9/11 Anniversary & Rememberances

[hydrology_joe]

Yesterday we were discussing how people talk about where they were and what they were doing when Kennedy was shot or when the Apollo moon landing occured and of course the discussion turned to 9/11. Yesterday was the 5th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, so I wanted to start this thread in rememberance of that day. I welcome everyone to share what they were doing when they found out about the attacks as long as politics and personal attacks are kept out of the forum.


I was in my second year of graduate school at Univ of Missouri - Columbia. I had a late start the morning of 9/11 as I had broken my big toe the previous evening playing in a softball game. After the long night in the hospital ER trying to get X-rays taken, I had decided to sleep a little late. I did not need to be into the office until later that morning as I was not teaching any lab sections until 1p that day. I had just sat down with my bowl of cereal in front of the TV and was watching the NBC morning show (being a poor grad student, KOMU was the only station that came in clear on the rabbit ears in my basement apartment). The normal morning banter was interrupted with the breaking news that a plane had struck the WTC. In my mind I figured it was a small (cessna) sized plane. It wasn't until after cameras began showing the burning tower did I realize the immensity of the incident. (I still hadn't realized that it was a terrorist attack at that point) I had sat my cereal bowl down and continued watching the developments. As cameras were rolling, the next plane suddenly came into the screen from the right side and crashed into the second tower. I was shocked! I was pissed! I couldn't believe that anyone would want to do that to us! I was thinking that it was an attack by a few crazy hijackers, not even thinking that it would be the large coordinated attack that it turned out to be.

After watching about a half-hour of the two towers burning, I remembered the cereal (which was soggy by that point) so I tossed the bowl in the sink and left to go to my office. I listened to coverage on the radio. After parking and making the hobble into the office, I had found out that the third plane had hit the Pentagon during that time. It was at that point I realized that the US was under attack.

Several other grads and myself continued to listen to the developments of the morning on the radio. Noone knew how many planes were hijacked. Noone knew how many other targets there were. Everyone was shocked. I had been talking online with a friend in New Jersey about what was happening. She suddenly broke the converation with "OMG, the tower just fell" followed by the next IM "it just fell". I shouted to the other grads listening to the radio about what happened. I couldn't believe that the tower would just fall like that. I thought maybe toppled, but not fall down. Then the radio announcer starter describing the collapse of the tower and I realized that time was fast running out for getting the survivors out of the other tower.

A few minutes later the radio guy was talking with a rescuer who said that the second tower appeared to lean. Then there was panic as the second tower came crashing down. We were all stunned and sat in silence for several minutes.

Noone really said much about the plane that crashed in Pennsylvania. The newscaster mentioned it when it happened, but refocused on the towers with the occasional reference to the pentagon. (I guess since he was in NY, thats where the attention would be)

By that time, people had prep work to do for labs, etc so the office began thinning. We continued listening to the radio and discussing the events as we were in the office. Our thoughts had turned to the survivors and what to do for them. The local radio stations were broadcasting the request for blood donors and asking folks not to panic. There were discussions of long gas lines and people stocking up on food & water, thinking the attacks may not be over.

That afternoon, on the way back from fieldwork for the lab section, we passed the Red Cross center. I was overjoyed at the sight! There was a field of cars parked and people waiting in line to donate blood! I couldn't believe the outpouring of compassion! That evening (after the second visit to the Dr's office to get X-rays) I went home and watched the coverage of ground zero, pentagon and pennsylvania. I remember getting out my rosary and began praying for all the survivors and victims of the attacks.

I will remember. I will never forget that day.

In honor of all those who died
In honor of all those who sacrificed
In honor of all those who lost

Let's Roll

[graveleye]

I was on my way to a recording session at a really nice commercial studio - something to be elated and excited about. I got up and heard the first plane hit while I was in the shower.. the second one hit while I was watching tv.. that was when i realized there was no accident about it... it was attack.
I drove downtown down 85 when the pentagon was hit... people were pulled off the interstate with their heads on the steering wheel weeping. The traffic signs were flashing about NATIONAL EMERGENCY: ALL AIRPORTS CLOSED.

surreal.

The recording session went flat. Everyone was a zombie and no one could find it to be creative.

I lived under the flightpath of Hartsfield Intl Airport... never a moment that there wasnt a plane going by about 20k' up, but not that night.. it was eerily quiet.

Not something I ever want to relive.

[cob]

I welcome everyone to share what they were doing when they found out about the attacks as long as politics and personal attacks are kept out of the forum.

The only way that is going to work (keeping this out of the Pol/Rel section) is if everyone promises not to react (read "Reply") to anyone else's posts here.

Joe (I think) only wants to know what you thought, what you felt, what you did. Not how you feel about other people's feelings, thoughts, or deeds, on that day.

tom

[Jim 23482]

On that terrible day I was at work. We got the news from some of our clients, who were military, when the second plane hit the WTC. When the Pentagon was hit we lost all communication with our clients. After a moment we turned to the internet and watched in horror as the towers fell. Of the smoke rising from the Pentagon, which we could see on the far horizon.
By the time I got home the air waves were full of images of the attack and the terrible scenes from NY. The sounds of fighter jets screaming over head and the newscasters talking about what had happened kept me awake for most of the night. Not since being in Vietnam did my sleep have such horrible visions.
I, like a lot of folk, will never forget those images and we should insure that those who come after us don't forget.

Just my thoughts of that day.

[John Lovaas]

I was working at a motorcycle shop at the time.

I was listening to NPR, and they reported that a plane had just hit the World Trade Center. I recalled that a stunt person with an ultralight (or paraglider- I can't remember) had attempted to land on the Statue of Liberty the week before, so I turned on the TV, thinking I'd be seeing an ultralight hanging from the WTC. That was not the case.

I left for work, and arrived to see a commercial airliner flying low on a due south course over our shop- just something you never see. At that point I knew something was up. My boss had the TV on, and we just stared silently.

In the midst of all this, one of our customers called and insisted that we honor his appointment for the day- we were going to install highway bars(cylinder protectors) on his BMW cruiser. Wolf Koch- a retired U.S. Army psychologist. As shocked as were were by his request, we were too numb to say anything but yes.

He came in, we installed the highway bars, we charged him up the arse, and he laid a line on us that I will never forget.

"In 6 months, noone will ever remember a thing about this day."

Yeah. Sure. I hope I run into Wolf again someday.

[hewhocaves]

I was in the midtown manhattan subway system. I was very nearly under the towers.

John

[JoeyS]

I was listening to my favorite AM radio program when all of a sudden they broke in about the first crash. I went next door to the donut shop and we watched FOX news on the small office TV for about 2 hours, but then we went back to work.
Kind of hard to go about working when so much was on our mind about what was going on, but I think playing into the "oh we can't be productive now, must stop everything mindset" was exactly what our enemies wanted.. So we went on about our business and I caught up that night.

[cob]

I prefer to keep my thoughts and feelings on that day to myself, but I will share this deed:

I pulled into a "Home Depot" app 11:00 am CDT and the flag was flying at full staff. I lowered it to half.

tom