NYC-WTC_000174805

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

AFIP Letter / Vol. 159. No. 5 / October 2001 3

Operation Noble Eagle: Museum experts respond to Pennsylvania crash

O n behalf of the staff and 'volunteers at the National Museum of Health T, Ihe final terrorist event of September 11 was the crash of United Airlines Flight 93. The Boeing 757, carrying 38 passengers and a crew of 7, departed MH iS!

Newark International Airport at 8:01 a.m. and Medicine of the Armed Sb t and headed for San Francisco. After Forces Institute of Pathology, I crossing into Ohio, terrorists apparently would like to share our deep sadness over the abrupt and took control of the plane and redirected III the. flight back into Pennsylvania. tragic losses endured in the Using cell phones and onboard recent terrorist activities at the airfones, the hijacked passengers learned Pentagon, in New York, and in of the earlier crashes at the World Trade Pennsylvania. We extend our most Center and the Pentagon. After a struggle heartfelt sympathies to the between the passengers and the terrorist.s families, friends, and colleagues for control of the plane, it crashed into an of the victims. But, we are proud abandoned strip mine in Somerset County, to be part of an organization that Pa, shortly after 10 a.ni. All aboard v/ere can and does respond to these killed. unique challenges to our nation. On September 13, Paul Sledzik, curator The following article describes of Anatomical Collections at the National ''4 some of the Museum’s contribu­ SB Museum of Health and Medicine of the tions. We do this as a museum Paul Sledzik and Lenore Barbian, PhD, review Armed Forces Institute of Pathology with personnel of exceptional museum documents. (AFIP), was a.sked by the US Department talents and backgrounds. We also of Health and Human Service’,s Office of justice. respond as a component of the Emergency Preparednes,s to command the The DMORT team organized a morgue, Armed Forces Institute of Pathol­ Region III Disaster Mortuary Operational set up the morgue operation, interviewed ogy, which provided forensic Response Team (DMORT) in providing victim’s families, and collected antemor­ specialty services, under the victim identification services for the UA tem and postmortem information. The leadership of the Institute Direc­ Flight 93 crash. Sledzik has been team morgue facility wa.s located in the National tor, Captain Glenn N. Wagner, commander of Region III DMORT since Guard Armory outside Somerset, Pa. With MC, USN, at the Dover Air Force 1997. the FBI as the lead agency in the investiga­ Base Port Mortuary. Dr. Wagner A.S part of the National Disaster tion, acces.s to the morgue was strictly assembled a team including Medical System, DMORT i.s composed of controlled. civilians and members of every private citizens and federal employees Sledzik view.s the combined DMORT branch of service to perform who are asked to provide forensic, and AFIP response to such incidents a.s a forensic pathology, forensic mortuary, and family support service.s great benefit to the families of those killed odontology, anthropology, following disasters. The teams (there are in disasters. As part of a package of photographic work, and DNA 10 throughout the nation) are made up of federal resources, DMORT and AFIP have service for the individuals killed at forensic scientists, medicolegal inve.stiga- worked together in previous incidents, the Pentagon. Their experiences, tors, mortuary officers, logistic.s and particularly in the area of DNA identifica­ in turn, become part of the administrative support personnel, and tion. collective memory of the Institute, others. “In my estimation, the AFIP managed to be documented by the In addition to Sledzik, Lenore Barbian, two of the three incidents following the Museum for lasting value to our PhD, the assistant curator of Anatomical September 11 attacks: the Pentagon crash nation and to the world. Collections at the Museum and a DMORT and the Somerset crash. My AFIP creden­ Dr. Adrianne Noe team member, was also asked to respond. tials opened more doors during the Director Barbian and Sledzik spent the next 2 activation than my DMORT association. NationalMuseum of Health and weeks in Somerset, Pa. The main focus of Medicolegal disaster responders respect Medicine of the AFIP their work was to support the local coroner the AFIP name,” Sledzik satd. in identifying the victims of the crash and In fact, the Office of the Armed Forces to aid the FBI in collecting evidence to be Medical Examiner provided forensic used when the terrorists are brought to Musmm to page 14

CITY_21MC100_012564821

NYC-WTC_000174807