Posted on 09/11/2012 6:34:33 AM PDT by US Navy Vet
I was working at Air Force Weather Agency providing Weather Data to Units Worldwide including Air Force 1.
My Wife was Homeschooling our 5 Kids about 3 miles from Offutt.
My wife and I were alseep in bed at 5:46am, in our home in San Jose, California. My parents, in the Eastern time zone in Michigan, had called my brother in Berkeley, who then called us a little before 6:00am and got us out of bed.
We were watching CNN on Dish Network when the second plane hit. I remember thinking that they were replaying footage from the first impact until the overwhelming reality sunk in. I thought about where I would have been had my eyesight been good enough to get into the Naval or Air Force Academies when I applied in 1998.
We lived along the approach path to San Jose International Airport, and had grown accustomed to the steady hum of planes past our back yard, but later that day and the days following, the silence was eerie and unsettling.
I was at work, reading the news as it was posted right here on FR. I couldn’t get to any other news source site due to the overload. FR, as slow as it was that day, was the best connection I could get.
I was at home, preparing to go to the mixing stage, where I was finishing post on my film, “Judas.”
Was stunned and horrified. Offered prayers there at home, and then again on the stage.
(worked at a NJ corporation - didn't yet know we were going to lose several friends and neighbors that day)
Driving in, WABC talk radio was having a discussion about some woman in LA who was blaming racial profiling for her luggage mixup. They cut to callers when the first plane hit. One of them then said “Oh my God another plane just hit”.
Got to my desk, logged onto FR.
Went up to one of the corporate VP offices where they had the TV on. Called my home and other family members, then called my boss and told him - I think we had all better go back home.
Went home, watched TV, went outside and looked at the beautiful blue sky, empty of all airplanes.
Gotta go now - choking up a little.
God Bless America, and prayers for all those who died and their loved ones.
I haven't forgotten.
With wife at rehab after she had hip replacement.
I was staying at the New York Sheraton at 7th & 53rd. I was getting prepped for a meeting at Fino Wall Street (now closed) when the news began coverage of a plane crash at the WTC.
With each minute of coverage there was rising tension. Oddly, the BBC had the most understandable coverage as the local broadcast affiliates were not prepared for such a story.
Once it appeared to be an intentional act of terror, I began preparing my room for the possible dispersion of lethal gases that may have been on board the aircraft.
It wasn’t clear for hours if there was a lethal gas threat.
I was at work at my desk, listening to the radio. A couple of us were retired military and we all agreed when they reported the first strike that this was an attack and not an accident.
We live in Bellevue NE adjacent to Offutt and I was on the freeway heading home, watching AF1 land at Offutt.
My parents' generation knew exactly where they were when they heard of FDR's death...I have the same memories of JFK's assassination and 9/11.
I do recall thinking and it might have even been mentioned in our office as we watched. “We are at war.”
*That* must have been pretty spooky.
I was in my office working from home- had a little desk tv on and saw some commotion on the screen- saw the first tower with flames and smoke and watched in shock as the second one hit.
The only rational thing I did that day was go to the grocery store. After the towers collapsed it dawned on me that anything could happen- we were in new territory. I got food and water- stocked up like I do for hurricanes.
My cousin worked at One Wall St and we didn’t hear from her for hours. She walked from there to 74th St.
I had just gotten home from work and turned on the TV just in time to see the second plane hit the South tower. Did nothing the rest of the day but watch coverage.
That night at work nothing got done, everyone gathered in the cafeteria and watched coverage.
I was getting my wrist x-rayed when the nurse came in and told us about the first plane. When the 2nd plane hit, I was speaking with the doc - both of us said “This is an attack” at the same time. I went in to work, and set up a streaming video of the news on our internal network, and read the comments on FR. Around noon, I went home, and my wife, baby daughter and I drove to the beach on Long Island Sound, where we could see the smoke rising over Manhattan, 35 miles away. It was like a huge funeral pyre.
In a project meeting in VA Beach, came out of the meeting to learn about the first plan. When the second hit I was glued to the net until noon, with multiple calls home. Lunch and the afternoon were spent watching the TV with a couple guys from the office.
I was on a retreat way out in the country. Doing papeerwork catch-up. At nine a.m. turned on the radio for some music and heard it on ABC radio news.
Incredibly confused reporters.
Drove back into town immediately. Husband and I sat around and stared at the TV.
Later that day went onto Post through heavy security. The next day skies totally devoid of planes, jet trails. A strange silence.
My daughter was 10 days old and we had family that had flown into town to be with us. I too recall the empty skies and eary silence. They ended up having to drive back from Austin to Chicago as there were no planes flying. My sister-in-law kept here boarding pass as a reminder of the flight she never took.
I was watching CNBC while getting ready to begin trading at my desk in Florida. They panned the camera over to the window and it showed what they believed to be a small plane had hit the WTC. When the second plane hit, it was obvious it was not an accident from their view point as the planes were large, not small.
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