Shedding Blood For My Country
(June 28, 2011) |
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| COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. (AFNS - 6/24/2011) -- June 25
marks the 15th anniversary of one of the deadliest terrorist
attacks on U.S. Airmen and coalition forces in Saudi Arabia.
Most people remember or know the event as the "Khobar Towers
bombing." |
Then 1st Lt. Mike Harner smiles for the camera in a hospital bed while recovering from injuries sustained in the bombing of Khobar Towers in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, June 25, 1996. Lt. Col. Mike Harner is now the commander of the 14th Civil Engineering Squadron at Columbus Air Force Base, Miss. (Courtesy photo) |
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For me, this horrific act is an experience that will be forever
etched in my mind and on my body. As I flash back to that time, I
share with you my first-hand account of that devastating day when 19
Airmen were killed and more than 385 were injured.
At the
time, I was a 1st lieutenant stationed at my first duty assignment,
Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo. I had been selected to deploy for 90
days. I was filled with excitement but apprehensive of my first
deployment. When I arrived in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, on June 19, I
was assigned to the 4404th Wing (Provisional) to work as a civil
engineer in support of Operation Southern Watch. This was my first
time in the Middle East and I never imagined that in six days, my
life would almost come to an end.
The initial days in country
were an indoctrination to the culture, climate and battle rhythm of
the installation. The civil engineer squadron was physically located
on the |
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perimeter of the base, in building 131 where most engineers worked
and resided. I arrived around midnight and was ushered from the
flight line, which was five miles away, to the compound. A few hours
later, about at 4:30 a.m., I awoke to morning Muslim prayers and
looked out to realize the compound was adjacent to the city. One of
the prominent landmarks was a huge mosque that was under
construction about quarter mile away. The mosque's parking lot was
finished but no cars were parked there. It was a little alarming to
see my building only 65 feet from this off-base parking lot, but I
tried to put it out of my mind. |
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Throughout the first couple days, to my knowledge, nothing
suspicious had occurred.
June 25 had been a typical
day of 120 degree temperatures, so I waited to exercise
until late evening, after work. The compound was a mile
around the outside perimeter, so I went out with another
engineer for a 3-mile run at 9:30 p.m. After I had finished,
I went back to my room on the 7th floor. My roommates were
still working out on the other side of the base, so I
decided to do my cool down stretching on the small balcony
outside our room.
At approximately 9:55 p.m., less
than five minutes after I stepped onto the balcony, I saw
truck and a car slowly pull into the parking lot. I thought
this was odd so I watched as they drove past me and stopped
at the next building. It was dark out, but I could see the
truck back up to the curb next to the perimeter about one
hundred yards away. Two men got out of the truck and left in
the car.
There was no shooting, no crashing into the
fence, nothing threatening while I stood there watching.
However, something didn't feel right about the situation. I
went inside and debated what to do next. I sat down to
stretch some more in front of a sliding glass door. Within a
minute or two, the loudest explosion I have ever heard went
off. Praise God I had closed the curtains when I came
inside, because I was sitting three feet from the plate
glass door leading to the balcony. Still, glass from the
door exploded into the room and into my body. The whole
event only lasted approximately 15 seconds, but time stood
still during the explosion.
After the explosion my
first instinct was to get out, but I couldn't see due to the
power outage from the explosion and blood running down my
face. I felt my way down the walls of my room and yelled out
of the blown out window for help. At the time no one
responded which made me feel like I was the only survivor
left. Because it was dark and I didn't have anyway to see my
injuries, I sat down in a chair and started praying, "Lord,
I don't know what to do, please help me!" At that instant, a
peace came over me like I'd never felt before and I remember
distinctly knowing it was going to be all right.
I
reached into my clothes cabinet and found a t-shirt to try
and stop the bleeding. I wrapped one shirt around my head to
stop the blood running into my eyes. Then I reached down and
realized my right leg had a huge hole in it, but I felt no
pain so I completed the self-aid on my leg and other parts
of my body.
After I got the bleeding under control I
was able to see light from the city which allowed me to see
a way out. I found the stairwell and heard voices from the
floor above and called to them to come help me. The team
above were explosive ordnance disposal technicians. They did
a phenomenal job of assisting me, including ripping a door
off its hinges and using it to carry me down seven flights
of stairs.
More than 100 engineers were injured in
the blast, but everyone assisted the most critical. With my
extensive wounds, the team took me to the triage area that
was set up outside the base clinic, where I spent over an
hour on the tarmac with a medical attendant named Senior
Airman Cindy Hartsfield. She became an instant friend and we
still maintain contact to this day!
With such a
small clinic, the medical staff did everything they could
do, but the massive injuries from the explosion were
overwhelming. They stabilized me with two IVs and a blanket,
and Airman Hartsfield stayed with me the entire time while
the medics continued to assess and treat the wounded as much
as they were able.
After about an hour, Saudi
ambulances started arriving at the compound and I was taken
to the city's university hospital. I was the first to arrive
from the compound and felt uneasy about being the only
Airman there with no way to understand Arabic and no one
escorting me. So again I prayed and asked God for peace and
protection. He gave me more than I asked for: peace,
protection and an English speaking doctor and staff. I was
assured everything would be all right.
My wounds
were severe enough that after two days in the Saudi
hospital, I was medivaced with 41 other Airmen on a C-141
Starlifter to Landstuhl Army Medical Center, near Ramstein
Air Base, Germany. I was blessed to have my wife, Julie,
arrive just before me. We spent two days there then all the
stabilized patients were transported on the same military
plane to Eglin AFB, Fla., for the memorial service with then
President Bill Clinton, then Air Force Chief of Staff Gen.
Ronald Fogelman, then Air Force Secretary Sheila Widnall and
other senior Department of Defense members.
After
the ceremony, Julie and I were transported back to Whiteman
AFB for convalescent leave and rehabilitation. I was greeted
with a wonderful base welcome as the only Airman from
Whiteman to return immediately from the terrorist attack.
After several months of recovery, General Hawley, the
current commander of Air Combat Command, flew to Whiteman
AFB to present four of us from the base with Purple Hearts.
On the anniversary of this day, I ask that each of
us take a moment to reflect and pray for the families who
lost loved ones during this horrific act as well as for
those who endure the long-term effects of this atrocity. May
we never forget those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for
our great nation. |
By USAF Lt. Col. Michael Harner
14th Civil Engineer Squadron commander
Copyright 2011 | |
Provided by Air Force News Service
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