11/07/2025
Local Chamber of Commerce Honors First Responders with Extraordinary Speaker
By Ruth Ann Ruiz
The Post Newspaper Features Editor
Wednesday was the Texas City-La Marque Chamber of Commerce (TCLMCC) Annual First Responder's Luncheon. Cory Moss opened the luncheon, and Peter Wuenschel provided an opening prayer. The tradition of pledging allegiance to our nation's flag and to the Texas flag was led by Texas Rep. Terri Leo-Wilson.
Tim Culp, CEO of the TCLMCC, honored the first responders who have worked tirelessly in the Guadalupe River flood and called for a moment of silence to honor and pray for those who have lost their lives to the flood and their surviving loved ones.
Then the luncheon continued with honoring Texas City and La Marque first responders. The firefighters, police officers, and EMS teams representing both cities were asked to stand. As they rose, the audience applauded.
A meal was part of the event, and soothing music was provided by the husband-and-wife duo known as the Peace Project.
The annual event flowed smoothly, setting the stage for the highly anticipated guest speaker, who had spent time greeting and speaking with many guests, both first responders and civilians.
Retired U.S. Marine Lt. Col. Robert Darling came to the stage accompanied by a standing ovation. As he began to speak, the room grew quiet. The audience fixed on his voice, which was that of one who had experienced leadership under pressure. There was no hesitancy in his delivery, nor was there a sense of urgency—he was in charge—he held his audience in suspense as they waited for each word.
The first part of Darling's career had been one few have the chance to experience. He was a Marine helicopter pilot. The highlight of his career as a pilot came when he was appointed to serve as a Marine One pilot. He was tasked with flying President Bill Clinton.
"I didn't know if I was going to like the job. I had to be on my A game, dress up, and no f-bomb," shared Darling with an audience who let out a few laughs of understanding. He went on to describe how Clinton had a way of making him feel like he himself was the president.
Darling's recollections of his years as a Marine One pilot, though they were personally gratifying for him, were not what kept the audience in suspense.
Guests were eager to hear him speak of his role the day the U.S. was under attack, the day many of us remember as 9/11, the day the twin towers in New York City were brought down and the Pentagon in Washington D.C. was severely damaged by terrorists.
Before Darling spoke of his role, he reminded everyone of the acts of bravery that the New York City first responders had committed on that day when they rushed into the danger.
All eyes were drilled on him. Guests sat on the edges of their chairs taking in every word he spoke and waiting for his next as he began detailing each moment of the terrifying day of September 11, 2001.
On that day, Darling was serving in the White House as an Airlift Operations Specialist. His rank was that of major, and his duties were to coordinate presidential air trips and all the logistics involved in transporting the president of the United States.
Darling assured the audience that the U.S. President is the most secure president in the world. Listening to him speak, I felt a greater sense of national security than I have felt in a long time.
He spoke of our nation's decision-makers, who have been trained to make decisions under pressure. And on that day, decisions needed to be made within a matter of minutes, if not seconds, to secure both our nation and our president.
The White House was ordered to be evacuated, and Darling headed for the underground bunker where he had thought he would be working on safety plans and logistics for the President. Instead, he was asked to answer the phones.
The first call he took, he heard, "Major, we have another hijacked aircraft."
This aircraft was south of Pittsburgh and heading towards Washington. The aircraft, according to Darling, was not communicating with anyone on the ground.
Darling stood inches away from Vice President Dick Cheney and conveyed the information to the vice president. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld was lost somewhere in the Pentagon, and decisions needed to be made without his input.
That aircraft came down in a rural area of Pennsylvania, and authorities believe it was the passengers themselves who stormed the cockpit and overtook the terrorists, saving the nation from another attack.
He continued sharing the experiences of that day and the quick decisions that were made inside the bunker. The audience was engaged in listening to each detail, and had he had more time to speak, it seemed the audience would have remained attentive.
Texas City Fire Fighter Brent Black was one of the first responders who attended the luncheon and was attentive during Darling's presentation.
"It reminded me of why I got into this service. Seeing the brave firefighters going into the buildings on 9/11 when I was in first grade," Black shared. "I was at school, and we watched it in our classroom."
Darling's personal firsthand account of serving inside the Presidential Bunker on September 11, 2001, can be read in his book, "24 Hours Inside the Presidential Bunker: 9-11-01: The White House."
Though he has had a career and accomplishments that few will ever experience, Darling came across as an approachable individual. He reflected the responsibilities and training of a United States Marine officer, which include maintaining a sense of humility and compassion along with a commanding voice.
