Army Reserve Command Sgt. Maj. Christopher Whitford grew up in Germany but for years now he, his wife Gloria and his extended family have called New York home. He is assigned to the 310th MP BN, in Uniondale, Long Island and like so many of the Soldiers in his unit Christopher’s life was forever changed on September 11th, 2001.
Service runs deep in Chris’ Family as has served in the Army for over 23 years and he also has a brother who serves in a different capacity as a teacher in NYC. Yet the most indelible effect that September 11th left on Christopher and his family was the loss of his younger brother, Mark, who as a firefighter in NYC, was killed as one of the first responders in downtown Manhattan on September 11th a decade ago.
Here, in his own words, is CSM and NYPD Detective Christopher Whitford’s Sept 11th, from then to now.
A Full Time Warrior & Citizen
“I consider myself a full-time Soldier because we live by the Army values whether we’re on or off duty. As a Command Sergeant Major my job is a full-time job, even though I’ve been a Detective with NYPD almost 17 years. I’m the first one (Police Officer) in the family and I wanted to be able to help people while staying in NY near family.
A Decade Ago
“I worked at the 1st Precinct substation down the road at Washington street. I went to work and got off at 8 that morning and 
put my BDUs on and went to Fort Wadsworth. I was having a cup of coffee with my 1st Sgt. when my father called and said, ‘did you see what happened. A plane hit the World Trade Center.” So we put the tv on just momentarily before the second plane hit the south tower. I turned to my 1st Sgt. and said I need to go. He understood. I had another NCO drive me down to the Staten Island ferry terminal and I boarded the ferry.
At that time the ferry had already closed service to the civilians. Only emergency responders were allowed on to the ferry to get into the city. So I was on the ferry with many firefighers and police officers but I was the only one wearing BDU’s. I went to the front of the boat being that it was over the bay you could see a bird’s eye view of the fireball, the smoke, debris and bodies coming off the building.
We started to proceed to Manhattan and I saw the magnitude of the fireball. To me it was obvious the building wasn’t going to be able to sustain that kind of heat for very long. My father had called me and told me that my brother Mark Whitford had responded to the World Trade Center as well. He was working that evening and was assigned to Engine 23 in midtown Manhattan not far from the David Letterman studios.
I just looked at that fireball and it was just clear that the buildings were not going to be able to sustain that heat for very long. So I turned to one of the fireman standing next to me and I asked him how long before they collapsed. He never answered me. Just his eyes and the expression that he made was enough for me to know that he hadn’t considered that. I looked at it as a police officer. I guess as a firefighter if you look at it like that that the building might have collapsed how could you possibly go in. So I guess maybe they don’t even think of that scenario.
We proceeded from Battery Park up West Street and just north from where I’m sitting now is where I found my brother’s firetruck (See Video of Chris talking about finding his brother’s truck) . I took a look inside and saw that he wasn’t in his truck I knew that he went in with his men. As the chauffer of the truck he didn’t have to go in but Mark wouldn’t have that, he actually went in with his men.
You could only see an arm’s length in front of you the dust was so thick. It wasn’t very hard to lose me but I don’t think that was their intentions. At that point I did link up with another off duty officer and the two of us resumed our search just trying to find somebody alive. The dust was unbelieveable. So the two of us just navigated through the pile of rubble. Everything was just pulverized….We stayed there and regrouped for a few hours and later on that afternoon they divided us up into teams and we went back out. We all had grids and different areas that we had looked for survivors.
A Promise Made
“I had gotten a call on my cell phone. Rene’, Mark’s wife had called me. She asked if I was down there. She told me that Mark called me on his way down there and don’t worry everything I’ll be fine. If anything happens Chris will find me. So she said ‘Find him Chris’, I said I will. I promised her I would find him.
On September 12th throughout the whole day going into the afternoon we continually went around the whole site. Every firefighter we saw we turned them around. Hey have you seen the guys from 23? It was always the same response they either said no or I heard those guys didn’t make it.
We were actually on the Church Street side. Again the next day, 9-12, you still could only see a couple of feet in front of you at the most. A monarch butterfly, a big butterfly, flew directly into my face. I’ll never forget it. I thought about it for a second and I looked up and it was gone. That’s when I had a real pit in my heart. That’s when I was convinced I had found my brother.
I don’t know about all the other firefighters there were five total. But they did recover my brother’s remains on April 5th, which was his birthday. He would have been 31.
Transitioning from Police Officer to Soldier
I knew Mark didn’t make it out I realized that it was turning from a rescue to recovery. I had heard that my unit was quickly putting together a team to augment an active duty MI Bde. The NCOIC detachment contacted me about 10 days after 9-11 you’re one of our best analysts would you like to come with us. It was like walking on eggshells. A lot of my leaders said you sure you want to do this probably my wife would say it wasn’t. For me, that’s one time I will admit I was definitely being selfish.… I needed to be involved in the War on Terrorism and I wasn’t taking no for an answer.
On Oct 5, 2001 I was mobilized at Fort Dix and on Nov 7, 2001 I deployed to Camp Doha, Kuwait as a mission manager with the Predator drone and later got the opportunity to work with 10th Mtn (Infantry Division) in Afghanistan.
The Decade that has Passed and Another Promise
“I’ve made it my mission to make sure that something like this never happens again – that we never ever get caught off guard again. Being an intel analyst in the military I knew I had a special skill set that I could get involved even on the civilian side. NYPD stood up a counter-terrorism bureau post 9-11. We never had anything like that before. So once I heard I knew I was I going to get into that unit, not because I wanted it but because I knew I had the skill set. It took me awhile but I got into it. I made it my mission that there was a reason that Mark didn’t survive that day and there was a reason I did survive that day.
I had just left the site (Trade Center) an hour earlier. This goes through my mind a lot. I realize that had that plane hit an hour earlier I probably wouldn’t have made it out. I think the important thing is how we react to a situation and what we do with ourselves afterwards is the key. I’ve made it my destiny that the United States doesn’t get caught off guard again.
If that means on the Reserve side being forward deployed so we don’t have isolationism we’re actually taking the fight to them so to speak. I understand that . I understand intelligence and how it works. So if that’s necessary, whatever is required of me. As long as I can still fight I’m going to. I’ve pretty much made it my goal now. My wife is probably not too happy about that. Maybe I can do a better job of balancing out work as opposed to family life.
Since 9-11 I made a promise to Gloria that I would never again volunteer for a deployment. If my number comes up and I need to go, I’ll go. But you have my word, I’ll never again volunteer. That’s exactly what happened the first time. I did volunteer.
There is no greater honor. I’m just so fortunate to have this skill set to be in the right position at the right time to be able get involved. Fortunately, I’m able to stay involved. It’s the most rewarding experience that any citizen could experience.”
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