Retired Army Colonel Matthew Klimow details his experience at the Pentagon during the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in his new book, 'As the Pentagon Burned'.
Key facts
- •Matthew Klimow was the executive assistant to General Richard Myers, the vice-chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, on the morning of September 11.
- •The Pentagon attack resulted in the deaths of 125 people inside the building and 64 people on the hijacked plane.
- •Klimow's military career spanned 29 years, including service in the Gulf War where he earned a Silver Star.
- •President Donald Trump marked the 25th anniversary of the attacks with a ceremony at the Pentagon on Friday.
- •The 9/11 attacks involved hijacked planes striking the Pentagon, New York, and Shanksville, Pennsylvania, leading to nearly 3,000 deaths.
Retired Army Colonel Matthew Klimow, who was serving as executive assistant to the vice-chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on September 11, 2001, has released a first-person account of the chaos at the Pentagon. In his book, 'As the Pentagon Burned', Klimow describes the challenges of military leadership during the attacks, which killed 125 people inside the building and 64 on the hijacked airliner.
By the numbers
Leadership and Operational Challenges
Klimow writes that while military leaders attempted to maintain calm and rational responses, the day was marked by significant operational difficulties. He highlights issues including conflicting chains of command, communication gaps, and the dissemination of erroneous intelligence. Notably, the book details a critical 30-minute period during which then-Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld could not be reached.
Personal Reflection on the Attacks
Reflecting on the aftermath, Klimow describes a sense of humiliation and sadness, noting that he felt the nation had been humbled and that the military had been unable to protect citizens. His account serves as a study in leadership, documenting how personnel managed emotional shock while attempting to coordinate a response at the headquarters of the US Department of Defense.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by Guardian US Politics, France 24.
