Where Were You On 9/11? Tell us your story!

Personal ^ | Monday September 11, 2007 | Milwaukee_Guy

[Jim W N]

I was on my way to work (San Francisco Bay Area, California). After the initial shock, the first cogent thoughts and emotions I had were anger mixed with the knowledge of how our failed intelligence caused/allowed this to happen. Intelligence as a key component of our national security had been utterly disabled and I blamed it (and still do) on the unbelievable and utterly disastrous liberal policies and neglect of President Bill Clinton and his corrupt administration. His trysts with Lewinsky weren't just the total irresponsibilities of a sexual addict - they were treasonous acts of a Commander in Chief who had abdicated his position creating a leaderless vacuum into which these Islamo-Facsists had basically been invited to invade our country and kill our people.

These were my first thoughts mixed with anger as I rolled down the freeway on my way to work while heroes in the sky were "rolling" to kill terrorists and cause their plane to crash in a Midwest field before another building full of people could be destroyed.

[La Enchiladita]

[Nowhere Man]

OK, here goes:

At that time, I was freelancing as a webpage designer. I worked at home. I was up until 3:30 AM the night before working on a client's webapge. He gave me the info late so I was playing catchup. I figure I would go to bed and wake up at 11 or so and resume work. It was al,ost 9 AM and Mom woke me up saying a plane hit the World Trade Center, one of the buildings. I thought, "you woke me up for that?" I figured it was some yahoo in a Cessna or Pipercub. Well, since Iwas awake, I looked at the TV in the living room and the hole was much bigger than a Piper Cub. I decided to resume work in the computer room and I turned on my 1964 Sony B&W TV I have there and I saw the seond plane hit "live and in black and white." From then on, I figured something was wrong and I kept glued to the Sony and looking for sources on the internet of what was going on. As Flight 93 crashed into Shanksville, it was a local Pittsburgh area story so there were times we broke off of national news so I remember blogging around telling others what I am gathering from the TV. I also had my police scanners going along with my ham radio too.

[Christopher Lincoln]

I worked (and still work) at the Pentagon, but on that day I was dropping off my car to be serviced at a dealership in Tyson's Corner. The TV there was tuned to the ABC channel, showing Good Morning America. There I learned about the fire in the first Tower, and about the report that it had been hit by a plane, but the newsman apparently didn't believe that. On an unexpectedly long trip on the shop's shuttle, I heard nothing more. At the Metro station (this must have been about 9:15 EDT) I put in a hasty call to my team leader; I didn't get him but left a message on his voice mail. I wondered later whether anybody would hear that message, but in fact he did get it. The first information that anything more had happened came in the form of a Metro announcement that the Pentagon station was closed because of a terrorist act; I think "act", not "incident", was the word used. Of course I was bewildered; so was everybody. But I took the train to the Arlington Cemetery station, and there I caught my first glimpse not of the Pentagon, which is hidden by a rise, but of the smoke rising from it.

I guess I was in shock. I remember a desperate feeling that there was something I should do, but I couldn't think what it was. After a while I decided to call my sister, my nearest relative. I had to wait a while for a pay phone, and in the end I couldn't get her. I then tried walking to the Pentagon, but I met people going the other way who told me that the building was being evacuated. They also told me about the second plane crashing into the other tower, and that whatever had happened to the Pentagon had happened well away from my own workplace. Eventually I walked home (fortunately not too far) where I found my sister waiting. By the time I got to a TV again, both towers had collapsed (on the whole, I'm glad I missed that).

[jhw61]

I for one, don’t want to let go of these feelings remembered here on this thread. My 8 year old son was so proud to tell me a story of his 3rd grade today. His teacher asked if anyone knew what happened six years ago today? (they were only 2 yrs old on 9-11) and what did their families feel. My son said that two planes hit the twin towers and his friend corrected him by saying that a plane hit the pentagon and “a field”.

I could see his pride in remembering and I suggested we go out on the front porch and light a candle. I lit a candle for each of us, said a few prayers and he closed with the Pledge of Allegiance and we blew out the candles.

We left the candles on the porch railing as a symbol of the twin towers side by side. Sigh, our children are grown up!

God Bless this beloved Nation, the only Nation where I would ever imagine bringing up my patriotic, god-loving son. I shudder to think, a mear 10 years from now, I could be saying my goodbyes to a son who pledged his love and devotion to Our Beloved Country. A special prayer and thoughts go out from my heart tonight for all the Mothers, Fathers, brothers, sisters, grandparents, cousins, nieces, nephews and dear friends who have lost their beloved family members and dear friends in our unfaltering fight against Terrorism!

God Bless everyone tonight. You hear planes overhead tonight as you lay peacefully and soundly in your beds tonight, you did not six years ago...that was beyond a doubt the most humbling of days ever in my life.

When I finally heard the jets fly overhead once again, I raised a Statue of Liberty fist in the air and thanked God that we have such unbelievable, brave, talented, outfitted, caring, God-fearing,God-loving soldiers on the face of this Earth. God Bless you magnificent Troops. We LOVE YOU!!!!!XOXOXOXOXOXO.

[Proudcongal]

Thanks for sharing. Your son’s heroic and selfless bravery will never be forgotten. God bless.

[swmobuffalo]

I was at work when the office manager called to me that there were “bad things” going on. I got a TV on in time to see the second plane hit. I got finished with what I had to do and went home. And loaded both guns. And waited for the rest of my family to get home from school. And watched the TV and paced. I don’t think we ate dinner that night. We finally went to bed but didn’t sleep much.

On a side note, after the ban on air travel was lifted, I was in the boiler room at work when a cargo plane flew over and I ducked down under a shelf. Took me awhile to get used to hearing planes without checking to see where they were.

[ALOHA RONNIE]

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NEVER FORGET

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The History Channel’s stunning 9/11 TV Special titled:

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‘The Man Who Predicted 9/11: RICK RESCORLA’

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...re-airs tonight @ 8pm Pacific- 11pm Eastern Time

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Just for the LOVE of it..!!!

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NEVER FORGET

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[Zechariah_8_13]

I was at work (in the Midwest) and a co-worker announced that he’d heard on the radio that “a helicopter” had hit the WTC.

I immediately called my buddy who worked in SoHo and he verified the story — told me that his co-worker was on a smoke break and had watched it hit and that “it looked like a 747.” For some reason I knew this was big... closed the door to my office, got on my knees, and prayed.

Then I called my old college friend who lived in CA — his best friend (whom I also knew from college) worked in the WTC for Marsh & McLennan (I think on the 98th floor). I left him a message to call his friend ASAP.

I called my buddy in SoHo back and he was obviously shaken. He told me he and his co-workers were watching people jump from the building.

When the second plane hit, I gathered with my co-workers in someone’s office who had a television. One of the anchors was talking about the WTC when suddenly he said, “Oh my God we now go to the Pentagon!” There was a collective gasp of disbelief and horror. We all felt like anything in the country could be hit next. Many felt like WWIII had begun.

When the towers came down everyone in the office was dead silent. One woman was tearful and panicked but mostly we were all walking around like automatons.

Went home, called a friend on the way and organized a prayer vigil. It was a strange drive home — everything looked different. I’ll also never forget the quiet skies after all the planes were grounded.

Oh and as it turns out — my friend from college who worked in the WTC just so happened to have called in sick that day. His co-workers perished.

[Christopher Lincoln]

I have another memory of that day, and I apologize if somebody else has already posted this. We heard on the news something about planes being shot at over Kabul, Afghanistan. Probably this was sheer panic. But when a spokesman for the Defense Department said, in substance, “It wasn't us”, I’m sure I was not alone in being profoundly disappointed.

[Othniel]

I live in California, & don't watch morning tv, so I didn't know anything about it until I got to work. I teach. The tv in the workroom was on to CNN, and they were reviewing what had happened; this was 11am EDT, so all the collapse had already taken place. When the bell rang, I asked them if any of them had heard anything. A few had. We watch the news for about an hour, discussed it (I told them that unfortunately, there were people on the other side of the world who wanted them dead.), talked about Islam, jihad, and shaira, and then we prayed for a few minutes.

Never heard squeak one from any parent about praying.

The next day I showed them the paper, with all the photos. One was of the black waiter who looked like he was flying. A few kids cried. Never heard squeak about that one, either.

I hate Islam.

[Freedom2specul8]

In the living room of our new house, waiting to take my daughter to work.....The first tower had already been hit. I saw the 2nd tower hit. I then knew it wasn’t an accident. When I got back home from taking her to work, and found out about the Pentagon, I was in complete shock. I thought it was untouchable. I realized then, and now to NEVER take anything for granted, and that I need to pray more for guidance wrt:taking anything for granted. It’s still a horrible feeling.....that I can’t describe.

I still remember the first day I saw an airplane after they were allowed to fly again. I was crossing a bridge, over a major highway...it was the strangest feeling. It was hard to stop staring at the airplane, let alone ignore it. I think about that day every now and then as well.
God Bless all....

[CaliGirl]

Debra Burlingame is Chic’s sister. I haven’t heard from her in a couple of years. Debra is an A+ person in my book.

[Karliner]

"....had posted the assassination of Ahmad Shah Massoud on our lunch bulletin board a couple days before and though there would now be a serious battle or worse."

Bet you and I weren't the only ones with that thought. That was one of those never forget "Oh Crap" moments but I never dreamed it would turn out this way.

Yeah, there was nothing either you or I could do but stare at the picture of not just one dead Massoud but 3000 people jumping, crashing and falling to their deaths all over the East coast. I wish there was something I could have done in hindsite but I have only retired connections in the intelligence community....so I just stared and wondered. You know I still wonder, but it's all done.

[Karliner]

"....had posted the assassination of Ahmad Shah Massoud on our lunch bulletin board a couple days before and though there would now be a serious battle or worse."

Bet you and I weren't the only ones with that thought. That was one of those never forget "Oh Crap" moments but I never dreamed it would turn out this way.

Yeah, there was nothing either you or I could do but stare at the picture of not just one dead Massoud but 3000 people jumping, crashing and falling to their deaths all over the East coast. I wish there was something I could have done in hindsite but I have only retired connections in the intelligence community....so I just stared and wondered. You know I still wonder, but it's all done.

[Karliner]

"....had posted the assassination of Ahmad Shah Massoud on our lunch bulletin board a couple days before and though there would now be a serious battle or worse."

Bet you and I weren't the only ones with that thought. That was one of those never forget "Oh Crap" moments but I never dreamed it would turn out this way.

Yeah, there was nothing either you or I could do but stare at the picture of not just one dead Massoud but 3000 people jumping, crashing and falling to their deaths all over the East coast. I wish there was something I could have done in hindsite but I have only retired connections in the intelligence community....so I just stared and wondered. You know I still wonder, but it's all done.

[Karliner]

"....had posted the assassination of Ahmad Shah Massoud on our lunch bulletin board a couple days before and though there would now be a serious battle or worse."

Bet you and I weren't the only ones with that thought. That was one of those never forget "Oh Crap" moments but I never dreamed it would turn out this way.

Yeah, there was nothing either you or I could do but stare at the picture of not just one dead Massoud but 3000 people jumping, crashing and falling to their deaths all over the East coast. I wish there was something I could have done in hindsite but I have only retired connections in the intelligence community....so I just stared and wondered. You know I still wonder, but it's all done.

[warsaw44]

Last year on the 5 year anniversary of 9/11, during the weekend I was out with a friend having a few drinks. We ran into a woman he knows and we began talking. This girl is in her mid 30s, educated and has a professional job. At one point the TV was showing footage of the 9/11 attack and she said:
“ Don’t you think its just enough already - I mean, it was five years ago. G-d, give it a rest “

I was stunned, completely blown away. I did my best to explain to her why what happened should never be forgotten. I really wasn’t making any headway with this woman so ended the conversation as best I could and went to another section of the club.

[warsaw44]

I live right in the city of Boston and at one point swung into a local diner type restaurant I used to go to. The staff was watching the TV and one of them, a Moroccan waiter was going on about “ how the Jews did this, it was definitely the Jews “.

[Moose4]

9/11 is my birthday as well, friend. But while I will never forget what happened on the day I turned thirty-five six years ago, I’m not going to let Osama and his merry band of Islamic death cultists destroy “my” day. I will remember the fallen, always. But I’ll celebrate my birthday as well.

Don’t let the bastards take that from you.

}:-)4