LAS VEGAS (FOX5) —A Las Vegas valley man who was in fifth grade during the September 11, 2001, attacks says that day inspired him to serve his country.
“And I remember my older brother just yelling all of a sudden. I hear him screaming. He was like, a plane just hit the World Trade center. A plane just hit the World Trade center,” D’Silva said.
“I remember seeing the second plane hitting the second tower and then the flames going up. And I just remember my heart dropping,” said Rudolf D’Silva.
He added, “And then I remember at that point also having at least like the, the idea of, you know what, I do want to join the military and fight back against whatever this force is.”
D’Silva signs up to be a Marine
Around 10 years later D’Silva signed up to be a Marine. He trained in California as a truck driver, delivering supplies to field crews. He also served at Nellis Air Force Base. He tells FOX5 he asked to go overseas to fight, but the opportunity never came.
He says his brother Reece and Reuben also served–and says 9/11 was an influencing factor on them as well.
His brother’s injury in Iraq
D’Silva said his brother Reuben’s deployment was another defining moment that helped solidify his decision to serve.
“He ended up getting deployed to Fallujah, Iraq in 2007. He was sniped in Iraq,” D’Silva said.
Ruben was transferred to a hospital in San Diego to recover from his injuries. D’Silva visited him there and saw other wounded service members.
“I kind of felt like there are men and women in this country that are going out sacrificing themselves in defense of liberties and freedoms in this country. And I have a duty to do that as well,” D’Silva said.
Many World War Two veterans also signed up to fight after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. FOX5 asked Silva what he thinks about that.
“First, I want to say I’m never going to compare myself to a World War II veteran. Those guys are legends among the legends. But I think that I can understand why right after Pearl Harbor and there being an attack on the homeland, they definitely felt that way,” said D’Silva.
He added, “I can only say I have the utmost respect for those men and women who joined the military during World War II. Because if, this is my personal belief, if America and the allies had lost that war, we’d probably be living in a very different world today.”
D’Silva says he served until 2017 but could have been called to be activated until 2019.
Copyright 2026 KVVU. All rights reserved.
