9/11 - where were you?

[BikerBabe]

I remember 9/11 2001 all too well, as millions of people all over the world do every year.

My ex-boyfriend and I had to go shopping at a warehouse not far from Copenhagen, and when we got up into their tv/pc/radio department, we couldn't help but see what was on the news.
The warehouse had all sorts of tv models on display on one wall in their tv-department, and all tvs were turned on to CNN, they were showing the breaking news of the horrible terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.

We did our shopping and went home, and the first thing I did was to turn on the tv. I sat and watched all day, I just couldn't get to grips with what was going on, it was too big, too violent, too much.
I called my best female friend to talk, and together we went to the American Embassy in Copenhagen to light a candle each and to lay some flowers to show our sympathy with the american people, the victims and their families.

What impressed me most was that there were several hundred people - danes and americans, pakistani, turks, people from all over the world who lived in Denmark, and they were quiet. Very, very quiet.
I've never heard so many people be so quiet.

They had brought letters, notes of sympathy and grief, flowers, candles, little tea light holders with candles in them, which they lit and put in fromt of the embassy in Copenhagen, and as the days went, the numbers of flowers and candles grew.

But I will never forget the silence that night, and the feeling of sympathy, sorrow and support for the american people there, and those who died, from all those many hundreds - maybe thousands - of people in front of the embassy.

And I'll never forget 9/11.

 

[B-17engineer]

I was in 2nd grade? I believe. They all hearded the kids in classrooms and locked the doors and covered the windows. Standard lock down procedure.

I called my dad (Who is a Police Officer) and he told me it's safer if I stay in school. The school wouldn't let us take our buses home so our parents had to come pick us up. My dad spent 2 straight days at work because the Police Dept. had all officers on duty.

It was a crazy and horrible day.

 

[imalko]

I was taking exam in Mathematical Statistic at University in the morning that day (in local time). Only when I came home I saw the news. It seemed unreal at first...

 

[mudpuppy]

I remember being all stressed out over some internal crisis at work, or at least it felt like a crisis till I heard someone say something about a plane crashing into the WTC in New York. We found a little color TV, placed it on the counter at the receptionists desk and all crowded around to watch in disbelief as the events unfolded. Folks would peel off in ones or twos to call home or try cell phones that were all too frequently rendered useless by the crush of other people trying to do just the same thing.
I will never forget the feeling of our nation being attacked. The anger over such a cowardly and evil act has changed but it is still there. Imagining the grief and loss of all those fathers and mothers; brothers and sisters and especially the children who lost loved ones still brings a knot in my chest.

Thanks for starting this thread, BB, and I do remember all too well the love and support that were shown by people all over the world for those so brutally snatched away. I was so touched by the heartfelt gestures of people halfway around the world. I know there were loved ones lost on 9/11 from other countries, but even before I knew that it seemed to me like people from all over the world felt some of the same loss that I did. I was inspired by the kindness of humanity during the same time when i was enraged by the murderous actions of a few.

Regards,
Derek

 

[RabidAlien]

I had my radio off in my car on the way in to work that morning, and didn't know anything was going on until I walked into the breakroom. The first image I saw on the TV, coming through the door, was the first tower on fire. I stood there, shocked, not even finishing my morning routine before clocking in, just staring at the TV. Finally I had to punch in and head out to the sales-floor...where I promptly grabbed the one TV we sold, hauled it up to the front of the store, plugged in a set of bunny-ears (this is retail...everything is done as cheaply as possible), and we all dragged chairs up from the furniture department and watched. Nothing got done that day, and they might as well have closed the store for all the sales we had (should have, out of respect...but the manager was a prick). I went home that night and printed a bunch of American flags on magnetic business cards, and started giving them out to people the next day. Then a week later, we started selling the dang things. But my first reaction, first thought, was "they attacked the US. Nuke the bastards." My second thought was "finally, something that's going to actually UNITE the US!" And I think I had a glimpse of what America felt like on Dec 7, 1941.

 

[Glider]

My company lost 175 people in the attack, I was consoling one of the people who was on the phone to the Trade Centre when the second plane hit.
You can imagine how we felt, a cold calm anger would is the best description I can give.

 

[Torch]

I usually turn on the news before I go to work, when I first saw this caos I said nah this isn't real, then the realization hit and I was stunned,po'd, saddened. I knew many co-workers who worked in that building(luckly none were hurt or killed). I couldn't stop watching what was going on, I've been on the observation deck(unbelievable view), ate in the restaurant at the top, had kick off meetings there and now all those people are gone,buildings,hero's dead and yet how so many have forgotten that day..Sad...

 

[Henk]

It was about 2pm or just past 2pm when I got home from school (I was in grade 9 back then) and my dad phoned me and asked me if I knew anything about the World Trade Center buildings in New York, I said yes and asked him why. He then told me that a plane just crashed into one of the towers and there is n big hole in the side of the building and that I must switch on my TV, but my TV broke the day before and thus could not watch the CNN and BBC life breaking news broadcast. A while later my dad phoned me back and said that a second plane crashed into the other tower and asked what I thing of it, I said that it is strange for 2 planes to do that after each other in the same area and that something is cooking. He later phoned me and said that the two towers tumbled and that many people lost their lives, but he taped everything for me and that night I went to his house to watch what happened and saw the new stuff about what went down on that day in the US and around the world.

I still have the news papers of it and the magazines with pictures and info on what happened on 11/09/01.

 

[muller]

I was in the bar in Dublin airport when I watched the 2nd plane hit, myself and my Dad had just gotton off a flight from JFK, we'd been on a trip to Boston New York to visit relatives. The day before I'd been standing under the WTC, craning my neck and in awe of the height of those towers. Next day they were gone. I'll never forget the feeling I had that day.

I was back there a couple of weeks ago, that feeling came back to me.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I was in the army at the time, and was working on a Blackhawk helicopter in the hanger. The commander came and told us that he had no info but that we were under attack. Later when we saw the news in the office we found out what had happened.

We were immediatly put on lockdown at the hanger until further information was put out. We were only allowed to go outside and smoke or go to the mess hall and eat chow. Later that night we were released to the barracks to go and pack all our TA 50 and gear. We were not allowed to leave the airfield though. I remember being out of cigarettes and sneaking off post and heading down to a german bar to buy cigarettes. They were watching it on tv as well. An old German lady came over and gave me hug.

It was a very tense time for all us.

 

[beaupower32]

I woke up and got ready for work. I had the radio on but didnt hear anything about the attack. Got to work and couldnt find anyone in the shop. Went to the break room and everyone was surrounding the big screen. It was crazy what we all saw. We never moved from the TV till after lunch. ( I was stationed at Edwards AFB in California at the time). We were pretty much locked down till about 10 that night. So we worked 15 hours that day before we were allowed to go home. What a sad day.

 

[Thorlifter]

I was at work and heard it on the Howard Stern show. I had one of those little portable TV's show I turned it on and watch the news. I was on the phone with my ex talking about it when the 2nd plane hit. She was at home watching it and we watched both towers fall. It was a shocking numb feeling.

 

[ToughOmbre]

Back on September 11, 2001 I was working for Verizon in Newark, NJ. From my building on the 8th floor there was a clear view of the entire NY skyline which is about 10 miles to the east. Early that morning a co-worker said that he heard on the radio that a plane hit the WTC. Since we could see the towers from the opposite side from where we were sitting, we ran to a conference room with a big picture window to see what happened. I remember saying that if it was a small plane that had struck the tower on the opposite side from us, we might not see much more than a puff of smoke, if anything at all. When we pulled back the curtains to look out across the meadowlands we were horrified. More and more folks started coming into the room to see the tower burning. At that point we knew it had to be a large aircraft. As we stared in disbelief, we saw another airplane approaching from our right. At first we thought it might be a flyby to observe what damage had been done. When it struck the second tower every one of us in that room knew that we were under a terrorist attack.

What really freaked us out was the first tower collapse since it was totally unexpected. From our vantage point it looked like a cloud of smoke enveloped the tower; we weren't sure what was happening. When the smoke cleared one tower was gone, one was standing. To this day, that was eeriest image I remember. The guy next to me then said the other one is gonna go too. Of course he was right.

At this point everyone decided to get the heck out of town and make our way home (for me 60 miles south). As I got in my car we were told the NJ Turnpike was closed since it ran right next to Newark Aiport. And with the confusing early radio reports of other attacks, planes in the air etc., I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little jumpy.

It didn't take long for great anger to overtake my emotions.

TO

 

[DBII]

We had just settled down into our work routine when a coworker told me a plane had run into a building in New York. I could not believe it had happen. I could not think of anyway a plane would hit a building unless the systems were configured incorrectly. How could a pilot not see a high rise in NY in clear weather? This was right after the first crash and the media had no clue what had happened. The office stopped working and everyone was listening to radios. A little later, I went with my coworker to the deli downstrairs. We were standing in line watching the news report when the second plane crashed into to building, live. It took several seconds before everyone realized that it was a second plane. Next was the plane crash into the Pentagon. At this point it was clear that we were being attacked. Soon after that we heard that all flights had been grounded and there were planes missing. Next was the report there was one plane still in the air. Later it was repoted that the plane had crashed in a field.

The office is 90% women and they wanted to pick their kids up from school. The office closed everyone went home. Since I had spend several years in the army, I drove two block to the recruiting office to see if I could get activiated. This was the first of two times that I was turned down since I was not a retiree and was over 40, they would not accept me. I was 40 years old and 5 months and to old. All I wanted was old M-60A3 and some fuel. I would have settled for a M-48. I was very angry.

Days later information starting to be released to the press. The Texas Air National Guard (TXANG) at Ellington Field launched 2 of their alert fighters from the 111th FS to escort Air Force 1 from Florida back to Washington DC. Ellington Field is about 40 minutes from were I was living at the time. For several weeks the TXANG F16s could be seen patroling the skies of Houston and the surrounding area. I heard an interview on the radio with a Air Force pilot that was on alert during the attack. He was flying I think over Georgia in a F15. He talked about using afterburners and arriving in Pennsylvania in minutes. I wish I had a copy of the interview.

One of my coworkers had a cousin that just got out of the army and started college. He had taken a job at the twin towers as a security guard. No one heard from him for about a week. He recieved some burns helping people out of the building a. My brother in-law's brother was an Air Force officer working a desk job in the Pentagon. He was an arms dealer, lucky stiff. He and his buddy stepped out of the office to grab a cup of coffee. It was destoryed while he was on break. It was about a week before anyone heard from him.

I guess this is enough from me.

DBII

 

[rochie]

i was driving back to work for evening restaurant service and heard on the radio that a plane had crashed into one of the twin towers and thought it meant a light aircraft accident, then it was reported a second plane had hit the other tower and i knew something was up !

got into the hotel and went straight to an empty bedroom and sat in front of the tv for about 4 hours not able to take my eyes off the screen.

 

[Vassili Zaitzev]

I was in 6th grade, I believe. I had went to library to check out a book, and I saw CNN on one of the televisions, watching what I think was the first tower burning. I was shocked, I had little clue as to what was happening. I'm pretty sure that the rest of the classes were put on hold for that day.

 

[evangilder]

I was on my computer and my sister IM'd me to turn on the TV. I asked why and she said an airplane had crashed into the WTC. I ran downstairs and watched the story unfold, and then watched the second one hit the second tower live. At that point, I knew it was an attack. I ran upstairs to wake my wife and we watched the TV upstairs.

I went into work and everything, and everyone, was in a haze. My brother in law (then future brother in law) was due to fly from Heathrow to Boston that day. Needless to say, that didn't happen.

Today, I am wearing my "We will never forget" shirt with the American flag and the date September 11, 2001. It is a day I am sure none of us will ever forget.

I wasn't personally effected by any of the deaths, but I know a lot of people that were/are. Some of them are on this forum. Keep them in your thoughts and prayers today.

 

[Coors9]

I was line boring the back dump pins on a hugh quarry Cat dump truck. It was a great sunny warm day. Then all hell broke loose. Sad,sad day.

 

[lesofprimus]

9-11 is still tough for me to come to grips with.... Even after all this time, it still feels to me as though it just recently happened....

I was working at Northrop Grummans Shipyard in Pascagoula Mississippi, installing some phone lines and fiber optics into a trailer by one of the new Arliegh Burke Destroyers when one of the guys came up and said a bomb went off in the World Trade Center.... We packed up and hauled ass to the shop where I walked in to mayhem....

On the tv was the live video feed from NYC showing the first Tower burning away.... Stood there stunned, trying to think how many people I knew in that building... Then the second plane comes flying in and smacks the second Tower....

Jesus Christ, we're under attack....

As we all stood around there with our mouths open, I blurted out that they need to evacuate those buildings, cause theyre gonna come down..... One of the retirees we worked with said it wasnt possible for them to collapse.... I explained to him what would happen if the top part of the Tower collapsed due to the heat generated from the burning aviation gas and that both planes were fully fueled up....

Next thing u know, down came the first Tower.... I stood there stunned......

Heres to the Memory of Friends and Family that perished on 9-11... All 19 of em.... FF is firefighter....

Vince D'Amadeo
Jimmy Amato FF
Matt Rogen FF
Thomas Butler FF
Francis Sadocha
Paul Geier
Andre Fletcher FF
Judson Cavalier
Brian Ahearn FF
Tara Debek
Rob Levine
Nancy Bueche
Larry Stack FF
Don Burns FF (My Uncle)
James Carson
Mike Otten FF
Ezra Aviles Port Auth
Neil Cudmore

And last, my pal Ken Watson... Childhood friends, went to college together, even got him laid for the first time...

Included 2 pics I took when we visited Ground Zero....

 

[Njaco]

I was going through a divorce at the time and was staying at my father's place. I woke up in time to watch the second jet hit the towers. I thought it was a movie at first. I couldn't believe it. My father was angry like I had never seen him before. Then I remembered about my soon-to-be ex-wife's family.

I called her and asked about her sisters.

One sister was a paralegal in NY and worked in the area of the WTC. My ex hadn't heard from her and was kinda frantic.

Another sister was a housing liason for military personnel at the Pentagon. She had called and was in her home scared as hell. She was ok. But she was told to stay home and not go to work.

We finally had contact with the sister in NY and she was ok also but freaking out.

The time before we found out everyone was ok was brutal.

The next day there was numerous Police and Fire members that were gearing up to head to NY. I was asked by my Association to be on standby if any Animal Control Officers would be needed. There was a concern within my field of work that with so many people evacuated, that some animals left behind might die. But there were so many organizations responding that I was never asked to go. There was plenty of help.

A week or two after, I heard on a radio program someone descibing the aftermath in terms of relationships and interations with other people. Such as no more gathering around the water cooler with Jim , Mary bringing in pictures of her pet dog, the 4 oclock phone call to Barbara by her son who just got home from school, no more office pool on the Giants or the Yankees - so many little, everyday things that make up the substance of one's life and how none of it was there anymore. It was all gone.