As someone who has spent many hours living in the Aviano alert hangars in the past , I'm calling BS to Gowdy. First, Gowdy does not need to speak to a low ranking maintenance crewmember working on the flightline that night.
Gowdy simply could have requested USAF info/ops logs, etc., on all Aviano alert birds which were clearly available on the night of 9/11. Even if the alert birds were not properly configured, it only takes a few minutes to add Siper Pod, fuel pod, etc.
As far as tanker refueling capability, this info was also available to Gowdy's committee. Even if there were no immediate tankers available (which I doubt), the Aviano birds could have simply performed a hot pit refuel at NAS Sig.
It was a political decision to not launch any aircraft and shame on both the administration for failing to come to aid of our brave men and the GOP for politicalizing this sad event in our nation's history.