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UNCLASSJFIED
COMMISSION SENSITIVE
MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
Event: GIANT KILLER visit
Type of event: Recorded Interview
Date: Wednesday, December 03,2003
Special Access Issues: None
Prepared by: Miles Kara
TeamNumber: 8
Location: GIANT KILLER
Participants - ATCM Michael John Defeo, theAir Traffic Control Division Officer on 9-
11
I
!
Participants - Commission: Miles Kara, Kevin Shaeffer
Observer - LT Florencio Yuzon, Counsel, OfficeoftheChief of Naval Operations
Note: Please refer totherecorded interview for further details.
Background:
Chief Defeohadjust transferred toGIANT KILLER fromtheUSS Roosevelt. He
had over 20years experience in air traffic control, including instructor time. Hestarted
as theAir Space Chief andthen became theDivision Officer. Hehadnowatch standing
experience atGIANT KILLER. He was incharge ofa62-person division andwas the
. administrative assistant totheOperations Officer.
GIANT KILLER isresponsible for special useair spaceoff theEast Coast--
90,000square miles ofoff-shore space. They areanadvisory control for air activity
involving ships aswell.
Scrambles fromLangley. There areatleast 43-45 letters-of-agreement with
entities up anddown thecoast. Scramble LOA were designed tofacilitate
communication between the facilities that areinvolved. GIANT KILLER does nothave
toomuch involvement intheprocess. Theflight strip isgenerated by thetower-all
designed stereoroutes. Hementioned 090for 60, specifically.
Hewas shown theletter-of-agreement ineffect on 9-11 andreferred staffto a
chart on thewall. They would work todeconflict air spacefor thescrambled aircraft to
ensure safetransit.
NEADS is inoverall charge of scrambled aircraft.
9/11:
COMMISSION SENSITIVE
UNCLASSIFIED
2
UNCLASSIFIED
COMMISSION SENSITIVE
Chief Defeowas attheDoctor's that morning. Heleft thefacility atabout.0835
hrs andlearned atthemedical office that aplanehad hit thefirst tower andontheway
back learned that thesecond tower hadbeen hit. Hewent tothe floor andwas briefed by
the Operations Officer andPetty Office Clipper. Heensured that his positions were
manned andthen stepped back soasnot tointerfere with ongoing activities.
Chief Defeowas shown thescramble order broadcast by NEADS. Heobserved
that therewas noindication ofwhat thescramble was for. There was not enough
information toenter aflight plan inthesystem. Normally the flightwould bevectored to
aspecific point, VFR.
Chief Defeowas then shown areplication ofthe flight strip for theLangley
scramble on 9-11. Hethought thevector andDME were entered togetthe flight out
there sosomeone could head themwhere they needed togo.
Chief Defeoopined that theflight stripdatawas such because Langley Tower
wanted togettheflight out and upquickly sothat HUNTRESS could control them.:Ifthe
leadpilot had asked toturn then GIANT KILLER would have worked toclear theair
space for him. GIANT KILLER cantell anaircraft to"proceed direct." Ifthat was done,
however, they would still havetowork through Washington Center. .
Chief Defeowas asked tolisten toaportion oftheFAA tapetoidentify the
female GIANT KILLER voice. Heidentified thevoice asprobably that ofPetty Officer
Pullen.
COMMISSION SENSITIVE
UNCLASSIFIED
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