D R A F T
The purpose of this article is to upload specific audio clips from the Commission Staff interview with Steve Marra, Andrews Tower. The interview was recorded and archived by NARA. NARA provided the audio file to me.
The interview was conducted by Miles Kara, Kevin Shaefer, and Lisa Sullivan on Mar 11, 2004. I was the lead on this interview. 09110016 Marra Introduction
Marra was working Approach Control during the World Trade Center events and thought he was in the Tower when the Pentagon was hit, as tower supervisor. Staff went over the logs with him and determined that David Maddox and Roosevelt Thompson were switching off as tower supervisor. Marra had gone upstairs to help and was manning the telephone. Both Maddox and Thompson, according to Marra, were then working at Potomac TRACON. 09110124 Maddox and Thompson
Marra did not believe the Secret Service manned its position at Andrews Tower that morning. 09110410 Marra no Secret Service
Concerning the direction to scramble the F-16s at Andrews, Marra was certain that the call came from Karen Pontius at FAA Headquarters and perhaps through her from a person, unidentified, sitting in front of her. He recalled the time to be right after the Pentagon was hit. 09110459 Marra Pontius Scramble Order 09110703 Marra Unknown Person
According to Marra the announcement that was made on ATIS (Automated Terminal Information System) was made by David Maddox. Someone in FAA or the Air Force gave him the direction. There was no precedence for that announcement and the words were likely crafted by Maddox, based on direction given to him. 09110901Marra The Maddox Announcement
Marra distinguished the three specific Air Force entities at issue, the 113th (DC Guard), Base Operations, and the Command Post. The Post, according to Marra was part of the 89th Wing (Presidential support). The 89th Command Post ran the base, according to Marra. 09111036 Marra 3 Air Force entities at Andrews
Marra was asked a global question as to whether there was anything else we needed to know that we had not asked about. 09111157 Marra Catchall Question