Reflections on September 11th from Rep. Troy Downing

As the 24th anniversary of September 11th approaches, Rep. Troy Downing from Montana recalls his unique experience on that fateful day. He was on a moose hunting trip with friends deep in the Alaskan wilderness, where their only means of communication was via air radio. It was a surreal moment when they noticed that there were no planes flying overhead.

“I found myself thinking about a nuclear war or something—just grappling with the fact that there were no planes in the sky,” he said, reflecting on the confusing atmosphere of that day.

On September 16th, while packing up their camp, a Grumman Goose plane appeared, and the pilot rolled down the window to deliver the shocking news: “They exploded the World Trade Center.” Feeling bewildered, Downing struggled to comprehend the gravity of the situation since they hadn’t seen any news coverage.

He later shared how the tragedy drove him to enlist in the military at age 34, just after the enlistment age cutoff. “We figured we might have to hike back to Anchorage, which was about 350 miles away, but thankfully, we didn’t have to go that route,” he added. “Once the airspace opened, I flew home and went to the recruiter’s office the very next day.”

Downing approached the recruiters and said, “I was teaching at New York University, and I have a pilot’s license. What can I do?” He ended up serving two tours in Afghanistan with the Air Force and the Air National Guard, including time in a combat search and rescue squad.

Now a member of Congress, Downing joined earlier this year after serving as Montana’s auditor. He emphasizes that the sense of unity and national pride following 9/11 should not fade away, stating that they will continue to support veterans. “We all noticed the flags everywhere and felt that shared goal of taking pride in being Americans,” he remarked.