Remembering 9/11: John Howard’s ‘forgotten story’

For 25 years, the focus of stories on 9/11 has been on New York – and rightly so.

But former Prime Minister John Howard has revealed what it was like to witness the moment terror arrived that day in Washington, DC.

It is, in many ways, the forgotten story.

“I saw it as an attack on the way of life that we held dear,” Howard told A Current Affair.

The then-prime minister’s 2001 trip to the US capital was a chance for him to meet newly-elected President George W Bush, celebrating 50 years of strong military ties.

Also there was Nine Canberra’s chief cameraman Mark Jessop and political reporter Nigel Blunden.

For the first time, the three men have come together to talk about the day that changed the world - and their lives - and unveiled footage the public has never seen.

An ordinary day

September 11, 2001 started as an ordinary - perhaps even a dull day for the PM.

He had a business lunch, wreath laying and a press conference scheduled.

Back in his hotel, Howard’s media advisor came to his room to tell him a plane had flown into the World Trade Centre.

“I said, ‘Oh gee, that’s a pity’, and that was it,” Howard said.

“About 10 minutes later, he was back banging on the door. ‘Turn on your television’, he said, ‘Another plane’s hit the tower’, and we both then knew it was no accident.”

Howard acknowledged the attack during his press conference, with no idea a plane was about to hit the Pentagon.

Camera operator Mark Jessop had gone outside to prepare to film the prime minister leaving the hotel when he noticed the Pentagon was on fire.

“And that’s when we realised that an attack that was three hours away is now on our door,” he said.

There were fears the White House could be targeted next, and their hotel backed right onto it.

“I immediately said, ‘Where’s Janette?’”

Howard’s wife Janette and son Tim were on their way to see the Pentagon when the plane struck.

“They were sort of stopped and an American local said to some other American serviceman, ‘I’ve got the Mrs of Australia with me. What do I do with her?’ And they said, ‘We take her to the bunker’.”

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Howard had also been scheduled to visit the Pentagon that morning, but a change in plans meant he went the previous day instead.

He said he doesn’t think about those “sliding doors” moments.

“Maybe one just doesn’t. One just accepts it … I was just very grateful to see Tim and Janette again.”

Capturing the chaos

Phone lines were down and it was mayhem outside.

Jessop hit the streets and started filming.

“There was just commotion,” he said.

“The security around the White House was kind of shoving people away. As I got around on the lawns, you saw guns going on top of the White House.“

Nigel Blunden followed the prime minister and said he went straight into “reporter mode”.

“I need to now evade the hotel staff who are trying to put me in the basement to get out onto the street to somehow find my way to the embassy where the PM’s being taken so I can cover the story,” he said.

Howard went to a bunker under the embassy, where he held a news conference and said: “We will support actions [the American people] take to properly retaliate in relation to these acts of bastardry.”

Howard admits he wouldn’t normally use that kind of language, but it’s what people needed to hear.

“They didn’t want a blithering, hysterical prime minister. The last thing they wanted was that.”

Mission impossible

After appearing in the US Congress the following day to show his support, the prime minister knew he had to be back home.

The challenge?

“Every single flight anywhere in America had been grounded by order of the president ... it was very eerie,” Howard said.

Howard was able to take Air Force Two from Washington to Hawaii, where he was picked up by a Qantas flight.

“I felt a bit guilty [for leaving] but ... your job is to be back.”

Jessop and Blunden’s jobs, however, were to stay and continue telling stories from the ground in Washington and, two days later, Ground Zero in New York.

“It was two weeks of sadness, basically,” a tearful Jessop said.

A lasting impact

The impact of that day is still felt by Howard, Jessop and Blunden 25 years on.

“It changed my life in many ways - in the way I think of other people, in the way I think of the world ... [it] opened my eyes to what people are capable of, both good and bad,” Blunden said.

“I was glad to be there to cover such an enormous event,” Jessop said.

“I think I’ve got a strong bond with the American people because we were there for that and especially covering New York.“

For Howard, being in the US the day the world changed was a “privilege”.

“My ultimate responsibility was to influence, control and lead the Australian response, and gee it was impressive,” Howard said.

“It reminded me that when the chips are down, [Australia] is the best country in the world.”