Maj. Gen. David F. Wherley Jr. assumed major role in guarding post-9/11 D.C.
Two York County natives, Maj. Gen. David F. Wherley Jr., pictured here, and his wife, Ann, were killed in this week’s Washington, D.C., metro crash. Background posts: All York County celebrities posts from the start and All York County people posts and All York County war posts.
The collision of two Metro trains in Washington, D.C., this week claimed the lives of two former York countians, Maj. Gen. David F. Wherley Jr and his wife, Ann.
They graduated from York Catholic High School in 1965.
A York Daily Record story (6/24/09) reported that David Wherley, retired commanding general of the D.C. National Guard, was a prominent official after the 9/11/01 terrorist attacks.
“He dispatched planes in the airspace over Washington, D.C., armed with live ammunition, according to his brother, Clark Wherley of York,” the newspaper reported… .
Clark Wherley told the newspaper about his thoughts while hearing his brother give a speech in his hometown New Freedom, particularly the sheer magnitude of his brother’s responsibility immediately after those 9/11 attacks.
“It literally became a 24-7 job,” Clark Wherley said. “When that happened, I think the realization from everybody not only in the government but also in the military was that they had to have a strategic plan to safeguard the country. He was part of the process to develop a plan.”
Maj. Gen. Wherley comes in a long line of York countians who have willingly and ably assumed major military positions since Col.Thomas Hartley, Henry Miller and others served in the American Revolution.
The following posts tell of several who have faithfully served just in recent years:
– Former member of Gitmo command staff hails from York County. Please click here.
– Naval Reserve officer, a York High grad, to become admiral. Click here.
– York native captains new carrier USS Bush. Click here.
– York native soldiers through tragedy. Click here.
Posts of others who served in past wars:
– Book gives positive view about forgotten general Jake Devers.
– York has produced its share of high-ranking naval officers.
– Pioneering aviator Aline Rhonie another York native who made U.S. headlines.
– York County sacrificed on homefront and war front to aid Allies in World War II.
– Great War hero and pneumonia victim Jeannette Zinn of York: ‘She made the supreme sacrifice’.
– Nazis murdered downed WWII airman from York
– Meditate on these names of brave York countians who paid ultimate price in Vietnam War
