.Editor's Details: The following is actually the text of a letter coming from Trip 3 Leader Frank L. Culbertson (Leader, USN Retired), reflecting on the activities of September 11.September 12, 2001 7:34 p.m.I have not created quite regarding specifics of this particular objective throughout the month I have actually been right here, generally for pair of causes: the initial being actually that there has been actually very little bit of time to accomplish that kind of creating, and also also since I am actually not exactly sure how relaxed I am actually sharing ideas I show to friends and family with the rest of the world.Properly, undoubtedly the world changed today. What I say or even carry out is actually very minor matched up to the significance of what took place to our country today when it was struck through ... by whom? Revolutionaries is actually all we understand, I reckon. Hard to know at whom to guide our anger and fear ...I had only completed a number of jobs this morning, the best time-consuming being actually the physical exams of all staff participants. In a personal discussion observing that, the air travel doctor informed me they were possessing a quite bad time on the ground. I had no concept ...He defined the circumstance to me as absolute best he knew it at ~ 0900 CDT. I was actually dumbfounded, after that frightened. My initial idea was actually that this wasn't a genuine discussion, that I was still listening closely to one of my Tom Clancy strips. It just really did not seem to be achievable on this scale in our nation. I couldn't even picture the details, even before the headlines of more destruction started being available in.Vladimir came fairly swiftly, picking up that something incredibly significant was actually being actually reviewed. I waved Michael in to the module at the same time. They were likewise impressed and stunned. After our team signed off, I attempted to explain to Vladimir and also Michael as ideal I could the potential immensity of the act of fear in midtown New york and also at the Government. They accurately knew and were actually quite supportive.I eyed the Planet Map on the personal computer to find where over the world our company were as well as discovered that we were coming southeast out of Canada as well as would be actually skipping New England in a couple of moments. I whized around the terminal till I discovered a home window that will offer me a sight of NYC and grabbed the nearest video camera. It took place to be a video camera, as well as I was actually looking southern from the window of Michael's cabin.The smoke cigarettes appeared to have an odd flower to it at the bottom of the pillar that was actually streaming south of the metropolitan area. After reading among the news articles our experts only received, I feel our company were actually taking a look at NY around the time of, or not long after, the failure of the 2nd high rise. Exactly how unpleasant ...I swept the cam the whole time the East Coastline to the south to observe if I might see some other smoke around Washington, or anywhere else, however nothing was visible.It was actually pretty difficult to deal with job afterwards, though our team had some to do, however on the next track our experts moved across the United States additional southern. All three of us were actually functioning one or two electronic cameras to try to obtain perspectives of Nyc or Washington. There was actually fog over Washington, however no details source can be seen. Everything appeared extraordinary coming from two to three hundred kilometers away. I can't imagine the unfortunate scenes on the ground.Besides the mental effect of our country being attacked and lots of our residents as well as maybe some close friends being actually killed, the best mind-boggling emotion being actually where I am actually is just one of solitude.Next time ... I presume the exhaustion as well as mental tension received the most effective of me. I could not keep awake and also remain to create. Today was still difficult, yet we started getting additional details, plus our experts possessed the respect of speaking straight along with the Facility Supervisor, Roy Estess, who ensured our company that the ground crews would remain to operate and also ensure our safety, and also the secure procedure of the Station. Our company also talked to our Administrator, Mr. Goldin, who incorporated that the companions in the Program are all completely devoted to continuing secure procedures as well as help. These were actually certainly never concerns for me. I understand all these people! The ground crews have actually been actually exceptionally supportive, incredibly understanding of the influence of the information, and have actually attempted to become as beneficial as feasible. They have all been actually really expert and centered though I can't picture the distraction of this particular form of updates coming in and the idea that authorities properties might be vulnerable. They never bypassed a beat, even when transferring nerve center. As well as a group of elderly workers and also buddies gave our company a rather detailed briefing about what was known and what was being actually done in the government as well as at NASA on Tuesday afternoon, which was quite useful and also sort of all of them to perform in the middle of all the chaos. The Russian TsUP has likewise been encouraging as well as valuable, making an effort to uplink news articles when our own properties were unusable, and pointing out kind terms ...My crewmates have been actually terrific, as well. They know it is actually been a challenging day for me and the folks on the ground, as well as they've attempted to become as even keeled as well as beneficial as achievable. Michael even fixed me my preferred Borscht soup for dinner. As well as they provide me plenty of room to assume when I needed it. They are extremely thoughtful as well as of course outraged at whoever will do this.I understand a lot of individuals in Washington, plenty of individuals who travel to DC and also New York City, many that are flies, that I really felt sure I would get a minimum of a couple of pieces of trouble over the upcoming handful of days. I got the very first one today when I found out that the Captain of the American Airlines jet that reached the Government was actually Chic Burlingame, a schoolmate of mine. I found Chic during the course of plebe summer when we remained in the D&B together, and also we possessed bunches of courses together. I can not imagine what he needs to of undergone, and also currently I hear that he might possess increased even more than our company can easily also think of by potentially avoiding his airplane from being actually the one to attack the White Residence. What a horrendous reduction, but I ensure Chic was dealing with bravely throughout. And also splits do not move the same precede ...It is actually complicated to describe how it really feels to become the only United States fully off the earth each time such as this. The emotion that I should exist along with each of you, managing this, helping in some way, is difficult. I know that our team are on the limit (or beyond) of a dreadful switch in the past of the world. A lot of factors will definitely never ever be the same again after September 11, 2001. Certainly not merely for the thousands and 1000s of individuals directly impacted by these horrible actions of terrorism, yet possibly for all of us. We will definitely locate ourselves feeling in a different way about loads of things, including possibly room expedition, unfortunately.It is actually awful to find smoke pouring coming from wounds in your very own nation coming from such a wonderful perspective. The duality of being on a space capsule devoted to strengthening daily life on the earth and also enjoying lifestyle being damaged through such intentional, horrible actions is actually jolting to the subconscious, despite who you are. And also the understanding that every thing will certainly be actually different than when our experts released by the time our company land is actually a little disconcerting. I believe in our nation and in our leadership that our company will definitely perform every thing feasible to far better guard her and also our families, and to take fair treatment of what has actually been actually performed. I have peace of mind that the great individuals at NASA are going to carry out whatever necessary to proceed our purpose safely and return us safely at the right time. And I miss all of you significantly. I can not exist with you in person, and our company have a long way to head to finish our mission, yet be actually certain that my soul is along with you, and understand you are in my requests.Humbly, Frank.September 14, 2001 10:49 p.m. An update to the final letter ... Luckily, it's been an occupied full week up right here. And also to confirm that, like our nation, our team are actually advancing our designated pathway with business as usual (as much as possible). Tonight the current add-on to the station, the Russian Docking Chamber will be actually launched coming from Baikonur, Kazakhstan. On Sunday evening (United States opportunity), it will certainly dock with our team, at a port never ever utilized before on the low point edge of the Company Component. This brand new component is going to give us yet another spot to dock an Improvement or Soyuz as well as will definitely deliver a big airlock with pair of useable hatches for administering EVA's in Russian Orlan fits, which we will do a few of prior to our team come home.The problem prior to in handling today was inadequate updates. The problem right now is too much. It came all at once when email was actually rejuvenated, as well as there is actually not enough opportunity to read it all! Plus it is actually too difficult to handle all of it at once. However I value obtaining it, and I definitely enjoy the fantastic characters of assistance as well as friendship I am receiving.Our experts are doing well aboard, receiving our job carried out, as well as discussing points. Last night we had a long dialogue over supper concerning the value of these activities, the feasible actions to comply with, and also what must be actually carried out. After dinner, Michael made a point of informing me that every e-mail he received coming from good friends in Russia pointed out exclusively to inform me exactly how sorry they were actually that this occurred, prolonging their acknowledgements, and also talking to exactly how I was actually doing. Vladimir showed me the Russian term for "acknowledgements" after speaking with the previous CDR, Yuri Usachev, on the phone in Superstar Urban area. (Both the Russian as well as the English words are actually considerably too lengthy to pronounce simply.) Very kind people.For the final two days, the Russian MCC has been good enough to send real-time programs of radio news concerning the celebration and linked accounts, to be sure I was actually effectively updated. Every specialist who has begun the line to go over an operation or even a problem has at some aspect extended greetings to me along with kind phrases. Tonight the Russian capcom informed us that due to the wedding of remembrance in the US, all the time people had actually been carrying flowers as well as edging all the wall structures of the US consular office in Moscow, and this night they were actually lighting candle lights in the street outside the consulate. Exactly how the globe has actually altered.People just about everywhere appear to acknowledge the senselessness and horror in this particular assault. And the significant loss. Moscow has actually taken care of these sort of issues in the last couple of years with apartment as well as subway bombings, so they are as distressed to get rid of this danger as we are actually. However the bottom series is that there are really good folks all over who intend to reside in calmness. I go through that a kid talked to, "The United States is actually thus really good to other countries, we regularly help everyone, just how can they hate our team a lot?".I wish the example of collaboration and also trust fund that this space capsule plus all individuals in the course demonstrate daily will sooner or later motivate the remainder of the globe to work similarly. They must!Unfortunately, our team won't be taking flight over the United States during the time individuals are actually lighting candles. Don't know if our company might see that anyhow. We did, however, find a very uncommon and also lovely sight a couple of minutes ago: the launch of our Docking Chamber on a Soyuz booster. We were surpassing it and it appeared about 3 moments after its launch from Baikonur as the sunshine reached our terminal, so it was actually still in the dark. It seemed like a sizable comet along with a right, large rear silhouetted against the dark earth under. Even with some negative lighting for a while as the sunshine hit our home window at a low angle, I dealt with some video recording of it as initially our company passed the rocket, and afterwards saw it begin to mesmerize as it got altitude as well as velocity. I filmed up until primary engine cutoff and booster separation happened equally our team moved toward dawn on the Himalayas. An extraordinary sight in an unforgettable full week ...Lifestyle goes on, also precede. We're listed below to remain ... Frank.