SAN ANTONIO – The events on September 11th, 2001 impacted and changed the lives of everyone directly and indirectly across the country and the world. Those tragic events are still weighing heavy in the hearts of many Americans 20 years later.
Ken Jarvis is a man who’s seen the good, the bad, and the ugly during his 36 years of service in the United States Navy.
Jarvis, who served two tours in Vietnam, said he didn’t necessarily dwell on past events but said this date in particular always chewed at the back of his mind.
Twenty years ago, Jarvis was representing the Navy’s Theater Ballistic Missile Defense Program in Washington D.C. His office was out of the Pentagon.
On Sunday, September 9th, 2001, Jarvis was onboard a red-eye en route to London, England on assignment, one that ultimately kept him out of harm’s way.
“My office was in the Navy Annex to the Pentagon but I was over in the Navy Command Center a lot and had I been in the command center, I would have been killed along with everyone else. The entire watch section was killed that day. I lost people that I saw on a daily basis,” said Jarvis.
The hijacked American Airline Flight 77 obliterated the section of the Pentagon he frequented daily. One hundred twenty-five people were killed that morning, including everyone on board that plane. For Jarvis, his anxiety didn’t stem from the thought he could have been among the casualties but more so his concern for the people he worked alongside.
“I just had a tremendous, tremendous sense of confusion of gosh, who’s dead and who’s alive? What’s going on? This is my office, this is my home away from home, there are people I love that work there.”
Jarvis said while in England, security was tightening up but it was after learning of the attacks he volunteered immediately at the U.S. Embassy to help.
He helped manage the many who came to sign the book of condolences. Ambassador at that time William S. Farish III along with the Prime Minister were present that day for a joint media event. Jarvis said it was then he was able to see and feel firsthand the love and support of American allies.
“I had tears in my eyes before you got here this morning as I watched the memorial services. It got to me as I pondered the experiences that I had in London,” said Jarvis.
Although two decades have passed, he said he will never forget the effort of those first responders who lost their lives that day.
Jarvis said he will always carry the memory of his colleagues near and dear to his heart. And as he reflects on how quickly time has passed, he speaks out to those faces he saw every day with sadness, love, and hope.
“I attended three of your funerals and we miss you... out of all of you who gave your lives, there was one goal and we need to continue to strive for that goal, we need to cease to be so divided. We need to forget about being Republicans and Democrats to just be Americans,” said Jarvis.
Jarvis was onboard the second flight allowed back into the U.S. shortly after the attacks. He adds that the flight was pretty uneventful but it was impossible to think of anything else other than what had just happened.