Marc H. Sasseville

Marc Henry Sasseville Frontera (born March 23, 1963) is a retired United States Air Force lieutenant general who served as the 12th Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau. He previously served as the commander of the Continental United States North American Aerospace Defense Command Region and concurrently as commander of the First Air Force (Air Forces Northern) from June 2019 to August 2020. Sasseville previously served as commander of the 113th Wing, District of Columbia Air National Guard at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland and was the first Hispanic American to hold the position.

On September 11, 2001, Sasseville was the acting operations group commander under the 113th Wing of the D.C. Air National Guard. He was one of four pilots given the mission of finding United Airlines Flight 93 during the September 11 attacks and destroying it, even if it meant ramming the aircraft. He also served as the Senior Defense Official/Defense Attache, Turkey, United States European Command, Ankara, Turkey.

Early years Sasseville was the oldest of three children born to Yita Frontera Lluch, a native of Yauco, Puerto Rico and Air Force Officer Albert "Al" Sasseville at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, in Ohio. After graduation from high school he was accepted to the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado. On May 29, 1985, he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in International Affairs and a second lieutenant's commission in the Air Force from the academy.

Military career Sasseville was assigned to the Undergraduate Pilot Training program at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi, from 1985 to 1986, where he earned his pilot wings. From 1986 to 1987 he was assigned to the F-16 Replacement Training Unit at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida. He was promoted to first lieutenant on May 29, 1987.

That morning Major Dan Caine, supervisor of flying with the 113th Wing of the D.C. Air National Guard, received a call that the United States Secret Service wanted fighter jets launched over Washington, D.C. Sasseville called Brigadier General David Wherley, the commander of the 113th Wing, to get permission to use their "war-reserve missiles".

The four pilots who were available for the mission, who received authorization to get airborne in their fighter jets, were Sasseville, Lieutenant Heather Penney, Captain Brandon Rasmussen, and Caine.

The mission was to find United Airlines Flight 93 and destroy it, however they could. Since the fighter jets were absent of missiles and packed only with dummy ammunition from a recent training mission, there was only one way to do it and that was by ramming the aircraft. Sasseville flew his aircraft alongside the aircraft of Penney. They agreed that he would take out the cockpit and that she would take the tail. Later, Sasseville explained: "We don't train to bring down airliners. If you just hit the engine, it could still glide and you could guide it to a target."

Post 9/11 In 2003, Sasseville was deployed during Operation Iraqi Freedom and participated in major combat operations as Commander of the 410th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron.

Sasseville's retirement ceremony was held on May 29, 2024.

Personal life Sasseville's wife is a stateside Puerto Rican. They have two children.

Awards and decorations Among Sasseville's military decorations and badges are the following:

Effective dates of promotions + Rank Date Second LieutenantMay 29, 1985 First LieutenantMay 29, 1987 CaptainMay 29, 1989 MajorJanuary 1, 1997 Lieutenant ColonelJanuary 18, 2001 ColonelApril 21, 2005 Brigadier GeneralAugust 3, 2012 Major GeneralJune 22, 2016 Lieutenant GeneralJune 18, 2019