POTSDAM, New York (WWNY) – A Norwood native once stood face-to-face with alleged planners of the 9/11 attacks. Now he passes the torch to a younger generation of soldiers – some not even born when 9/11 happened.
What would you do if you came face-to-face with an alleged planner of the 9/11 attacks? Major Tobias Clark, a Norwood native, has done that – with several.
“It was definitely eye opening, coming from the north country here and find myself, you know, later on in life, dealing with detainees,” said Clark, Clarkson University military science department chair.
Clark commanded detention facilities at Guantanamo Bay from 2012 to 2015. Like everyone else he had watched the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks in horror a decade before. But at Guantanamo he focused on the mission.
“You know what these people have done in the past, but you have to force yourself not to think about that,” he said. “My job was simply to ensure these detainees stayed detained.”
Now, Clark is passing the torch to U.S. Army ROTC cadets at Clarkson. This weekend they’ll take part in memorial events for those who perished in the 9/11 attacks, as well as the 7,000 military personnel who died since in the war on terror.
“At the end of the day, these cadets may be called upon to do exactly what those 7,000 have done – put their lives on the line to defend freedom and the American way of life,” saod Clark.
Clarkson has a special connection to the 9/11 attacks. Four alumni died at the World Trade Center. The monument made of Trade Center steel memorializes them.
On Friday morning, ROTC cadets along with local police and fire took part in a run around Potsdam, ending at the memorial. On Saturday, the annual ceremony for the entire community will be held at the memorial.
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