Remembering 9/11
 

For all intents and purposes I was on my way to the bank early in the morning to first union bank right off of Prince William Parkway in Dale City VA. While standing in the bank line I got the news...at first they said that a helicopter had crashd into the Pentagon.

I was at home on leave at Birchdale Ave. I was in between duty stations from Ft. Stewart GA. heading to Hanau Germany. At the time my father worked at the Pentagon. I wanted so bad to go back to my unit and deploy with them to Afghanistan,...but I could not. On Sept 18th I flew from BWI to Frankfurt Germany. On the way we passed over NYC. The pilot turned hard right and banked hard left so that we could see ground zero on the left. The smoke was still smoldering from the disaster. I wept...and I swore that from that day forward I would do everything I could to prevent from that happening again...

Re: Remembering 9/11
 

I'll never forget it. I was in 8th grade Language Arts class, Spaugh Middle School. My teacher was told to turn on the TV and bam there it was. Just too many innocent people taken away from their families for no reason. Makes me think of the opening line of Freebird. "If I leave here tomorrow, will you remember me?" And yes we will never forget.

Re: Remembering 9/11
 

I was in 10th grade, some sort of computer class. Most of what I remember that day was sitting in front of TV's all the while going about a normal class schedule. I still remember learning about Osama Bin Laden for the first time. Some people actually fell asleep. We had football practice that day, our coach assured us that while what happened was a horrible tragedy, we still had to go to work. Looking back it was probably the right decision, if for nothing more then to get our minds off what had happened that day.

Coincidently we had friends from the DC area that were stranded in Atlanta thanks to all flights being grounded. Horrible day.

Re: Remembering 9/11
 

Ironic that you would say that EQ. I was sent to the schools to pick up my brothers and sisters from schools that day. Up until that day I had never seen such a massive withdrawling of children from the schools. I took them all home so that we may be together and feel some sense of security.

Re: Remembering 9/11
 

I watched it unfold on a TV in the breakroom where I was working. I was to stunned to even respond.
The events must be happening in a some far off foreign land as they always do, to be dismissed as terrorist violence that would never invade our lives or breach America's shores. Much changed that day.
Forever changed is the skyline of NYC and the hearts of Americans.

Re: Remembering 9/11
 

I was in the 7th grade at a private school about 10 miles from the Pentagon, right off Edsall Road in Springfield. We were sitting in class doing our regular work when a teacher came in and told us that two planes had hit the WTC and another plane had hit the Pentagon. I didn't get to see images of it because we didn't have a tv in class but they sent us home early and I remember watching it on the tv when I got home. I was so pissed about it, being as young as I was (13 years old) I didn't truly understand the impact about it until I got home and saw on the tv.

Re: Remembering 9/11
 

I was living in Colorado at the time, and had just gotten up to get ready for work. Turned on the TV to start the day, and saw it. Stunned and shocked I just sat down. I was also in the midst of a huge personal tragedy and all of that week just blurs, If there was one week I could simply erase from time it would be that one. Eventually I made it to work, where the owner set up the main conference room as a prayer/meditation room. People were in there constantly through the day, with tv's and news reports heard in every office and cubicle.

The most positive thing I remember, was waiting in an hour and half line of people in colorado springs, all of us waiting at a red cross donation center, giving a few dollars, or whatever. The red cross had set up certain collection points and lines stretched out with US citizens waiting to help people they had never seen, never knew. Truly awesome emotional outpouring and support. I am tearing up even as I remember that time.

Re: Remembering 9/11
 

I remember waking up early just before 9 that morning because it was my 21st birthday and I was so psyched for going out that night and living it up. I turned on the tv and saw some news report on espn and knew something was up and then a few minutes later the second plane struck. I remember watching in horror as the events unfolded further with the attack on the Pentagon as I have an uncle who worked there with his office only about 100 or so feet from the area hit. I remember giving my family the biggest hugs possible the next time I saw them especially with a handfull of them being in the military and not knowing if they might be sent out in the near future to find the scum who orchastrated the attacks.

Our country bonded in a way I never imagined and it'll never be the same in our lifetime as far as being at peace and feeling safe because we've been shown that at any moment you never know what could happen. My thoughts and prayers are with anyone who lost someone that day and with those who have lost loved ones in the attempt to bring some semblance of peace and stability back to the world since that day.

Re: Remembering 9/11
 

I was working at CompUSA at the time. Someone came into the back office saying a plane flew into one of the towers. We went out on the floor to see what was going on. I think a bunch of us, customers included, stood there for hours watching everything unfold. We were watching live as the 2nd plane hit, I remember everyone's jaws dropping to the floor and some people started to cry. I just remember feeling like it was the end of the world or something. I mean you guys know how it was, it was just so unbelievable that it almost didn't feel real.

My Dad at the time worked in DC at the Dept of Agriculture so I was very concerned when I couldn't get through to him as all the phone lines were jammed up. (I found out later that day he was out of town on business and ok.)

I think when the towers fell, that's when reality really hit home. Wow, 2 skyscrapers have literally been reduced to rubble. WTF is going on?! Even to this day the footage amazes me. I remember the reports of the jumpers and literally getting sick to my stomach about it.

And I remember the confusion of the day, reports of multiple planes in the air unaccounted for, you were literally just waiting to hear the next report of another plane hitting something. What sticks with me is the bravery and courage of the first responders that day. Those that so unselfishly gave up their lives in order to try to save someone else. I don't think I'll ever look at a policeman or fireman the same. Especially whenever visiting NYC. Those are the true heroes.

Re: Remembering 9/11
 

I woke up at 10ish, went on the computer to check my daily internet sites and then go to class. There was some reference to the both towers being hit and I immediately turned on CNN. They were playing footage of the towers smoking and then heard them the first tower fell, then what seemed like an hour later the second tower fell. I cried that day. I will never forget it.


RIP to those who perished in the attacks.

Re: Remembering 9/11
 

I remember every minute of that day. I was in school at UF at the time and waiting tables on the side. I had classes on Mon, Wed, Fri. 9/11 was a Tuesday. I didn't have to work that day, so I had the whole day off. I was sleeping in, and my phone was just ringing off the hook. All my good friends knew my brother was in school in Manhattan and my family all lived in DC. I kept on ignoring my phone, but then my roommate came bursting into my room. She was in class, and they told all the students to head home and take the rest of the day off. She was like "get out here and look at the TV!!"

I'll never forget when I first saw that tower on fire. And then when the towers fell... That may be the hardest I've ever cried in my life. I was just weeping.

Like CRedskins, I'm getting a little teary just typing this. We will never forget. I can't believe it's been 9 years already.

Re: Remembering 9/11
 

[quote=Mattyk;730925]I was working at CompUSA at the time. Someone came into the back office saying a plane flew into one of the towers. We went out on the floor to see what was going on. I think a bunch of us, customers included, stood there for hours watching everything unfold. We were watching live as the 2nd plane hit, I remember everyone's jaws dropping to the floor and some people started to cry. I just remember feeling like it was the end of the world or something. I mean you guys know how it was, it was just so unbelievable that it almost didn't feel real.

My Dad at the time worked in DC at the Dept of Agriculture so I was very concerned when I couldn't get through to him as all the phone lines were jammed up. (I found out later that day he was out of town on business and ok.)

[B]I think when the towers fell, that's when reality really hit home. Wow, 2 skyscrapers have literally been reduced to rubble. WTF is going on?! Even to this day the footage amazes me. I remember the reports of the jumpers and literally getting sick to my stomach about it. [/B]

And I remember the confusion of the day, reports of multiple planes in the air unaccounted for, you were literally just waiting to hear the next report of another plane hitting something. What sticks with me is the bravery and courage of the first responders that day. Those that so unselfishly gave up their lives in order to try to save someone else. I don't think I'll ever look at a policeman or fireman the same. Especially whenever visiting NYC. Those are the true heroes.[/quote]


Seriously. That was never even a consideration for me when I was watching that day. I mean as it was it was an unfathomable tragedy...but not once (until it happened) did I actually think the towers would fall... just crazy and so sad.

Again, the police, firemen and everyone else... like you said, can't look at them the same....

Re: Remembering 9/11
 

Was working on a bid response in my home office and was on the phone with one of my sub-contractors. He told me to turn on the TV. As soon as I turned it on, I had a terrible feeling this was no random incident and that all our lives were changing right before our eyes. I watched the 2nd plane hit, the footage of the Pentagon disaster, the Towers fall. I went and picked up my son from elementary school, just to be safe.

God Bless all those that were murdered that day and all that have fought and given their lives to keep us safe since. My parents, although they were young, remembered Pearl Harbor and never forgot. It's our duty to never forget 9/11/01.

Re: Remembering 9/11
 

9th grade, I was walking into the locker room to change for PE. One of my teachers had the radio on and we heard all about it. It seemed horrific to me at the time because I couldnt see it, it was all just chaos over the radio. I have family with offices in the Pentagon, quite a long day. They were all safe, but it was certainly a trying day.

Re: Remembering 9/11
 

[url=http://www.theonion.com/articles/making-america-safer,7710/]Making America Safer | The Onion - America's Finest News Source[/url]

ok, not the solemn memorial from theOnion, but still the fear and paranoia that took over for a lot of people is a side effect of that day.

Hard to believe and remember as a kid going with my mom to the airport and just walk straight to the terminal with her and watch the plane take off, no security, that was for Europe. (this was the 70's and early 80's). We would sit at the Dulles observation deck and watch her plane taxi and fly off. Just amazing the different era.

Re: Remembering 9/11
 

10th grade.. English Lit class.. Mrs Leatherwood, the old hag.. another teacher ran in and told us about it. Our teacher told us that it was not class-related and we would not be watching the coverage. Conversely, shortly thereafter we had to list the 5 things most important to us. Many people listed religious things and she said that she saw us in the hallways and there was no way that any of us really held that most closely. She said that there was NO excuse to not have your country as number 1. I was quick to remind her of the incident with the WTC.

Anyways, back to the actual day. I ended up walking out of the class and a few others followed me. We went and sat in on our next class.. right as we were walking in, the first tower fell. We sat there in disbelief watching the smoldering of the other tower. Somehow I knew that the 2nd was going down right when it did. I said, "It's about to collapse" and as the s sound came out, tower 2 fell. It is horrible what happened but we're somewhat fortunate that the death toll was "only" in the 3000s.

Re: Remembering 9/11
 

On 9/11/01 I worked in the Admissions Office at the University of Maryland, my first job out of college. My office was down the hall from our lobby area that had a TV. I remember walking to the bathroom, and seeing a large gathering in front of the TV; thinking it was a campus tour, I ignored it...but when I realized the time (too early for a tour) I went to see what was happening and the realized what was going on. Immediately I ran to my office to call my sister and her husband, who worked in Manhattan, and my NY family. After a while, I was able to find out that they were fine. Being close to DC and after hearing the attack on the Pentagon, and the possibility of another plane being out there (the one that eventually crashed in PA), the campus was in a state of nervousness to say the least.

I also remember visiting NYC that following month (work related), I remember getting as close as possible to the area, and seeing a street narrow down to a grayish background and seeing construction cranes surrounding ground zero, it was quite a sad sight. Also, the city just felt so different from its old self. Also later that month, I remember the sight of a National Guardsman with an M-16 at a security check point at BWI, and just getting the feeling that things were different now.

May God bless those that were affected and their family. Also, let's not forget the brave policemen, firemen, and all involved in the rescue operations that day.

Re: Remembering 9/11
 

[quote=CRedskinsRule;730904]I was living in Colorado at the time, and had just gotten up to get ready for work. Turned on the TV to start the day, and saw it. Stunned and shocked I just sat down. I was also in the midst of a huge personal tragedy and all of that week just blurs, If there was one week I could simply erase from time it would be that one. Eventually I made it to work, where the owner set up the main conference room as a prayer/meditation room. People were in there constantly through the day, with tv's and news reports heard in every office and cubicle.

The most positive thing I remember, was waiting in an hour and half line of people in colorado springs, all of us waiting at a red cross donation center, giving a few dollars, or whatever. The red cross had set up certain collection points and lines stretched out with US citizens waiting to help people they had never seen, never knew. Truly awesome emotional outpouring and support. I am tearing up even as I remember that time.[/quote]

I had never been to NYC beforehand so the magnitude of it never really struck me until I went and saw the crater in January of 2007. Looking up at the surrounding buildings and knowing that the WTC was much larger than most. Looking down from the 1st observation deck on the Empire State Building and realizing there were another 20 or so floors on the WTC from the point in which I stood (something really cool happened though, it was snowing and the snow at that point was actually coming upwards).

What REALLY hit me was right in that area are the Jersey trains. At the time they had an exhibit of drawings done by children that had lost parents, grandparents, and other family in the tragedy. I never grew up with my father and never said "I miss you Daddy" as many times as I saw written on the pictures that day. There were so many that had pictures of footballs, baseballs, etc and how they missed going to the Giants, Jets, Yankees, Mets etc games with their dads and uncles. That's really when there was a connection as it still hadn't fully hit me, I know that people die and I know that raw material collapsed. Without a real tie to it I hadn't really realized the emotional aspect. I actually had to stop typing this for a bit because my eyes were so full of tears. It was also on that day that I realized that sports are just a game, though I treat them as a lifestyle still. When the minds of the innocent are so dearly affected not much else matters anymore.

Re: Remembering 9/11
 

I remember watching it on TV for about an hour before I had to leave the house for an appointment. As I drove I was listening to it on the radio and they were talking about other things they could hit like tunnels just as I was entering the downtown tunnel going to Norfolk. If I could have stopped and turned around I would have and then to top it off I got stuck in tunnel trafic. It was a really weird feeling as I sat there helpless.

Re: Remembering 9/11
 

Was working as a news/sports producer in DC. Had been working the early morning news that day. Filling for a co-worker for a local break (you know when the Today show or whatever tosses to your local station for a quick weather/traffic/news update)

I was exhausted, but figured let me just get this quick two minute segment out of the way and then I'll go take a little nap before I get ready for the Noon news.

Honestly, when I heard that suddenly breaking news was coming in from New York that a plane hit a building I don't know why but I turned to my co-worker and said "Osama" I was purely speculating.

I ended up spending 7 straight days working and sleeping in the newsroom. My mom was supposed to be at the Pentagon that day. Luckily, a last second meeting at her office kept her away at the last minute. As part of her job, she was actually overseeing the identification of all the bodies at the Pentagon.

Re: Remembering 9/11
 

Reading this thread brings me both tears of sadness and of comfort. Thank you guys for sharing. Although it is a dark age in US history the first hand stories provide a wide range of unknown but accepted perspective.

Re: Remembering 9/11
 

I was serving in Iceland on the NATO base up there. We all couldn't believe it, went from saying "how does a pilot not see the twin towers?" to instant action when the second plane slammed in, right in front of our eyes. We knew it at that point and things were never the same.

Re: Remembering 9/11
 

History Channel ran an absolutely brillant documentary-like show: 102 Minutes Which Change America over the weekend. It was released in 2008 and is presented with only amature footage and some local news coverage that occurs during the entire event on the streets on Manhatten. Narration is only by the people shooting from there phone or cameras along with emergency calls on 911 or emergency services radio. It was the first time I saw it and it was simply amazing. It should be a requirement in all modern american history class across the country.

Re: Remembering 9/11
 

I was in my first year of law school in san diego. had a small apartment downtown on top of a hill. the airport in san diego is right next to downtown so my apartment was literally right next to/under the flight path for planes landing.

when the planes flew by I could see the bolts, whether there was a blond or brunnette sitting in the window, the planes shook my apartment everytime a plane flew by, you had to put calls on hold b/c you couldnt talk on the phone fromt he noise.

a plane passed my apartment probabaly once every 3-7 mins. domestic planes flew regularly from aoubt 5 am to 10 pm. after that only international planes.

on 9/11 around 6ish am i am dead asleep. my phone is ringing, i dont answer it. phone rings again, i dont answer it. thrid time i pick up the phone and scream a profanity laced tirade. it was my brother from the DC area. he said some things aobut a plane and towers, i cursed some more, he said just turn on the tv.

im lying in bed, trying to go to sleep, trying to decipher what he was saying in my morning daze. i then dont hear any planes go by. this was strange.

turn on the tv, the rest is history. went to my morning class, we had a discussion session, school was closed for the rest of the day.

went to a dive bar, got drunk, talked with a guy on a business trip from NYC, saw all the cops on every street corner.

Re: Remembering 9/11
 

[quote=Chico23231;733266]History Channel ran an absolutely brillant documentary-like show: 102 Minutes Which Change America over the weekend. It was released in 2008 and is presented with only amature footage and some local news coverage that occurs during the entire event on the streets on Manhatten. Narration is only by the people shooting from there phone or cameras along with emergency calls on 911 or emergency services radio. It was the first time I saw it and it was simply amazing. It should be a requirement in all modern american history class across the country.[/quote]

i dont know if i saw that particular documentary/video compilation. i saw one which was shot from personal video by firefighters in the tower after the first plane hit. it was heart wrenching and not at all for the faint of heart.

at one point (before the 2nd plane hit or towers collapsed), fiefighters where in like this first floor area kinda basement area, there was this constant but not rythmic thud sound happening. one guy asked what that sound was, another said that was bodies of people jumping. i couldnt watch much more after that.

Re: Remembering 9/11
 

[quote=Chico23231;733266]History Channel ran an absolutely brillant documentary-like show: 102 Minutes Which Change America over the weekend. It was released in 2008 and is presented with only amature footage and some local news coverage that occurs during the entire event on the streets on Manhatten. Narration is only by the people shooting from there phone or cameras along with emergency calls on 911 or emergency services radio. It was the first time I saw it and it was simply amazing. It should be a requirement in all modern american history class across the country.[/quote]

Saw some of it, very good but had to turn it off when they were playing the 911 calls. Those calls were just too tough to listen to.

Re: Remembering 9/11
 

It's weird how much I remember about that whole day and now it totally makes sense when I hear people say they remember every detail of the day Kennedy/MLK/etc was shot or Pearl Harbor was attacked. It was so surreal watching everything unfold on CNN and I still get teary eyed thinking about it all. (sorry for the impending mega-post)

I was a sophomore in college and my professor showed up a few minutes late to a 9am criminology class. He apologized and said he had been glued to the computer reading about a plane flying into the WTC. He didn't have many details and I kind of assumed it was a Cessna or something that got out of control and had an accident. It wasn't til I got back to my dorm that and turned on the TV that I saw what was really going on. I couldn't believe my eyes, especially when I saw the clip of the second plane hitting. It looked like something out of a movie.
A little later I went to a 10:30 class but was only there for a few minutes before someone stopped in and said the school was closing for the day. That professor later apologized to us for even beginning his lecture that morning but I didn't blame him since it was all so crazy.

Later that night there was an impromptu candle light vigil in one of the campus squares, and I can't even write about that now without getting big tears in my eyes. Throughout the day I was happy to hear that my loved ones in the military (including a cousin who had just started working at the Pentagon a few weeks prior) were okay but I knew others weren't so lucky.

I had to fly to Denver around Sept 20th, right after flights resumed, and that was pretty interesting. I wasn't that scared for myself but I was really nervous that my mom, sister, and grandmother were all on an earlier flight that day, so I worried about them. I sat next to my dad and he refused to buckle his seat belt as he gave the evil eye to anyone who got up.

I wouldn't say things are completely normal now but it's strange to think what we've all gotten used to. Now I get annoyed if I go to a baseball game and I feel like they're not doing a good job of checking people when they enter, and I'm always on the look-out for suspicious stuff when I'm on Metro. Next year with the 10th anniversary it's going to be even more intense.

Re: Remembering 9/11
 

[quote=over the mountain;733285]i dont know if i saw that particular documentary/video compilation. i saw one which was shot from personal video by firefighters in the tower after the first plane hit. it was heart wrenching and not at all for the faint of heart.

at one point (before the 2nd plane hit or towers collapsed), fiefighters where in like this first floor area kinda basement area, there was this constant but not rythmic thud sound happening. [B]one guy asked what that sound was, another said that was bodies of people jumping. i couldnt watch much more after that[/B].[/quote]

The thing that always sticks in my mind about the jumpers is this. You go to work on a beautiful morning, just another day at the office, and a few hours later you are leaning out a window thinking that jumping 80 stories to your death is a better alternative than burning to death. And then actually doing it. Wow.

Re: Remembering 9/11
 

that was what stuck in my mind too. that regular people just like me or you typing away on my computer were later faced with this decision no person could be prepared to answer.

man that video/documentary was so vicious, so real, you heard it in firefighters voices, i think they kept rolling as the tower collapsed on them.

last 9/11 I was heading to the DC area, theres a bridge (same one that i posted about the "skins country" sign actually) that always has an american flag hung on it. i was leaving early that morning, standing on the bridge was the most badass dude i have ever seen, had to be ex military, with black special ops type uniform on, built like a pro wrestler, standing frozen in a position holding a huge american flag up.
made this man cry.

Re: Remembering 9/11
 

[quote=Mattyk;733292]Saw some of it, very good but had to turn it off when they were playing the 911 calls. Those calls were just too tough to listen to.[/quote]

Those were very tough...I thought the video of the fireman and listening to the radio recordings were extremely hard to watch. Those guys were super brave, I mean, they must have known looking up that 1st tower wasnt gonna be up much longer and yet they suited and climbed 70+ floors to do what they could. Its just amazes to me. Justin Tuck running out of the tunnel with the NY firemen hat on the other day was f*ing awesome.

Re: Remembering 9/11
 

im starting to think i saw the same documentary as you all. but for the graphic horrific nature of the footage, i would say it is a must see for all americans.

Re: Remembering 9/11
 

[quote=over the mountain;733389]im starting to think i saw the same documentary as you all. but for the graphic horrific nature of the footage, i would say it is a must see for all americans.[/quote]

For sure, probably is. Tough to watch.

Re: Remembering 9/11
 

[quote=firstdown;732958]I remember watching it on TV for about an hour before I had to leave the house for an appointment. As I drove I was listening to it on the radio and they were talking about other things they could hit like tunnels just as I was entering the downtown tunnel going to Norfolk. If I could have stopped and turned around I would have and then to top it off I got stuck in tunnel trafic. It was a really weird feeling as I sat there helpless.[/quote]this reminds me of the weeks and months afterward, when I would drive home from college for the weekend and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge was completely dark except for the headlights at night. Like you said, there were all those reports that bridges and tunnels were potential targets so they did what they could and made them harder to see. I still get chills thinking about the first time I noticed that the bridge was pitch black as I drove over it.