On the night of September 11, 2012, at Aviano Air Base in northeastern Italy, an American squadron rushed to the air field and waited for further orders to launch, in order to save the lives of fellow Americans who were under a terrorist attack several hundred miles away, in Benghazi, Libya.

They waited for – expected – an order from the top that never came, and four Americans died.

This is the report given to Fox News by one of the squadron members present that night:

“There were people everywhere. That flight line was full of people, and we were all ready to go” to Benghazi, he said.

Only they were waiting for the order. It never came.

“The whole night we were told that we are waiting on a call,” he told Fox News.

It has been four years since the attack that killed Navy SEALs, Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty, as well as U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens, and information officer, Sean Smith.

The source who spoke with Fox News insisted that the reports from official sources, such as the State Department Accountability Review Board and a timeline provided by the military, were inaccurate, and that his squadron could have made it to Benghazi within a three hour window, at least in time to defend against the second mortar attack (which ultimately killed Woods and Doherty).

“We could have been there. That’s the worst part,” the source said.

The source who spoke with Fox News challenged the military claim that a re-fueling tanker wasn’t available. He said American jets routinely refuel by using what’s called a “hot pit maneuver,” which allows the jets to land and then get fuel without shutting off the engines.

Multiple sources say there were multiple locations available the night of the attack.

A former team sergeant for an anti-terror quick reaction force, by the name of Mike, was present at Delta Force headquarters on that night, monitoring the events. He insists that there were hours and hours of time to “do something,” and that forces were ready to go, but were shut down by policymakers, not military leaders.

Despite the claim by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the State Department that nothing more could have been done, a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit recently revealed that Department of Defense Chief of Staff Jeremy Bash immediately offered assistance to the State Department on the night of Sept. 11, saying forces could move to Benghazi and “they are spinning up as we speak.”

Mike echoed that: “I know everything was spun up and nothing was done.”

He added: “At our level, we were doing everything we were supposed to be doing. At everybody else’s level above us, it was political.”

While political red tape tied the hands of the military on that night, it continues to tie the hands of those seeking answers.

Democrats have called the House investigation on Benghazi, led by committee Chairman Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) a waste of time and money.

Gowdy says they have new information, but still are struggling to gain access to witnesses.

“It’s been very frustrating,” Gowdy told Fox News.

In response to Fox News’ reporting, he also issued a statement saying it is “deeply troubling there are individuals who would like to share their stories, but have not because they are afraid of retaliation from their superiors.”

Something tells me that had a Republican president and Secretary of State been in place on that night, the Democrats would be falling all over themselves to get answers for the families of the slain.

Then again, had Republicans been in place that night, the military would have been given clearance to do their jobs.