David F. Wherley Jr., the head of the Washington National Guard who scrambled jets over the city during the 9/11 terrorist attacks, was among those killed in the worst commuter train crash in the city’s history, officials said.
Wherley’s wife, Ann, was also among the nine people killed when a train plowed into the rear of a stopped train during rush hour on June 22, Quintin Peterson, a spokesman for the Metropolitan Police Department, said in a telephone interview. Both were 62 and lived in southeast Washington.
Wherley was commander of the 113th Fighter Wing at Andrews Air Force base in Maryland during the September 2001 terrorist attacks and sent up aircraft with orders to protect the White House and the Capitol, according to the 9/11 Commission report.
He commanded the District of Columbia National Guard from 2003 to 2008, the unit said in a statement.
“I had the opportunity to work with him as he commanded the troops here in D.C. and as he sent them off to war,” Washington Mayor Adrian Fenty said at a news conference yesterday. “He was as fine a public servant and as dedicated to the United States of America and everything that is great about this country as anyone I have ever met.”
The operator of the train, Jeanice McMillan, 42, of Springfield, Virginia, was also killed, according to Angela Gates, a spokeswoman for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.
Others Who Died
The others who died were Mary Doolittle, 59, of northwest Washington; Veronica Dubose, 29, of northwest Washington; Ana Fernandez, 40, of Hyattsville, Maryland; Dennis Hawkins, 64, of southeast Washington; Lavonda King, 23, of northeast Washington and Cameron Williams, 37, whose address wasn’t available, Peterson said.
Wherley established the D.C. National Guard’s Youth Challenge program, according to the guard’s statement. The residential program offers academic instruction, physical training and discipline to young people including high school dropouts, according to its Web site.
“General Wherley was not only the quintessential citizen soldier — he also made valuable contributions to our community,” said Senator Mary Landrieu, a Democrat from Louisiana, according to the guard’s statement. Landrieu said the Youth Challenge program “has changed the lives of thousands of at-risk children in D.C. and around the country.”
Wherley flew T-38 training jets and F-105 Thunderchief and F-4 Phantom combat jets during a military career that began in 1969, according to the guard’s statement. It said he earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Fordham University in New York City in 1969, and a master’s in business administration from the University of Maryland in 1977.
The Wherleys left a son, David, who is a noncommissioned officer in the U.S. Army Golden Knights, a daughter, Betsy, and one grandchild, according to the guard.
To contact the reporters on this story: Ryan Flinn in San Francisco at rflinn@bloomberg.net or Todd Shields in Washington at tshields3@bloomberg.net
a very sad loss..
Why was this retired US Airforce Major General
traveling by train? If the retired General
could not afford a decent car, its not much
of a advertisement for the Military.
I never heard of a US Airforce wing-commander
who enjoys being drooled around by train.
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remember the USS LIBERTY Reply:
June 25th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
he would have been set up asked to come over to meet someone and maybe they took the train . he didnt necessarily die from the impact , it may have been an excuse . the person with him or first responder could deliver a fatal injection. one by one like the kennedy assassination they will die off
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Nothing happenes by accident, there are no coinkydinks,murder and treason abounds!Investigate all suspicious incidents !
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Who will be next of the 911 insider jober witnesses? Let us wait to see…
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Are all those in power, who can see, too afraid to confront evil ?
Now, Im not talking about doing injustices against humanity…Im talking about confronting the evils who inflict injustices against humanity.
The rumor has it, the only way the American people will see what is happening to them, is if the sons and daughters who pledge there life to protecting this country, bring the war on terrorism back home, and confront the real and only enemy…that secret group of people plotting the demise of the Great USA and the people within.
America teaters on a razors edge…on one side, a new birth of good will towards ALL man,
and on the other side, complete oppression on the physical form with eventual mass release of spirits.
Can someone please point me in the direction, of the Home of the Brave?
I want to live there…
I heard a rumor that it exists…maybe its just some ancient fable, read by fathers to there children, when they awake from a nightmare and cant sleep.
And as for those who believe they have better genes than the rest, I say PROVE it.
Your telling me that having a mindset of plotting harm of humanity, raping, pillaging is they go is some form of greatness?
Please, spare me that Complete insanity.
I say bring the troops home…..where they are needed.
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THE GENERALS AND ADMIRALS THAT HAVE ANY SENCE AT ALL HAD BETTER STAND UP NOW BEFOR THEY SUFFER THE SAME FATE!!!!!!!!YOU ARE NEXT!!!!!
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there (over there), they’re (they are), their (their children). Sorry but I see this all the time in otherwise very intelligent comments. It may be just a pet peeve , otherwise I dig what you’re saying.
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Carrot Sr. Reply:
June 27th, 2009 at 10:24 am
Mine is people who don’t punctuate correctly, but I wont point fingers.
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