Where Were You at 911/2001? (19 Years Today) Remembering the Ones Who Perished.

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I was Principal of a 350 student Elementary school in Southern California. A parent phoned from her home to tell us to turn on news. Office staff  turned on tv news in teachers lounge and we watched in real time with disbelief as the second plane hit the tower. We were in shock and  horrified. We tried to shelter the kids from the terrible images  coming forward  by banning tv's in  classrooms.  Teachers  were magnificent in  maintaining  calm.  We had many many patriotic days of unity following that day.  We will never forget.  Amid the tragedy of that day I celebrate the courage of so many!

Famous phrase, "Let's roll!" comes to mind.......
 
I was at work at a Satellite broadcast company in Marlboro MA when someone yelled there was a crash at WTC. We ran for the executive conference room where there was a full wall rear projection screen. We watched the second airplane hit and the towers fall.

Someone came looking for my boss, VP of IT, and no one could find him. Even his secretary had no idea. Later, someone thought to check with our travel agency. He was on a boondoggle in Las Vegas ( a 7 person convention ) during a ?no unnecessary travel ? order. It was a week before he could fly back. He was fired not long after ?
 
I was on a Delta flight from Atlantla to San Francisco, about 30 minutes into the flight when the captain announced we were being diverted to Memphis and announced all aircraft were ordered to land. Some people had airplane wifi and the word got around about the towers being struck. Very quiet on the aircraft after that. My wife drove to Memphis and picked me up. God bless all those who perished that day.
 
I was at home asleep when it happened, I was scheduled work the afternoon / evening shift at the family broadline food distribution business here in Louisiana at the time (1PM-9PM shift).  Woke up to my mother knocking on my bedroom window, telling me to turn on the TV, apparently I had left my cell phone off its charger the night before and it was dead, so she had driven over to my house to tell me.  The first thing I saw was the replay of the second plane hitting the tower maybe 3-5 minutes after it happened.  I don't recall a lot of the details of that day, lots of hanging around the old radio by the dispatchers desk in the warehouse while at work, you know the type, cheap portable radio with a coat hanger, stuck into the broken off telescoping antenna. 
 
I was at a friend's house as we had been shopping. We saw it on the TV and couldn't believe it.

I had been getting food for Steve's 39th birthday party that evening.

It is the most heartbreaking thing I have witnessed and always brings a tear. How humans can behave the way they do never ceases to amaze me, and that day and the following days, I saw the worst and the best.
 
X-Roughneck said:
Wally,

You just don't forget two earth shattering events like that.  Your mind, as well as other parts, had been internally, I mean eternally, branded after that day for sure.

Trying to keep the solemnness of the day as well as have some fun at the same time.  :)

JD


Well, yesterday wasn't quite as memorable as back in '01, but it had it's moments. 
If all goes as I expect after yesterday, I'll be spending the weekend replacing a pair of camp host couples who will probably start packing when the sun comes up.
 
Something I had written on the 10th anniversary...


So many memories came back today.

Being at work, and someone coming in to say that a small plane had struck the World Trade Center. It was obvious once we turned on the TV that it was a very different situation.

Being in church that night, praying for the safe return of a friend working in the south tower. It was not to be.

Dealing with the uncertainty faced by all emergency personnel - are we prepared? Prepared for what?

Strangers stopping us on the street to thank us for our service, and not feeling worthy of their praise.

I was working in the 911 center today: a mom came in with a couple of young boys. They brought in cupcakes with red, white and blue frosting and "thank you" written on them. Memories indeed.
 
I was a few months out of college, and a few months from starting my law enforcement career on 9/11/01. I worked as a night shift dispatcher at the time, so Tuesday was one of my "weekend" days and my wife and I were having a lazy morning at home. At some point she shouted to me from another room to turn on the news. Like many others I first thought the initial tower crash was a small plane accident... must have been what the newscasters were saying, as many people have that same memory. The horrible truth became evident soon afterwards with the second crash seen on live TV and news of other hijackings.

It was an unprecedented time to become a first responder soon after that, and I had many coworkers who also served in the military and were deployed to combat zones in the following years. Luckily they all came back, but of course not everyone was so lucky. And as hard as 9/11 hits some of us every year who were nowhere nearby (that's me), I can't imagine what the anniversary is like for New Yorkers and especially those who lost family and friends on that day.

Someday I'd like to make it to NYC and see the WTC memorial/museum.
 
I was at the eye doctor's office waiting to get the cataract removed from my right eye. They had a big TV on. I had the operation, but it was delayed for a couple of hours.

I remember a lady was crying and stated "why can't we all get along". 

A few weeks later I got a message from a good friend, that her husband who I had worked with, was onboard and
killed by the crash into the Pentagon.

My son was supposed to be on a plane trip to interview for a job. The plane was grounded so he never did get to the interview.
 
scottydl said:
Someday I'd like to make it to NYC and see the WTC memorial/museum.

Scott I would love to see the Museum myself, and pay respect to those innocent folks who lost their lives their. 

// I heard there is quite a waiting list to get Tickets see it.  I Would be interested in a reply from anybody who can confirm the approx wait to date tix for that venue? Anybody?

I remember when I was about 35, I went to Statue of Liberty when I returned from a 3 year Tour in Naples, Italy.  I was picking up my car in Bayonne NJ later that day. We took a ferry, boat (No Car) out to the Statue of Liberty.  I remember looking Straight up almost at those BLDG from the water in Awe of the size of the Twin Towers. 

In the 70s Same year Nixon Got Impeached my parents took us from my home town to Washington DC with a Starcraft Crank Up Where the beds pull out and they are canvass topped. My Father drove a 4 door Cadillac Fleetwood pulling a Starcraft Trailer down the street right in front of the WTC Buildings.  I remember my Dad having to stop and look up out the car window so he could get the view he wanted.  NYC driving a Cadillac Pulling a StarCraft.  Yea...I got that T-Shirt..Well as a passenger.  Try that today that might be a 2 week trip in and out of Manhattan by Car.  ;D
 
We?ve been to the WTC Museum. It?s something every American should put on their bucket list.

I can?t comment on ticket availability, as we were guests of an FDNY 9/11 widow. They treat the families very well there. We definitely need to get back for another visit.
 
I was on duty at Gainesville Fire Station One. In the middle of morning work out we got word the first tower had been hit.  We turned the tv on and watched the second tower get hit, then first one, then the other go down.  Every one of us knew that firefighters just like us had gone up into those buildings and would never be seen again.
 
I had retired from the USAF 14 days prior and was teaching science in a high school in Wyoming.  The day was disrupted to say the least and the staff spent most of the time answering and explaining questions related to events of the day.  I was one of a few vets on staff plus I had recent experience.  I finished the school year, resigned, and then took a job at EUCOM where I supported the build up to military operations in Iraq.  I stayed in DOD till I retired 31 Dec 2017.
 
. I awoke to it as I was/am in Alaska. At the time I was active duty Soldier and was to fly to NY the following day for UN security detail. Needless to say; that trip was cancelled.
 

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