South Carolina ETV and Public Radio (SCETV) will premiere Remembering 9/11: South Carolina Reflects on Sept. 10 at 8 p.m. on ETV, commemorating 25 years since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and exploring the lasting impact of that day through the experiences of South Carolinians.
The documentary special brings together personal accounts from South Carolinians who witnessed, covered or were directly affected by the events of Sept. 11. Through firsthand reflections, the program examines how the attacks in New York City, at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and in Pennsylvania changed lives and left a lasting mark on communities across South Carolina and the world.
Among those featured is South Carolina native Frank Lee Culbertson Jr., (Capt, USN, Ret.) is an American former naval officer and aviator, test pilot, aerospace engineer, NASA astronaut, who had a unique perspective on the attacks as the only American citizen not on Earth on Sept. 11, 2001. As commander of the International Space Station, Culbertson captured video from space showing smoke rising above Manhattan in the aftermath of the attacks. He later learned that his friend, Capt. Charles “Chic” Burlingame, was among those killed.
Former WIS News 10 senior and investigative reporter Jack Kuenzie reflects on providing live coverage from Columbia Metropolitan Airport as South Carolina National Guard members arrived to secure the airport, while retired commercial airline pilot Capt. Marx Davis discusses how Sept. 11 changed air travel for passengers and pilots. Davis also shares the personal impact of losing a pilot friend in the crash in Pennsylvania. LTC (Ret.) Ernest Irick was working in the Pentagon as an action officer for the Army Operations Center when a hijacked passenger plane struck the building.
Columbia Fire Chief Aubrey Jenkins, who was serving as a battalion chief in Columbia at the time of the attacks, recalls his experience that day and reflects on the response of South Carolinians, including students who raised money to purchase a new fire truck for the New York Fire Department. Retired longtime Live 5 News (WCSC) anchor Debi Chard also shares her perspective from the newsroom in Charleston, where South Carolina’s strong military presence brought an added sense of urgency and concern to coverage of the unfolding events.
The documentary also includes a remembrance of Joseph John Pycior Jr., a 1984 graduate of The Citadel who was killed at the Pentagon on Sept. 11. His name is engraved at The Citadel’s War Memorial in Charleston, providing a lasting reminder of the South Carolinians whose lives were lost that day.
“Voices Collected,” SCETV’s community storytelling initiative, will also invite South Carolinians to share personal reflections and memories connected to Sept. 11. The initiative provides an opportunity for individuals to share their experiences through audio, video or written submissions. Collected stories may be curated for use in broadcasts, podcasts, social media and educational materials. Submissions may be shared online through the SCETV website.
Through these personal accounts, Remembering 9/11: South Carolina Reflects offers an opportunity to remember those who were lost, reflect on the experiences of those who lived through the events and consider how the legacy of Sept. 11 continues to shape South Carolina and the world 25 years later.
Remembering 9/11: South Carolina Reflects premieres Sept. 10 at 8 p.m. on ETV and reairs immediately after on ETV World at 8:30 p.m. Viewers can also stream the program at SCETV.org, PBS.org and through the SCETV and the PBS apps.