Posted on 09/10/2014 6:28:18 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
I was in Topeka, KS at the time of the attacks. I’d just recently celebrated one year of marriage (we’re still married, btw) and was competing in my second SCCA Solo National Championship at Forbes Field. Results are based on the best runs over two courses, run over two days. My first day of competition was to be Tuesday, September 11.
Part of competing in an SCCA Solo event, regardless of whether it’s the National Championships or a local event, is that you have to work during one heat in order to have your results count. I was doing my work assignment in impound when the news came of the first plane hitting the WTC; this was during the first heat on Tuesday. Before the heat had ended, a second plane had hit the other tower and both towers had collapsed. By the time Heat 2 had completed its runs, we had been ordered to leave the premises and the event was suspended until further notice. We did resume competition on Thursday, and results for the event would be based on the best run (of three) from one day of competition. For my part, I came in 15th of 53 entrants in my class; this was the highest finish among those of us who didn’t win trophies.
It was a little scary knowing what had just happened, especially being almost 2000 miles from my family and friends. But it did open my eyes to a lot of things.
Oh, and I was not yet a Freeper; it took the election of Obama to get me to stop lurking and join.
At work.
I was 11 and in school that Tuesday morning. Neither of my parents were into watching the morning news so I had walked to school not knowing what was going on (we lived in California). Starting during 2nd period (after 9:30am PST) kids started leaving class as their parents were picking them up. It was only during 4th period that an assembly was called and the kids who were left at school met in the cafeteria. The vice principal told us some of what was going on and said that while it was pretty serious that we were all safe and had nothing to worry about.
By the time school ended for the day most of the kids and most of the teachers had gone home. At 2:45 school let out and I walked home. My parents got home from work later on and we watched TV and got to see the towers falling over and over as people were talking about what happened.
School was out the next day but we were back on Thursday.
For myself I really don't know what the world was like before 9/11 and it seems amazing to me that there was a time when you could get on an airplane without a lot of hassle and that there was a time when the police didn't dress and act like a military occupation force.
It also seems like a fairy tale that there was a time when the government didn't spy on absolutely everything we do.
IMHO the terrorists won because they hate our freedom and liberty and we responded to their attacks by killing our freedom and liberty as if we'd wanted to do it all along.
Sitting in my cubicle at Ft Hood lurking on FR, finishing my second cup of coffee. My co-worker behind me announced that an aircraft just (accidentally) hit the WTC. I knew then it was no accident. I walked down to our conference room, where several officers and NCOs were gathered watching FNC live on the VTC screen. We watched the second aircraft hit. A seminal moment, we all knew together at that one point in time that we were at war. Several of those guys did not survive in subsequent deployments. Spent the rest of the week working from home since getting on to Fort Hood at that point became a half day exercise in traffic jams, until adequate security arrangements allowed for qucker access.
Standing on the beach watching the sky turn black.
I remember hearing first reports of the (first) plane being a small, private plane.
As I made my way to my truck, I couldn't stop thinking that I had no weapon, not even in my truck. Very helpless feeling to me... Obviously a weapon would not have done me or anyone else any good that day, except for maybe the people on the planes, but I could not get it out of my head. Needless to say, I have remedied that situation and it still probably won't help in a terrorist attack, but it makes me feel better.
Spent the rest of the day and well into the night glued to the TV.
I had just come out of the shower went in the living room and saw the first plane hit the first tower..At that time I thought it was a problem with the pilot or the air plane..I yelled for my husband to come and then the next plane hit..I sat on the sofa all day watching all of these savages murdering so many AMERICANS..
At work, watching it unfold on the large screen in the cafeteria, along with everyone else in the building.
We didn't even watch it in any classes after that.
I am slightly older than you so I do remember what it was like Pre-September 11th.
Shoot that very June in 2001 on our California Vacation we stopped by Camp Pendleton, my fathers former Marine Home in the 70's. He had forgotten his ID at home here in Kansas City. But he told the guard that and he just waved us through. We could have been ANYONE and they let us drive everywhere on the Base.(several of the buildings from the 70's were still there)
Shoot, the Marines didn't even have a back gate, next thing you know we are in Oceanside.
I was finishing breakfast at the window of my apartment on the 29th floor overlooking Battery Park Place, when the second plane flew right past my window. I then heard banging sounds behind me, but thought at first that it was some idiot making sonic booms over the city.
We were evacuated down to the sidewalk shortly after, with no explanation, but when I got down to the street and saw the plane-shaped burning holes on both of the Trade Towers, and recalled the earlier Muslim attack on them, I knew immediately that it must be an act of terrorism. One plane maybe an accident, but not two.
I won’t say more now, but needless to say there were many more painful and moving experiences to follow, and it was a dominant force in my life for quite a while.
Yes, that was the initial report.
I was home, and the rest is long and boring. It has to do with ESP and “symptoms of impending calamity.” Anyone who wants to know can FReepmail me.
Disbelievers in ESP, don’t reply.
I was getting ready for work when a family member called and told me to turn on my TV....
I then drove in a daze to work where I worked for a few hours before they sent me home early...
I was a bit behind you. I had heard about the first tower when I got in my car on the way to work - and was about 15 minutes from work when the second tower was hit. You instinctively knew at that time it was an attack.
At home, preparing to drive to the library. I remember what a perfect autumn day it was.
In the gym..
it was 6AM where I was..
I watched on the bank of TVs..
the early morning show on ABC..
I was close enough to read the closed caption..
I remember the LIVE film of the building flashed on the screen suddenly and I thought right away a bomb..
Then there was mention of a plane and I thought little plane ...Cessna, etc..
and I thought “that’s a big hole for such a small plane..
then I watched LIVE as the other plane flew towards the building and behind it and hit the other building..
I was in shock and had an argument with a liberal who maintained I was wrong to say that Islamic terrorists had hijacked the planes..they wouldn’t do that and I was an awful person to say such a thing..
I hardly remember driving home from the gym..
I was at home waiting for a UPS delivery, had the TV on, and caught the attack from the first minutes.
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