hours-long relay runs around the Terrazzo as part of the Academy’s Sept. 11 remembrance.

“It’s great to be an American, and 9/11 highlighted the bravery of those Americans who gave their lives that day,” said Cadet 1st Class Bradley Gorham, Cadet Group 4 commander from Kennewick, Washington. “It’s a privilege to remember them and what they did for us and our country.”

U.S. Air Force Academy cadets carry a baton and firefighter’s helmet during a 19-hour memorial run around the Terrazzo at the Academy, Colo., Sept. 11, 2025. The run was one of the Cadet Wing’s annual USAFA Sept. 11 remembrance activities honoring those who lost their lives in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ray Bahner)

A connection to the Long Blue Line

The Academy’s connection to Sept. 11 also includes graduates whose names are inscribed on the Graduate War Memorial. Located on the north end of the Terrazzo’s Air Gardens, the memorial honors Academy graduates killed as a result of hostile action during a military conflict. Dedicated in 1970, the curved black granite memorial bears the inscription, “In memory of our fellow graduates who have fallen in battle…”

Col. Charles E. Jones, a member of the Class of 1974, died aboard American Airlines Flight 11, the first plane to strike the World Trade Center.

Maj. LeRoy Homer Jr., a member of the Class of 1987, was the first officer aboard United Airlines Flight 93, which crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Homer was selected as the exemplar for the Class of 2024, connecting his story with another generation of Academy graduates.

“I’ve had the honor and privilege to talk about Maj. LeRoy Homer Jr. many times, and I get choked up every time I do it,” said Dr. Brian Laslie, the Academy’s command historian since 2021. “I can’t imagine what he went through in the cockpit of United Flight 93, but I know for certain he defended that plane with his life. The Air Force Core Values came to the Academy after he graduated, and when I think of the legacy of Maj Homer, Integrity, Service, and Excellence weren’t just words to him, they were him.”

For today’s cadets, Homer and Jones are two members of the Long Blue Line whose service is remembered at the Academy.
“Seeing Col. Jones and Maj. Homer’s names on the Graduate Memorial Wall reminds us of the courage of the Long Blue Line before us and the responsibility we have chosen to take on as future officers,” Baklarz said.

Melodie Homer, widow of Maj. LeRoy Homer Jr., attends the Class of 2024 Exemplar Dinner at Mitchell Hall at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo., Oct. 1, 2021. The Class of 2024 selected Homer, a 1987 Academy graduate and first officer aboard United Airlines Flight 93 on Sept. 11, 2001, as its class exemplar. (U.S. Air Force photo by Justin Pacheco)

Remembering across generations

The Academy’s memorials, annual ceremonies and stories of graduates such as Homer and Jones provide ways for cadets to learn about Sept. 11 and those who were lost.

For Gorham, Homer’s story also provides a connection to the Academy graduates who came before him.

“I think it’s inspiring to have graduates like Maj. LeRoy Homer who set the example for what it means to be part of the Long Blue Line,” Gorham said. “His sacrifice, along with the many other fallen graduates, reminds us why we are here and what we are working toward.”

See photos of the USAFA Sept. 11 remembrance march to the Academy cemetery on Flickr. Read about a Class of 2020 cadet’s personal connection to Sept. 11 in Academy cadet shares 9/11 story. Learn more about memorials and Academy heritage projects.

The names of U.S. Air Force Academy graduates Col. Charles E. Jones, Class of 1974, and Maj. LeRoy Homer Jr., Class of 1987, are inscribed on the Graduate War Memorial at the Academy, Colo., Sept. 4, 2026. Jones died aboard American Airlines Flight 11 and Homer was the first officer aboard United Airlines Flight 93 during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. (U.S. Air Force photo illustration by Trevor Cokley)