9/11/2001

[bersaguy]

Just thought it might be interesting to know. How many folks can remember exactly what they were doing on 9/11/2001 when the planes began striking targets. I was enjoying a nice morning of fishing on Old Hickory Lake and had a radio on it the boat listening to music when it came over the radio that we were under attack. I went right back and put the Skeeter on the trailer and went home and listened to the radio in the truck all the way home. Every gas station and filling station had lines out into the street with people panick buying. I had filled the truck and boat up that morning on the way to the lake so didn't need to stop on way home.

[Erik88]

It's amazing that even after all this time I still got goosebumps just thinking about that day. You guys will laugh but I was in the 7th grade at North Middle School in Lenoir City. Another teacher came into our room and whispered something in Mr. Thompson's ear. I don't think I'll ever forget the look on his face. We spent the rest of the day watching the events unfold. I can remember teachers crying and many of the kids left early after their parents came to get them.  Apparently mine were not concerned with me  

I also remember my dad having to explain to me what the WTC was. I was mature enough at the time to understand it was very bad, but I had to fill in a lot of the blanks when I got older.

[cmsmith712001]

I was driving to UT Martin from Jackson, TN to wrap up my senior year. 

[MP5_Rizzo]

It was a Monday morning and I went into work early. I also remember it was one of those cool low humidity early Fall like mornings. An employee walked in the back door and said some fool just flew a plane into the World  Trade  Center.  First thing I thought was something like a Cessna or a Piper 2 or 4 seat something and didn't really give it much attention as I had things to do.  Then I noticed the regular radio talk was all over it and it was no small plane we searched for and old TV we had in a storage room and proceeded to watch them topple.  We ended up not getting much work accomplished that day.

[buck1032]

I was on active duty USN, stationed at HS-8 onboard NAS North Island, San Diego. I was in the shower when the first one hit. I had the radio on and wasn't really paying attention, I just remember being a bit miffed they kept talking and not playing music. After I got out of the shower is when I actually heard what was going on. I quickly shaved and got dressed and watched a few minutes of news before I had to head to base. I saw the 2nd plane hit the tower. I knew we were under attack and knew full well getting to work was going to suck. It did, the base was locked down. It took till almost noon to report to work. I was sent home and told to pack my bags and be ready to be gone for a year. The next morning I was flown out to the CV that was conducting Carrier Quals to support the air suppression on the West coast.

[btq96r]

I was an active duty Private First Class stationed at Fort Campbell.  Still remember getting ready to go to breakfast with my barracks roommate after morning PT when my platoon sergeant came barreling into our room to tell us to put on CNN.  Things got very real, very fast, and a little over four months later, I was in Afghanistan.  That day changed the trajectory of my life in so many ways.

[bersaguy]

1 hour ago, MP5_Rizzo said:

It was a Monday morning and I went into work early. I also remember it was one of those cool low humidity early Fall like mornings. An employee walked in the back door and said some fool just flew a plane into the World  Trade  Center.  First thing I thought was something like a Cessna or a Piper 2 or 4 seat something and didn't really give it much attention as I had things to do.  Then I noticed the regular radio talk was all over it and it was no small plane we searched for and old TV we had in a storage room and proceeded to watch them topple.  We ended up not getting much work accomplished that day.

No Offense intended and hope non taken but if I am not mistaken 9/11/2001 was on a Tuesday.

Edited May 27, 2017 by bersaguy

[nightrunner]

I was in the 8th grade and we had TVs in the classrooms. I was waiting for the periods class to start and no one was in there yet, even the teacher has stepped out. Announcement came on the intercom for all TVs to tune to Channel 2. I turned the TV on and knew immediately that we were going to be at war. I was more intune with politics then than most adults are today. I knew we just had war declared on us. It was like watching a movie and it wasn't really happening. I'll never forget that day. 

[Oh Shoot]

I was in my home office a little before 9am, had just flipped the tube on to CNN, first plane had just hit minutes before, saw the second hit in real time.

Ironically, I was working on images from a New York City artist who lived in Tribeca and worked at MOMA.

- OS

[MacGyver]

On that Tuesday morning, I had just walked out the door of 1WTC to get a cup of coffee.  There had been a holdup that morning in me being able to get up to the area I was working, so I walked outside for some reason instead of walking back down into the transit mall.

I had just crossed Broadway when I saw a flash of light in a window and felt the air suddenly moving past me back towards the buildings. It couldn't have been more than a fraction of second before I heard and felt the shockwave and heat, but I distinctly remember it being long enough that 'explosion' went through my mind before I felt it.  

There was almost instantly a wave of people in the streets fleeing in panic - and it was hard to do anything but move along with them.

One of the strange things about working in the World Trade Center was looking out a window down at the top of jumbo jets on final approach to LaGuardia.  We all thought it was a terrible accident - until the second plane hit.  I remember watching in absolute shock as the second plane hit - it was going so fast.

I remember watching the top of 1WTC tumble end over end as it fell.  I can see everything about the scene in my mind.

To this day, I can see it when I close my eyes at night.  And, if I think about it I can smell and taste it.

The rest of the day was a blur - I worked the site from the early afternoon until around 0400EDT the next day.  I'll never forget walking out of the site and out of lower Manhattan.  As we reached Union Square, people were lining the streets with water and food.

I was fortunate to get to spend the next 9 months on the rescue and recovery.  It was a time of healing, as truthfully I should have been one of the people we never found - my office was on the 78th floor on the side of impact.  Had I been at my desk, I would have been vaporized.

That event certainly affected my professional trajectory for the next several years.

Things like that change a person. Over the years, I've had to quit thinking about why I lived that day and 2977 others did not. It truthfully affected my faith - I've have a hard time with the word 'blessed' in the way that it's used in contemporary forms.  But, I try to live each day with the memory that there were 2977 people who didn't get to come home that day.  

I try not to squander the fact that I'm still alive.

 

[Garufa]

Wow.

I was in a training class in Charlotte, NC.  Someone came in and announced.  We took a very long lunch break.

[bersaguy]

6 minutes ago, MacGyver said:

I had just walked out the door of 1WTC to get a cup of coffee.  There had been a holdup that morning in me being able to get up to the area I was working, so I walked outside for some reason instead of walking back down into the transit mall.

I had just crossed Broadway when I saw a flash of light in a window and felt the air suddenly moving past me back towards the buildings. It couldn't have been more than a fraction of second before I heard and felt the shockwave and heat, but I distinctly remember it being long enough that 'explosion' went through my mind before I felt it.  

There was almost instantly a wave of people in the streets fleeing in panic - and it was hard to do anything but move along with them.

One of the strange things about working in the World Trade Center was looking out a window down at the top of jumbo jets on final approach to LaGuardia.  We all thought it was a terrible accident - until the second plane hit.  I remember watching in absolute shock as the second plane hit - it was going so fast.

I remember watching the top of 1WTC tumble end over end as it fell.  I can see everything about the scene in my mind.

To this day, I can see it when I close my eyes at night.  And, if I think about it I can smell and taste it.

The rest of the day was a blur - I worked the site from the early afternoon until around 0400EDT the next day.  I'll never forget walking out of the site and out of lower Manhattan.  As we reached Union Square, people were lining the streets with water and food.

I was fortunate to get to spend the next 9 months on the rescue and recovery.  It was a time of healing, as truthfully I should have been one of the people we never found - my office was on the 78th floor on the side of impact.  Had I been at my desk, I would have been vaporized.

That event certainly affected my professional trajectory for the next several years.

Things like that change a person. Over the years, I've had to quit thinking about why I lived that day and 2977 others did not. It truthfully affected my faith - I've have a hard time with the word 'blessed' in the way that it's used in contemporary forms.  But, I try to live each day with the memory that there were 2977 people who didn't get to come home that day.  

I try not to squander the fact that I'm still alive.

 

Sorry if I have brought up something in your past that you are still trying to deal with my friend. It is jsut something I think about often as I had a few close friends that did not come home that day and still visit or call their families from time to time to see how they are doing.

[MacGyver]

Just now, bersaguy said:

Sorry if I have brought up something in your past that you are still trying to deal with my friend. It is jsut something I think about often as I had a few close friends that did not come home that day and still visit or call their families from time to time to see how they are doing.

I'm certain they appreciate the calls.  On birthdays, anniversaries, etc. - it's comforting to know that someone still remembers the person you lost.  Life goes on - but it's sometimes great to get a reminder that the world was a genuinely better place with that person in it.

 

[bersaguy]

16 minutes ago, MacGyver said:

I'm certain they appreciate the calls.  On birthdays, anniversaries, etc. - it's comforting to know that someone still remembers the person you lost.  Life goes on - but it's sometimes great to get a reminder that the world was a genuinely better place with that person in it.

 

Yea, I can tell when I talk to the family members that they are glad that a friend still remembers their loved ones they lost this many years later and I think it helps.....jmho

[MP5_Rizzo]

1 hour ago, bersaguy said:

No Offense intended and hope non taken but if I am not mistaken 9/11/2001 was on a Tuesday.

Not offended at all and thanks for the correction. I knew it was the week after Labor day and I thouhgt it was on Monday but I see now it was Tuesday.  I may not have remembered the exact day of the week but many other things of that day are very vivid.  Thanks again!

[bersaguy]

2 minutes ago, MP5_Rizzo said:

Not offended at all and thanks for the correction. I knew it was the week after Labor day and I thouhgt it was on Monday but I see now it was Tuesday.  I may not have remembered the exact day of the week but many other things of that day are very vivid.  Thanks again!

If that is all you forgot your in great shape. I am keeping the Posti Note company in business and reason I am able to remember the day is because my sons birthday was on that Tuesday and his birthday is 9/11/1969. Easy for me to remember. Always helps when other things are there to remind me of dates..............

[Ronald_55]

I was at work. We normally had no tv or radio and our internet was locked down. I did customer support and was alone in a room because the other guy that had as desk in there quit. I came off a call and noticed there was lots of hubbub on the other side of the hall. When I went over someone told me a plane hit the WTC. A guy had a tv he had brought in by coincidence to give to another guy. It got rigged up and we watched most of the rest of the day. I called my wife to see if she had seen and her work was at a stand still too. I was numb, the closest I had seen to this was watching Desert Storm on tv in high school class. It was unbelievable to see the tower collapse. 

I found out a little later that day a friend I had in our NC office had a niece in Manhattan at that moment. He left out to drive and get her since her parents were in OH. I understsnd that she was really lucky and was not in close proximity, but still took forever to get out so he could pick her up.

[peejman]

I was at work. Overheard someone saying a plane had hit a building in NY. Thought, nah, couldnt be that. Then heard more people talking and figured it was a small private plane or something. Then folks got real excited saying it was an airliner so I found someone on the internet and stood staring in disbelief at pictures over their shoulder.  Within a couple minutes, all the traffic killed our internet service except for our customer line. So spent the next little while watching over the shoulder of one of our supplier reps who was from England. His connection locked up shortly thereafter as well. I distinctly remember him saying "I guess this means I'm not going home this week...". 

At some point I called my wife who was at home. Her grandparents,  who lived 2 hrs away, were out just driving around and decided to stop by for an unannounced visit. They got to the house just before the first tower fell. I was grateful they were there and my wife didn't have to watch it alone.  

We left work fairly early that day and I recall standing with my wife on our deck that evening and noting how eerily quiet it was.  Only the occasional car passing by and no contrails overhead. 

[Steelharp]

My dad and I were having our routine McDonald's breakfast, he had to have a sausage egg McMuffin every morning. We knew nothing until I got him home, we walked in, and mom was watching TV and asked if we had seen this. We looked at the set, and in a couple minutes, the 2nd plane hit. She said, "Oh my God, it's an attack!" Dad and I were still in dumbfounded mode. We just sat and watched in disbelief.

[hipower]

Not a good tale like some have, but I was still working parts sales at the time. We'd had a fairly long sales meeting that morning and I was just getting to my first call as the first plane hit.

Like almost all the nation, I was dumbfounded by the concept that a passenger jet had done this.

Standing at the owner's sales counter, he and I saw the second hit and were totally stunned. We knew then it was no accident.

I called my wife and the office in that order. Didn't get much done that day. But I doubt many of us did. 

I do remember my wife telling me that Vandy's Trauma and Burn Center was up and running to receive patients, and she was going in to help.

I tried to explain why there would likely be no need for her to go in. That didn't go well.

[TripleGGG]

I was at an auto auction in Chattanooga. I remember how quiet it got as the news spread. Then I got a call from a pilot buddy who told me all planes had been grounded.  It was also my daughter's 9th birthday. It was hard for us adults at her birthday party. We realized many things as we knew them would be changed forever. 

[n0rlf]

I was in Minnesota at the time and in the office with my partner in a courier and trucking business we had. Small office at the time and I remember my wife calling me and telling me a plane had hit the WTC. I asked her if it she meant a Cessna or something. She informed me it was a passenger jet. Quickly found a TV and got it hooked up. Spent the next 8 hours watching it unfold.

My partner at the time was a major in the MN Army NG. His phone lit up shortly after the first strike. We had a small staff at that point and as I remember we were all just sitting around watching the news most of the day as we could not do much else.

I can still remember that our regular phone lines into dispatch rang only a couple times that day. We went from hundreds of calls to almost nothing. 

The next day was the busy one for us as we were overflowing with calls for cargo work due to the air shutdown.

It was a long day and the drive home was almost eerie as their was very little traffic. I am guessing everyone was watching the TV still.

[dralarms]

I was installing an access control in a chicken farm in pikeville, tn.  When the first plane hit I told my wife something wasn't right about it and it was not an accident. She thought I was crazy until the second plane hit. I spent the next couple of weeks glued to the tv. I could not believe that someone had successfully attacked us.

[DMark]

I was sitting next to the incoming commander of the 75th Ranger Regiment who was next to the Deputy JSOC Commanding General.  

We where at a secure location to be inbriefed on current and future JSOC operations.   The future part of the briefing was halted since it no longer related to anything. 

[gregintenn]

We were at the beach on vacation in Gulf Shores. My older son was two years old at the time. We took him back to the condo for a nap. He turned on the cartoon network. I know something was terribly wrong when Dan Rather was on that channel broadcasting.

I remember going to a restaurant that night. People there were all watching the President's address on tv. A building full of people who would otherwise be strangers were cheering the President, crying, and hugging one another. I wish that feeling of unity could have lasted, but sadly it didn't.

The next morning at about the time of the attack, a formation of jet fighters flew up the beach from Pensacola. That caused a very eerie sensation that I've never before or since felt.

Don't expect this post to make sense. It's just some incoherent thoughts of what I remember of that time.