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9/11 Pentagon Nurse: 'My Life Prepared Me'
23 May
Summary
- Nurse Patty Horoho led aid efforts at Pentagon on 9/11.
- She treated about 75 injured victims in the initial hours.
- Horoho later became the first female Army Surgeon General.
On the morning of September 11, 2001, Lt. Col. Patty Horoho, an Army nurse, was near the Pentagon when American Airlines Flight 77 impacted the building, just 150 yards from her office. She felt her entire life had been preparation for the moment she witnessed the attack.
Horoho, trained in trauma nursing, quickly took charge, setting up an initial triage area. Over the subsequent 12 hours, she treated approximately 75 people who were burned and injured, many emerging from the smoke and debris. She recalled using an admiral's belt as a tourniquet for IVs.
Her husband, Raymond, also working at the Pentagon, briefly reunited with her amidst the chaos. Later that night, Horoho returned home to find a supportive message from neighbors. Her experiences on 9/11 profoundly shaped her career, leading to her deployment to Afghanistan where she enhanced casualty care.
Horoho later became the first female Army Surgeon General in 2011 and has since retired from the military. She founded a healthcare company and the nonprofit 2ServeTogether. She will be honored for her service on 9/11 during the Memorial Day Concert on PBS on Sunday, May 24. Horoho continues to reflect on the sacrifices made and live each day to the fullest.
