NYC-WTC_000174805

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document F

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Armed Forces Institute of Pathology I ^11-J Vol. 159, No. 5 Washington, DC 20306-6000 October 2001

Operation Noble Eagle: AFIP Responds to September 11*^ Pentagon Terrorist Attacks by Christopher C. Kelly AFIP Public Affairs Director multidisciplinary team of over 50 AFB (Delaware) Port Mortuary to identify the 188 forensic specialists, scientists, and support victims of the attack. “Our staff represented every personnel from the Armed Forces Institute branch of the service,” said AFIP Director Glenn of Pathology (AFIP) played a major role in one of N. Wagner, CAPT, MC, USN, who served as the the most comprehensive forensic investigations in senior officer during the operation. “We also US history following the September 11, 2001 received tremendous support from the doctors, terrorist attack at the Pentagon. Code named nurses, and technicians stationed at Dover who Operation Noble Eagle, AFIP’s team of forensic participated in the investigation.” pathologists, odontologists, a forensic anthropolo­ The investigation mobilized AFIP assets in gist, DNA experts, investigators, and support many ways. In the hours following the crash of personnel worked for over 2 weeks at the Dover American Airlines Flight 77 into the Pentagon, the acting Armed Forces Medical Examiner, AbuBakr AFIP Director Glenn N. Wagner, CAPT, MC, USA/ (center) describes the forensic Marzouk, Col, USAF, MC, worked with FBI and investigations taking place in the morgue during Operation Noble Eagle to the Army local Virginia law enforcement officials to create Surgeon General, James B. Peake, LTG, MC, USA. Looking on are Florabel G. Mullick, an effective plan for recovering and identifying the MD, SES, ScD, AFIP Principal Deputy Director and Col Joe DrobezKo, the 436th Support victims. At the same time, personnel from the Group Commander, Dover AFB. On the far right facing the autopsy table i.s Andrew Baker, Maj, USAF, MC, chief deputy medical examiner. Also at the table is Tom Holland (in the Office of the Armed Forces Medical Examiner beard), a forensic anthropologist from the Anny's Central Identification Laboratory, Hawaii (OAFME) positioned and staged equipment to (CILHI). begin operations at Dover. Bruce Ensign, Maj, USAF, MC, served as AFIP’s team leader at the site. “We immediately called in regional medical M examiners from as far away as San Diego to participate,” he said. A total of 12 forensic patholo­ gists, assisted by two AFIP staff pathologists,

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5 headed the OAFME investigation team. Also arriving at Dover during those early critical hours were two other key AFIP groups; forensic scientists from OAFME’s Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) and oral - pathologists from the Department of Oral and iO Maxillofacial Pathology. AFDIL scientists ensured that data systems and records were available to make DNA identifications, while the oral pathol­ I ogy group created a triage area to conduct positive dental identifications. Contacts were also made with family services personnel in each branch of ! 1 Noble Eagle, to page 11

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