Brittany Taliaferro of Robins AFB reflects on the impact of Sept. 11, 20 years later

Editor’s note: It’s been 20 years since Sept. 11, 2001, a day that changed the United States forever. The Telegraph spoke with service members at Robins Air Force Base about the impact of Sept. 11 and how it affects them today. This conversation has been lightly edited for clarity and brevity.

Master Sgt. Brittany Taliaferro of the 413th Flight Test Group was 15 years old entering 10th grade at Cathedral High School on 56th Street in Manhattan in the fall of 2001.

Q: Where were you on Sept. 11, 2001?

A: Ironically, if you pulled up at my school, there was a strike that morning and all the news outlets were there. All of a sudden we see the news crew scramble, and we’re like ‘What’s happening?’

So we turned on the TV and that’s when we had actually seen that a plane had hit the first tower. So we’re confused. I’m in a new school in the city. I don’t know anyone.

Q: What was going through your mind?

A: I remember hearing the teacher say we couldn’t go home unless you go with a family friend or if your parents come and pick you up. I have no friends at this school. I’m by myself. So I think on my feet; mind you, I’m a 15 year old girl in the Bronx in the city trying to figure it out.

I was like, you know, well, my mom is downstairs. And by that time I had already been on the phone with my mom. And she’s like ‘Brittany, I will meet you on 39th Street and First Avenue, meet me halfway in the middle.’

There are people walking in the street... And this street is usually filled with cars. And I’m in my school uniform. And you see a whole crowd of people walk and walk and walk. And I’m walking towards the chaos.

And I remember one guy grabbed me, he’s like, ‘Sweetheart, you’re going the wrong way.’ Like I have to go this way I have to meet with my mom.

Q: What happened after you reunited with your mom?

A: My mom grabs and hugs me but, we don’t have anywhere to go. But she has to go back down to her job area, right now that was the safest place for us to be. So we walk back from 39th Street back down to 14th Street, Union Square. We get in her office and the TV is on. And we see everything.

Now we’re looking out the window, we can start seeing smoke from the building and from the plane. And I just remember me sitting there, my mom is holding me really tight. And then she’s like, ‘We’re going to be okay.’

We literally stayed in her office for what seemed like forever, and I can remember the people in our office screaming trying to figure out where their loved ones were. And again, cell phones aren’t prevalent, so the only way we can get in contact with either my dad or my sister is through the house phone. That’s not working.

Q: How did you guys get back to the Bronx?

A: Tunnels and bridges were closed then they told us we’re opening the train systems back, but the only trains that are going to be moving are anything going uptown. We got lucky.

We went downstairs into the train station and this was my first time actually seeing someone in uniform with a dog with a weapon at the low right position, and just walked in and told us to navigate. And for me, that was my first time actually seeing a person in uniform, military uniform, trying to get people to safety.

We went down into the subway, and even though they said the subways were open, they weren’t. My mom and I sat in that subway from four in the afternoon until about 9 p.m. until the trains actually started working.

Q: How did you transition back to relative normalcy?

A: I don’t remember ever going back to school during that time. School was out for maybe a month and a half before they actually had us come back into school, there was no virtual, no anything.

I can remember my mom not knowing how she was going to get to and from work and if it was safe for her to go back. And my dad, all they did was transfer him to Jersey.

I can say the smoke didn’t clear for months. And I remember in March of 2002 there was a gleam of light, and you can see those lights from the Bronx but it was still smoke in the air. Nothing ever got back to normal... but I will say that I know that from Sept. 11 to March 11 it still was not good.

Q: When did you realize you wanted to join the military?

A: I actually went to college for two years. And I can remember myself like I couldn’t pay for tuition. And it wasn’t working out. And I was like, I should have stayed my behind in New York. Because you get better financial aid... when you’re young, you just want to leave your parents and stuff.

I kind of flashback to that military person with the dog in the train station and the one thing that stands out the most is the dog and the military guy with his hat. And he was in the National Guard.

And for me, it was just like, ‘This is my way that I can give back.’ That’s when I knew I wanted to join.

I’ve been in for 12 straight years, It’s been great. I’ve learned a lot, I’ve seen a lot and I’ve come to understand and value what we do. As a military force, no matter what branch you’re in, no matter what component you’re in, that everybody matters... if you’re behind a computer or on the frontline, everybody plays a part in ensuring the safety of our country.

This story was originally published September 10, 2021 at 2:47 PM.