Memorial Day Tribute and Miracles: Lt. General recalls battlefield triage at the Pentagon

About this episode

The episode features Lt. General Patricia Horoho recounting her experiences during the 9/11 attacks and her contributions to military medicine.

This week we’re highlighting the National Memorial Day Concert, airing Sunday, May 24, 2026, on PBS. One concert segment will focus on the 25th anniversary of 9/11 and will tell the story of Lieutenant General Patricia Horoho, one of the heroes at the Pentagon that day. After joining the U.S. Army, she trained in clinical trauma nursing and was assigned to the Pentagon in August 2001. Moments after terrorists crashed a plane into the heart of the DoD (only 100 yards from her office) she raced to the site and quickly emerged as the experienced leader. Lt. Gen. Horoho shared a vivid look at the battlefield triage that followed and how with only a belt and the supplies in a medic’s backpack, she started an IV and treated her first of 75 wounded patients that day. She also shared how 9/11 was not her only experience respoding to a plane crash. From Afghanistan deployments to becoming the first woman and nurse to serve as the Surgeon General of the United States Army, Lt. Gen. Horoho shares examples of service, sacrifice and true miracles. As our nation celebrates 250 years, we remember all those we have lost, and Horoho’s memories capture the pride of being American and the power of…

People in this episode

Guest: Lieutenant General Patricia Horoho

Topics covered

• Memorial Day
• 9/11
• military service
• trauma nursing
• human connection
• veterans support

Keywords

• Memorial Day
• Lt. General Patricia Horoho
• Pentagon
• 9/11
• trauma nursing
• military service
• veterans

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: U.S. Army, PBS

Places: Pentagon, Afghanistan

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