As the rain cleared and the sun rose over Naval Air Station Patuxent River, active-duty Sailors and civilian staff gathered together outside Naval Health Clinic Patuxent River on Sept. 11, 2026, for a solemn 25th anniversary September 11 commemoration. Led by Capt. Ken Radford, who serves dual roles as Commanding Officer of Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) Patuxent River and Director of Naval Health Clinic Patuxent River, the clinic’s military and civilian personnel stood in quiet reflection ahead of morning colors, honoring a day that forever altered national security.

With over 40 percent of active-duty Navy personnel born in 2001 or later, the ceremony provided meaningful context for a new generation of Sailors. Grounding the day’s significance in quiet reflection, junior Hospital Corpsmen recited key milestones from Sept. 11, 2001, anchoring the solemnity of the morning in detail:

• 8:46 a.m. — American Airlines Flight 11 impacts the World Trade Center North Tower in New York City.
• 9:03 a.m. — United Airlines Flight 175 impacts the World Trade Center South Tower in New York City.
• 9:37 a.m. — American Airlines Flight 77 impacts the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia.
• 9:59 a.m. — The World Trade Center South Tower collapses.
• 10:03 a.m. — United Airlines Flight 93 crashes in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, following an effort by passengers and crew to regain control of the aircraft.
• 10:28 a.m. — The World Trade Center North Tower collapses.
• 5:20 p.m. — 7 World Trade Center collapses.

Following the reading of the timeline, a moment of silence was observed across the command as the flag was positioned at half-staff. The gesture honored the 2,977 lives lost that morning and marked a quiet acknowledgment of a lost era of American peace and certainty. We Will Never Forget.

Active-duty personnel stand in formation at Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) Patuxent River, led by Commanding Officer Capt. Ken Radford and Executive Officer Capt. Ronald Dewees, during a Sept. 11, 2026, ceremony commemorating the 25th anniversary of 9/11. The observance offered the command an opportunity to pause, reflect on the lives lost, and share the enduring history of Sept. 11, 2001, with a new generation of service members.

More Details

Active-duty military personnel and civilian staff gather on the grounds of Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) Patuxent River during a special 25th anniversary Sept. 11 morning colors ceremony, Sept. 11, 2026. The command-wide observance commemorated the 2001 terrorist attacks through a recount of the day's major event milestones, a moment of silence, and the lowering of the National Ensign to half-staff

More Details

Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Mitchell McGinnis, left, and Hospital Apprentice Dyanna McAllister position the flag at half-staff during morning colors at Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) Patuxent River, Sept. 11, 2026. The morning colors incorporated a 25th anniversary Sept. 11 observance dedicated to remembering the victims and educating younger staff on the day's historical significance.

More Details

Active-duty personnel stand in formation at Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) Patuxent River during a Sept. 11, 2026, commemoration ceremony to honor the 2,977 lives lost during the 2001 attacks and reflect on the strength and resilience that followed. With over 40 percent of the active-duty Navy born in 2001 or later, the observance provided vital historical context regarding the 2001 terrorist attacks

More Details

Hospital Apprentice Keyona Whyte stands at attention during the 25th anniversary 9/11 commemoration at Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) Patuxent River, Sept. 11, 2026. As one of the junior Hospital Corpsmen who recited the minute-by-minute timeline of the 2001 attacks, Whyte participated in passing down the day's solemn history and lessons to fellow Sailors.

More Details

Sailors assigned to Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) Patuxent River observe a moment of reflection on the command grounds during a Sept. 11, 2026, morning colors ceremony. Marking 25 years since the terrorist attacks on New York, the Pentagon, and Shanksville, Pennsylvania, the observance included a chronological timeline reading of the day's major events, ensuring younger service members carry forward the history and weight of that morning.

More Details