SOFTCOVER EDITION

9-11-01: The White House

After Maj. Robert J. Darling organizes President Bush's trip to Florida on Sept. 10 2001, he believes the next couple of days will be quiet. He has no idea that a war is about to begin. The next day, after terrorists crash airliners into the World Trade Center towers and the Pentagon, Maj. Darling rushes to the president's underground chamber at the White House. There, he takes on the task of liaison between the vice president, national security advisor and the Pentagon. He works directly with the National Command Authority, and he's in the room when Vice President Cheney orders two fighter jets to get airborne in order to shoot down United Flight 93.

Throughout the attacks, Maj. Darling witnesses the unprecedented actions that leaders are taking to defend America. As Vice President Cheney, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and others make decisions at a lightning pace with little or no deliberation, he's there to lend his support. Follow Darling's story as he becomes a Marine Corps aviator and rises through the ranks to play an incredible role in responding to a crisis that changed the world in 24 Hours Inside the President's Bunker: 9-11-01: The White House.

About the Author

Lt. Col. Robert J. Darling retired from the U.S. Marine Corps in September 2007 after more than twenty years of service. He has delivered numerous presentations, including as a guest lecturer on crisis leadership and counterterrorism at the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia and Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government. He is a vice president with Zenetex, LLC, a premier information technology and logistics support services company and lives in Stafford, Virginia with his wife and two sons.