Smoke and flames filled the Pentagon in as John Grote joined a small group trying to reach people trapped in the aftermath.
A short time earlier, American Airlines Flight 77 struck about 150 yards from his office in Arlington, Virginia. It was Sept. 11, 2001. The terrorist attacks that day killed nearly 3,000 people at the Pentagon, the World Trade Center in New York City and in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
Grote made it outside to safety but returned when he heard calls for help.
The major for the Iowa Army National Guard climbed through an opening on the first floor, used a fire extinguisher and helped clear debris to get survivors out.
“I was burned on the top of my head and on the top of my back from jet fuel dripping down on top of us when we were rescuing some people out of the Navy operations center,” Grote said. “Fortunately, my injuries weren't life-threatening.”
Grote later received a Purple Heart for his wounds and the Soldier’s Medal for his rescue efforts. But he never considered what he did that day heroic.
“Everybody always asks me, why did you do it?” Grote said. “My thought has always been, well, I would hope to God that if I was the one stuck in there, somebody else would be trying to dig me out.”
Twenty-five years later, the Sioux City native and Iowa State University graduate still struggles with the memory of those they couldn’t save.
“My regret there, and my survivor's guilt there, is that we could still hear people screaming that we absolutely could not get to,” he said.
Now 65 and living in Wyoming, Grote retired as a colonel in 2015. He plans to attend Friday’s anniversary ceremony at the Pentagon, his first visit back to Arlington in several years.
He remembers the massive crowd that gathered for the first anniversary, when thousands stood on the grounds where the Pentagon Memorial now sits. Since then, he said, the observances have become smaller and largely limited to survivors and victims’ families.
Waiting for justice
Since 2012, Grote has traveled to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, six times to observe pretrial proceedings for the men accused of planning the attacks. He has been named a prosecution witness and could testify when the case goes to trial.
Four defendants — Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Walid bin Attash, Mustafa al-Hawsawi and Ali Abdul Aziz Ali — are scheduled to go on trial in June 2028. The case has faced years of legal disputes and delays.
The wait has been frustrating for Grote.
“My heart of hearts knows that they're eventually going to get through this, sentence these guys, hopefully to death, like they're on trial for," he said. "But I look at it and say, 25 years later, really? It's just incredible to me that it's taken this long."
While in Washington, D.C., this week, Grote plans to meet with members of the prosecution team.
“We’re not looking for closure,” Grote recalled telling reporters years ago. “We’re looking for justice.”
An impact across generations
The 9/11 attacks shaped the lives of Grote’s two sons. Both were in grade school on Sept. 11, 2001, and later joined the military — a decision their father said grew out of that day.
At an anniversary observance, Grote spoke with then-Vice President Joe Biden. One of Grote's son had just returned from Iraq, and the other was headed to Afghanistan.
"Biden talked about the 9/11 generation and told me, 'I don’t think there’s a better example than your family,'” Grote said.
Both sons survived their deployments.
For Grote, reflecting on 9/11 means finding a balance. He tries not to let the attacks define his life. But around the anniversary, he watches documentaries and thinks more about those who were killed and the strangers who rushed into danger alongside him.
“I wasn’t doing anything special,” Grote said. “I just did what I would hope somebody would have done for me.”
