On Sept. 11, 2001, at approximately 8:45 a.m. on a clear Tuesday morning, an American Airlines Boeing 767 loaded with 20,000 gallons of jet fuel crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City.

That same morning, now Logistics Specialist 2nd Class Johnny Janica, was sitting in his 7th grade class just over 20 miles away in Paterson, New Jersey. His school principal came over the school's intercom system and announced there had been an attack on the World Trade Center. School was canceled and parents were notified.

As Janica and the rest of students and faculty members left the school grounds, he looked around puzzled, unaware of the tragic situation not far away making its way into his history book.

"I just remember being shocked and in disbelief when I realized the towers were actually gone and consumed with smoke," said Janica. "My brother, Marlon, and I walked back home as quickly as possible. As soon as we got home I just remember my mother being frantic trying to figure out where my brother, Hugo, was."

Hugo worked for a company that was contracted, from time to time, to go over to the towers and work.

"We couldn't get a hold of him so we thought the worst," Janica said. "It wasn't until later that night that we discovered Hugo had been at home with his family and everyone was safe. My immediate family was safe so that was a big relief after a whole day of stressing out and worrying."

In the weeks following the attack on the World Trade Center, Janica said he remembers a lot of people enlisting in the military and volunteering at Ground Zero.

"I played traveling soccer in Jersey for the Clifton Stallions, and I remember my coach and his brother going out to volunteer at Ground Zero," said Janica. "I remember being so proud of them and thinking, wow; I wish I could go help with them. It was eye opening. I was too young to volunteer anywhere. I stayed home, watching the news, in constant fear that in any moment something could happen. I just had to trust that the military was out there doing their job."

Janica said the series of tragic events and the heroism it birthed made a great impression on him and led to his decision to join the Navy.

"I think everyone has that moment in their life when they realize what it is they are going to do," said Janica. "Mine occurred surrounding the events of the attack on the World Trade Center. I realized that I wanted to help people whenever tragedies like this happened. I knew from that moment on I would be in a public service, whether as a DOD employee, a servicemember, a police officer or a fire fighter. I just so happened to talk to a Navy recruiter and he made traveling the world sound amazing, and it has been a great ride so far. If I hadn't talked to that recruiter I know I would have joined another service or a public service."

Janica said he will always remember the World Trade Center and how the attack united the nation.

"Going to school, we always looked at the New York skyline and it was truly beautiful," said Janica. "The biggest take away for me was when this tragedy happened, we saw the country unite. As Americans, we may disagree on things, but through it all, we're proud to be Americans and we love our country."

Janica now serves aboard Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Shoup (DDG 86). Shoup is currently deployed to the 5th Fleet area of operations with the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group.

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