.Publisher's Note: The complying with is actually the text of a letter from Trip 3 Commander Frank L. Culbertson (Leader, USN Retired), reflecting on the events of September 11.September 12, 2001 7:34 p.m.I have not created significantly regarding specifics of this objective in the course of the month I've been actually listed below, primarily for pair of explanations: the 1st being actually that there has been actually extremely little time to accomplish that kind of composing, and also secondly due to the fact that I'm not exactly sure just how comfy I am actually discussing thoughts I provide friends and family along with the rest of the globe.Well, obviously the globe altered today. What I say or carry out is actually extremely minor reviewed to the implication of what happened to our country today when it was actually assaulted by ... by whom? Terrorists is actually all we know, I think. Challenging to understand at whom to drive our temper and also worry ...I had actually simply ended up an amount of duties this morning, the best taxing being actually the physical exams of all workers participants. In a personal talk observing that, the tour surgeon told me they were having a quite poor time on the ground. I had no concept ...He illustrated the condition to me as ideal he knew it at ~ 0900 CDT. I was actually amazed, at that point horrified. My first thought was actually that this had not been a genuine conversation, that I was actually still listening to some of my Tom Clancy tapes. It only didn't seem to be possible on this scale in our nation. I could not also picture the details, even prior to the updates of additional destruction began can be found in.Vladimir came over pretty rapidly, noticing that one thing quite severe was being actually explained. I swayed Michael right into the element as well. They were likewise astonished as well as stunned. After we signed off, I attempted to clarify to Vladimir and Michael as finest I can the prospective enormity of the act of horror in downtown New york and at the Pentagon. They plainly recognized and were actually incredibly sympathetic.I glanced at the Globe Map on the personal computer to observe where over the world our team were and also saw that we were actually happening southeast out of Canada and also would be actually skipping New England in a couple of moments. I zoomed around the station till I discovered a home window that will offer me a sight of New York City and took hold of the nearby video camera. It took place to become a camera, and I was looking south coming from the window of Michael's log cabin.The smoke appeared to have a weird flower to it at the base of the pillar that was actually streaming south of the city. After going through among the news articles our team merely got, I feel our team were considering NY around the moment of, or quickly after, the collapse of the 2nd high rise. How horrendous ...I scanned the camera all along the East Coast to the south to observe if I could view any other smoke cigarettes around Washington, or anywhere else, yet nothing showed up.It was actually pretty tough to consider job after that, though our team had some to accomplish, yet on the upcoming track we went across the US additional southern. All 3 people were working 1 or 2 video cameras to make an effort to acquire scenery of The big apple or even Washington. There was actually haze over Washington, however no specific resource might be observed. All of it appeared astonishing from two to three hundred miles away. I can't visualize the unfortunate scenes on the ground.Apart from the psychological effect of our nation being actually tackled and lots of our consumers as well as perhaps some buddies being eliminated, the absolute most frustrating sensation being actually where I am is one of isolation.Next day ... I presume the fatigue and mental stress acquired the very best of me. I could not remain awake and continue to compose. Today was still difficult, yet we started getting more info, plus our experts possessed the honor of talking directly with the Center Supervisor, Roy Estess, who assured our team that the ground staffs would certainly remain to function and guarantee our security, in addition to the safe procedure of the Place. Our experts additionally talked to our Manager, Mr. Goldin, who incorporated that the partners in the Course are actually all entirely devoted to proceeding risk-free operations and also support. These were actually certainly never inquiries for me. I know all these people! The ground teams have actually been astonishingly supportive, very understanding of the impact of the updates, and have made an effort to become as handy as possible. They have all been actually extremely qualified as well as focused though I can not imagine the distraction of the form of updates coming in and the thought and feelings that federal government structures could be vulnerable. They never avoided a beat, also when moving control centers. And also a group of senior workers as well as buddies provided our team a rather in depth briefing about what was understood and what was actually being carried out in the government and at NASA on Tuesday mid-day, which was actually quite practical and also type of all of them to accomplish in the middle of all the turmoil. The Russian TsUP has additionally been encouraging and also handy, making an effort to uplink news articles when our very own properties were actually unusable, and pointing out kind terms ...My crewmates have been terrific, as well. They recognize it is actually been a hard time for me and the people on the ground, and they've tried to become as even keeled and also handy as possible. Michael even fixed me my preferred Borscht soup for dinner. As well as they give me loads of area to think when I needed it. They are really considerate as well as naturally outraged at whoever would perform this.I recognize many folks in Washington, numerous people who travel to DC and also NYC, a lot of that are flies, that I experienced certain I will get at least a handful of items of problem over the next couple of times. I got the first one today when I learned that the Captain of the American Airlines plane that struck the Pentagon was actually Chic Burlingame, a classmate of mine. I found Chic in the course of cadet summer months when we resided in the D&B all together, and also our team possessed great deals of training class with each other. I can not imagine what he should of experienced, and also now I hear that he may have increased better than our company can easily also consider by perhaps preventing his aircraft coming from being actually the one to attack the White Property. What a horrendous loss, yet I'm sure Chic was actually combating fearlessly throughout. And also splits don't stream the very same precede ...It's challenging to describe how it experiences to become the only United States fully off the earth each time such as this. The feeling that I ought to be there with every one of you, managing this, assisting in some way, is overwhelming. I recognize that our experts get on the threshold (or even past) of an awful change in the history of the planet. Many factors will never ever coincide once again after September 11, 2001. Not simply for the thousands as well as 1000s of individuals directly had an effect on by these ghastly acts of terrorism, but possibly for everybody. Our experts will certainly discover ourselves really feeling differently regarding loads of points, consisting of perhaps area expedition, regrettably.It's unpleasant to find smoke putting from injuries in your personal country from such a fantastic vantage point. The duality of performing a space capsule devoted to boosting life on the earth and also watching life being destroyed through such willful, horrible actions is actually jolting to the subconscious, regardless of that you are. And also the know-how that every little thing will be actually different than when we launched due to the opportunity we land is actually a little disconcerting. I have confidence in our nation and in our management that our experts will definitely carry out every little thing feasible to far better defend her as well as our families, as well as to deliver fair treatment wherefore has been carried out. I possess peace of mind that the really good folks at NASA will perform every little thing essential to continue our mission properly and return us carefully at the correct time. As well as I miss out on each one of you very much. I can not exist along with you in person, and also we have a long way to visit finish our objective, however be specific that my center is with you, as well as know you are in my requests.Submissively, Frank.September 14, 2001 10:49 p.m. An improve to the final character ... Luckily, it is actually been a busy full week up below. And also to prove that, like our nation, our team are actually advancing our intended road with service customarily (as high as possible). Tonight the current enhancement to the station, the Russian Docking Area will certainly be released coming from Baikonur, Kazakhstan. On Saturday night (US opportunity), it will certainly dock with our company, at a slot never made use of just before on the low point side of the Service Element. This brand-new element will certainly give us one more area to dock a Development or even Soyuz as well as will certainly deliver a large airlock with two able to be used hatches for administering EVA's in Russian Orlan matches, which our team will definitely carry out a few of before we come home.The concern just before in taking care of recently was insufficient updates. The trouble now is way too much. It came simultaneously when email was restored, and there's not enough opportunity to review it all! Plus it is actually as well challenging to deal with all of it immediately. Yet I enjoy obtaining it, and also I definitely value the excellent letters of help as well as companionship I am actually acquiring.Our experts are actually flourishing aboard, getting our job performed, and referring to things. Last night our company had a long conversation over dinner regarding the importance of these events, the feasible activities to comply with, as well as what should be performed. After supper, Michael made a point of telling me that every email he got from close friends in Russia said exclusively to tell me exactly how sorry they were actually that this happened, prolonging their acknowledgements, as well as asking how I was actually doing. Vladimir instructed me the Russian word for "acknowledgements" after talking with the previous CDR, Yuri Usachev, on the phone in Celebrity Area. (Both the Russian and the English phrases are considerably too lengthy to verbalize effortlessly.) Quite type individuals.For the final pair of times, the Russian MCC has actually been good enough to broadcast live broadcasts of radio headlines concerning the event as well as associated tales, to ensure I was well educated. Every specialist who has come on the line to go over a treatment or a problem has at some aspect extended introductions to me along with kind terms. Tonight the Russian capcom told us that as a result of the special day of recognition in the US, all day people had actually been actually bringing flowers and lining all the wall surfaces of the US consular office in Moscow, as well as this night they were actually igniting candlesticks in the street outside the consulate. Just how the globe has modified.Individuals all over seem to recognize the senselessness and also scary within this attack. And the incredible reduction. Moscow has coped with these sort of issues in the last handful of years with condo as well as train battles, so they are as distressed to get rid of this danger as our experts are. However all-time low line is that there are actually really good people all over who desire to stay in peace. I read through that a little one talked to, "United States is thus really good to various other countries, our experts consistently assist everyone, exactly how can they hate our team so much?".I hope the instance of cooperation and also trust that this space capsule plus all the people in the course demonstrate daily are going to one day encourage the remainder of the planet to work the same way. They must!Regrettably, our team will not be flighting over the US during the time individuals are actually lighting candlesticks. Don't understand if our company can observe that in any case. Our company carried out, nevertheless, see an extremely unique as well as gorgeous attraction a couple of minutes ago: the launch of our Docking Compartment on a Soyuz enhancer. Our company were actually overtaking it and also it emerged regarding three moments after its own launch from Baikonur as the sunlight hit our terminal, so it was actually still unaware. It resembled a big comet along with a right, broad rear silhouetted against the darker world under. Even with some bad lighting for some time as the sunshine attacked our window at a reduced viewpoint, I handled some video of it as first our experts passed the spacecraft, and afterwards watched it start to mesmerize as it got height and also speed. I recorded up until primary motor cutoff and also enhancer separation happened just like we moved toward dawn on the Himalayas. A remarkable attraction in an extraordinary week ...Life goes on, even in space. Our team're below to keep ... Frank.