thanks for responding to the what were you doing when you heard about what happened on sept 11 thre

indianabyron

I was at home and I didnt have on the tv or the radio. My sister called me and she was crying so I thought a family member had died. She said that they bombed the trade center again. And I was like WHO DID WHAT?????. I thought she was crazy . She then said I hadent seen the tv yet and I said no I didnt. She told me to turn it on that I had to see what was happening. So well I was talking to her I turned the tv on just in time to see the 2nd jet hit the World Trade Center I was just agast at what I had seen. I couldnt believe this was happening here In AMERICA. As I watched more I sat there in stunned slience. Then they came on and said the Pentagon had been hit ( I have been there many times) At this point I was in total shock, the feeling that came out were grief, saddness, anger all at the same time. As an ex soldier my feelings were telling me I had to Defend this country from what was happening, but alas I am not a soldier anymore and I was far from where this was happening.

So a year out from this horendous day my feelings still go to those who lost family and friends. Now a year later my family has a member who is in the line of fire my younger brother is on duty in Afghanistan with the Army. Now the attacks on the pentagon the world trade center and in Shanksville Pen, have in a way come home to me and my family .

My thoughts and prayers are with those out there defending our country defending our ideals defending our way of life.


GOD BLESS AMERICA


Byron

Russ

I was awakened by a phone call from an early riser friend.

Russ, NCNE

littlewicher

I was in school and they set up a television projector in the auditorium the entire day so everyone who wanted to, could watch it.

KlectorKid

I was sleeping... they had it on at school but i slept 2 hours late so i missed the assembly.

Nic

I was packing for an afternoon flight to Manhatten with my 6 MONTH OLD son !!! K

gemseeker

I was asleep. It was my day off from work. I was awoken by a call from my uncle about 11:30 calling about the events.

cacheman

I was remodeling one of my rentals bathrooms. I had a jazz station on that was commercial free....just music, no news. Since I went over to work on the place at 5:00 a.m. I didn't hear anything about it until I got home that evening at 8 p.m.! Fourteen hours after it had happened!!! Hell, I might as well have been living in a cave.......well, bad analogy, but you know what I mean

Bear

On 9/11 I woke up at 5:30 WCT as I was unable to sleep. I started watching one of the financial channels, when I heard the report of the 1st plane crashing. At that time , I still believed it was just a horrible accident. When the report and film was shown of the second plane, I knew that this was an act of terror. It brought a flashback of the day John Kennedy
was killed and the horror was magnified for me twice over.

presleyh

I was in my office, my wife called to say a SMALL plane had hit the trade towers. I flipped on the tv and we watched awstruck for hours. When the first tower collapsed it was unbelievable knowing so many people were trapped on the roof. We watched as about 20 stories fell sideways in one large piece. I took my kids up to the top of those towers 6 years ago. Those were very tall buildings.

fcloud

I was running business trips in the car going from supplier to supplier. I must of heard six hours worth of radio news. I notice the lack of airplanes in the sky. It was very odd.

Bustman

I was on my way from NJ to Brooklyn ( via the holland tunnel- lower Manhattan), but heard the news on the radio and instantly turned around. Spent the rest of the day trying to figure out how to get my wife out of Manhattan. They were not letting any cars in or out of thye city, and NO trains or buses were running. She was finally able to get a train out at around 7pm to another town in NJ where I picked her up.
I was worried, but fortunate. What a day that was.
God bless America!
Bustman

lathmach

I was working in my shop. My wife called and told me a plane had flown into one of the towers at the World Trade Center. Then she said another hit the other tower. I told her we were at war, but I didn't know with who.
I was at the airport in Washington D.C. getting ready to fly back to Fort Gordon, Ga., after being released from Walter Reed Army Medical Center, on 22 Nov 1963, when a Marine came up to me and told me President Kennedy had been shot.
Some things you just don't forget.

Ray

toothpuller

I was on a cruise ship in the Carribean. We had just left Ft. Lauderdale on Sunday and the little Indonesian cabin boy told me as I returned from breakfast in the dining room to turn on the TV that "two planes had crashed on top of the World Trade Towers." He made it sound like the hit each other. He said even the stock market was closed and I remember commenting that would be good, since things had been going only down lately. When I turned it on they were showing the Pentagon burning and at first it was real confusing. I caught on pretty quick and realized it was terrorists. Remember telling the cabin boy it was worse than Pearl Harbor.

It was a bizarre week. Mostly foreigners, especially Europeans and they didn't seem to care. I saw that the two planes left Boston and Raytheon employees had perished. My brother lives there and works for them, flying out of Logan to LAX all the time. I kept watching praying his name wouldn't appear on the bottom of the TV screen. It didn't and he is fine. All week I wondered how I would get home. Had scheduled and spent one night at the Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa on the return and the place was totally empty.

Dave99B

I live on the West Coast. I was in bed sleeping, when my alarm clock went off around 6:00 am (faintly playing a radio station). I faintly heard something about "a plane hitting the WTC". I figured it was a light plane of some sort, and I hit the snooze button, and went back to sleep. Ten minutes later, the radio went off again, and I could still hear them talking about the WTC. Still didn't pay much attention - just another day....

Not really thinking too much, I took a shower, went downstairs, and turned on the TV before I left for work. I was horrfied with what I saw. Never made it to work - what was the point?

God bless those innocent souls who suffered through that cowardly act.

Dave

coinfinder

I was on the computer when I saw a post entitled "Were being attcked!". I thought it was a joke and I didn't pay any attention to it until I found later that what had happened.

Tootawl

I was at work doing some research on a server problem. I got am instant message from a friend who said that a small plane hit the WTC. I brought up CNN.com and they already had a photo. Being an aviation nut, I noticed it was not a sall plane.

its4real

I was driving to the office and heard what sounded like a "war of the worlds" radio broadcast and was wondering if it was real or not. I about halfway was listening in and thought it was some kind of radio show.
When I got to the office, all of the TV's were on showing what was really happening....my secretary said a plane had accidentally hit the WTC.
Then the 2nd plane hit and I was shocked. un-be-lieveable is the word. That's when I knew it was REAL.

calgolddiver

I was on final approach into Newark airport scheduled to land at approximately 8:45 AM . As we came in to land, the captain hit the thrusters and we immediately ascended back into a holding pattern. The captain came on to say it appeared that one of the trade towers was on fire. I could look out the window as we circled and see the tower on fire. No one knew that it had been hit by a plane. As we continued to circle above Newark, the smoke plume became larger and larger.

The captain said we were going to reroute to Washington National - Newark and the other NY airports had been closed due to the fire. I'm thinking ... great, I have to rent a car to drive to my meeting in Jersey City (right across the river from WTC). As we depart the holding pattern, we can see the North tower with the top covered in smoke and the smoke plume now miles long.

Then the captain came on and said we were being routed to Philly for immediate landing. I thought great, closer to my destination and a rental drive would be a piece of cake. As we approach Philly, I call my office to rent me a car. They said where are you ? do you know what has happened ? They filled me in and I was stunned. I said call my wife and let her know I am all right and that I'll call her as soon as possible.

Planes were coming into Philly and parking everywhere. The concourse was mass confusion. I thought to myself, nothing is flying today, I'm outta here. I left my luggage - never saw it again. I went to the rental lot and got in line (about number 20 in line). By the time I got a car (I actually got a reservation through my office) there were 150 people trying to get a car.

I got the car, left the airport and drove to a friend of mine in north Philly. I spent the day and night with his family drinking beer and watching the tragedy. He and I drove to SC the next day - 9/12. He had to be in NC and I had to get home. Drove through DC. Very heavy security. Got a speeding ticket from Virginia's finest 4 miles from the NC border while on a conference call, top down on the car, no attention whatsoever to my speed. The cop had no mercy.

That's my story.

airplanenut

I was sitting in my Period 2 English class listening to a speech on someone's summer reading when we were told two (small) planes hit... i only found out the rest when my mom came during lunch and found me (she had a meeting that was cancelled when the news was heard; didn't know about what was happening at school since a lot of people from my town work in NYC). Then I hit the computers...

Jeremy

PS- my town was on 60 minutes regarding the attack a few days ago (I didn't see it) but you might have...

ANACONDA

Question -- "What were you doing when you found out what happened 1 year ago today?"

Waking up in Miami, Florida, getting ready to catch a plane back to Dallas, with my family and our nanny.

Upon seeing the second plane hit the #2 Tower, my wife and I immediately went to the closest car rental place, got in line, rented a car, then, bought a small VCR/TV that plugged into the lighter of the car (so my 3 and 5 year old could watch videos) and left the next morning and spent the next two days driving back to Dallas. It was strange - not a plane in the sky. Not too many cars on the road, either.

I grew up on New Jersey. The World Trade Toweres represented to me, our nations' supremacy in commerce. They towered over their neighbors. I was deeply affected by their destruction and the loss of so many lives.

Today, I turned on the TV for about 30 minutes in the morning. That was all I could handle. I have hurt with everyone for the past year, in a very miniscule way compared to those husbands, wives and children who lost their family members. Imagine being a child who lost a parent in that atrocity? It is too much to even think about. We are all on this planet together, so far, apparently, all alone in this enormous Universe. Our inhumanity to each other is baffling in some ways, history endlessly repeating itself in other ways. God must really wonder at times at us. We too, should wonder.

But I am an escapist. Neither a conformist nor an activist. It makes sense for me. Trying to change the world is almost certainly a complete waste of time and a sacrifice of your family and yourself. I just try to be the best father, husband and employer that I can be. That keeps me pretty busy.

adrian
anaconda.rare.coins (on eBay)

Blade

I may have one of the most amazing stories. My wife, Melissa and I were watching Good Morning America from the hospital's pre-delivery room. We were in shock as we watched live when the second plane hit and the towers collapsed. Three hours later, she delivered our wonderful daughter Katie.

The local NBC affiliate here called us last week to do a story on good news on 9.11.01. I think they did a nice job. If you are interested, here it is online. There is video too if you have a recent version of Real Video player from www.real.com.

News story

Luvdawgs

I was visiting friends in Canada. My friend called from work to tell me to turn on CNN. My vacation lasted longer than I had expected. Because of all the airline turmoil, we decided it was best for my friend to drive me back to Virginia.

My poor husband and parents were in the States worried about me. I called as soon as I could to tell them I was ok and find out if they were ok, since my husband and mother were in Virginia, not to far from the Pentagon. It took my husband six hours to finally get through on the phone to me.

One of the terrorists was caught trying to get away from Dulles airport driving in Manassas, Virginia, when a policeman stopped him because he was speeding with a flat tire. I was glad to read about that!

My brother was driving past the Pentagon on the highway when the plane hit it. He was on his way to Dulles airport to take the afternoon flight. Good thing he wasn't on one of the morning flights!

Dog97

Me & my men were finishing a big house in the country. We were building the back deck when we heard it on the radio. Us being construction workers familiar with big buildings we were commenting on how tall a trashpile a 1,000' tall building would make and how nobody could live through it. Several hours later we went to town to eat lunch and finally saw it on TV. We were really tripping out.

Today we were working on the beach and the Blue Angles flew over for a ceremony. We see them practicing all the time but nothing fancy today. 6 F-18 fighters going low & slow, real somber like. Really awesome. We were talking about how we would hate to be terrorists and have those guys coming after us.

grip

I was lying in bed at the comfort inn in arizona,I turned the tv on just in time to catch the first plane when it hit the tower.I had thought it was a small aircraft out of control than the next plain hit,and to be honest I dont remember what I was thinking I was just in shock.Al

jtryka

I slept throught the whole thing. I woke up about 10:30 PST, and turned on CNBC, and no stock ticker, I was confused, then saw the ticker on the United and American Airlines emergency numbers, and it seemed like an eternity while the anchors yapped endlessly about nothing. WHAT HAPPENED?!?!?!? That's all I wanted to know, and they kept talking about emergency numbers, and other inane things. A thousand scenarios went through my head, was it a mid-air collision? A major plane crash? Why two airline emergency numbers? Then I flipped the channels and finally saw the video of the planes hitting, and I thought that's really bad, and it's gonna be a heck of a mess to clean up (I was still thinking the top few floors would be burned out and the rest of the building would survive). Then I saw the collapses on tape, and I was stunned. I put out my flag right then, and sat stunned in front of the TV for the next few hours. Saw 7 WTC collapse, and then went out to get gas as my tank was almost empty, and who knew whether this was WWIII or if things would be somewhat normal.

I worked on the 100th floor of 2 WTC in 1993 and 1994, just after the first attack, and I remember the wonder of those buildings, and the great view from that office. Later that afternoon, I took out my photo album and looked at pre-93 attack photos from my college years, and later photos from when I lived across the Hudson in Jersey City. I then started e-mailing everyone I knew on Wall Street to see if they were all right, as it turned out, everyone I knew was fine, except one good friend who lost his brother. I was in shock the whole day. Wednesday, the 12th, I went to a prayer service at church, and we sang America the Beautiful, and when we got to the verse about our Alabaster Cities gleam undimmed by human tears, I just lost it. I haven't cried that hard in 20 years. Even today, I get really choked up at the national anthem, and almost any patriotic song.

smprfi

I was at work listening to the radio.

BSqr

I was at a client's office. Luckily they had a tv. I was so mad. I mildly ranted and raved around complaining about what the previous administration had done to America's military and intelligence apparatus. Unfortunately for me that client was quite liberal and a Clinton apologist so I lost that account. Oh well, I've been better off without them.

Semper Fidelis and God Bless America

NastyNic

I was at work.

muenzen

I am US Army stationed in Germany. I was working an exercise at a training center in Germany. A soldier came into the bldg and
asked me if I had heard the news about the WTC. He informed me a plane had hit it. My initial reaction was that a small plane had hit the
bldg by accident. Perhaps Joe had challenged Mark: "Hey, a ten spot says you can't fly the Piper between the bldgs". Only after the news of the second did I realized that it was an act or terrorism....someone had heard the news about the second on the car radio driving in to work. Finally, a car was driven into the secure compound and AFN, American Forces Network was fired up. Only then did we start getting real news about what was unfolding.

So there we were. 50 uniformed service members standing around a car listening to a radio. Dead silence for a long while except for that radio. All of us foaming at the mouth wishing we could strike back somehow. On hearing about Shanksville, my gut reaction was that there were some brave souls who fought and succeeded in getting control of the airplane. This later proved correct, but Oh, how I wish they would have been able to successfully land that plane. With the amount of news the WTC and Pentagon receives concerning 9-11, I hope people don't soon forget about Shanksville. What those people did, I just can't put into words. Knowing full well you are probably going to die, but having the courage, guts, fortitude, sense of duty, patriotism? to do what they did and prevent another landmark from being attacked....their acts are truly amoung the finest of the day. No one knows the target of that plane in DC. Perhaps the Capital?
What if the majority of the lawmakers had been present? Chaos would have reigned.

rkfish

I was at home on this forum until a friend called and told me to turn on the TV. He said "you're not going to believe it" and hung up.

halfnut

Hi all. I will never forget that day. My wife and I were driving home to Wyoming, It was the first time I had been home in 9 years. We stopped in Michell South Dakota to play tourist for the day. We stopped for lunch and it was on the news I asked the lady at the counter what this show was and she replyed that it was no show. My wife went in to instist panic, our youngest son worked in tower 2 on the 23 floor. He only went to that office once or twice a week the rest of the time he worked out of there office in Jersey. We did not know if it was a New York office day or nor for him. We spent the next 10 hours trying to get in contact with him. He called us to let us know he was fine and had taken that morning off, but he was going to be in New York that afternoon. Being I'm active duty Navy I called my Duty station and asked if I was needed ( after 9 years of not being home and was so close I did not want to turn around ) but they told me to go on with my leave. After returning from leave I spent a few weeks at the Pentagon doing relief work. I have now decided to stay past my 20 year mark and do one more sea tour Just hoping to get a chance to help put a hurting on anyone that was involved.

please take a few moments out of your day to think about the ones in the Military defending this great nation.

Thanks

Dan

U S NAVY WITH PRIDE AND READY TO KICK SOME BU!@#

MAULUMALL

I had spent the A.M. feeding and playing W/my (then) 3 month baby girl.She had been sick and was in the Hospital a couple weeks prior.She had an infection and had stayed in for a week so I was determined to spend as much time with her as I could.I guess I thought I could protect her in some way.I put her down for a nap and turned on the Tv.I watched for a while.Then I went and sat by my baby.
Just watching her as she slept.
Then the reality of my inability to protect her sank in.

wallstreetman

I was watching the first building burn when I saw the second one get hit, I thought how planes are there? What a helpless feeling!

1956Quarter

I'll never forget where I was and what happened. Just like I still recall where I was and what I was doing when JFK was murdered. I was at work, just an ordinary day. I had a need to go up to the front of the building. I slowly made my way through the halls and passed the help desk area. I poked my head in at Daves station and said Yo, and he said look at this, a plane hit the WTC. I looked at his PC and he had a live CNN immage up showing the gaping hole in tower 1. I instinctively said "Oh its probably some terrorist bastage, they won't leave those buildings alone." I then walked away and continued to the front of the building. On returning to my office I was hearing chatter in the corridors, mainly women who sounded concerned, upset, and a bit worried. They were saying things like we are being attacked, they bombed the WTC again. After a very short while I heard that a TV was set up in the conference room, and that this was a serious situation that the WTC was burning and it was all over the news and hundreds were killed. It was then that I started to get angry, and a tad bit numb. I made my way back to the front of the building to the conference room. They had a TV set up and set to FoxNews. You could see live coverage of tower 1 burning and the gaping hole in her side. News reporters were droning the same things over and over again as they typically do. At each new and different shot the women would gasp, and my anger would rise a notch. I just KNEW this was no accident, I just KNEW this was a deliberate act by some bastages, and I wanted them hurt. Some women started to cry, and others in the room were speculating as to what was happening. We were all talking about wheither or not the building would stay standing. I kept thinking of the days when I was in banking, and had traveled to NYC. I would take the trains to NJ then get the PATH to the WTC, and come out across the beautiful plaza and cross over to wall street. I recalled how goregeous those buildings were, and remember looking up as I crossed the plaza and thinking I'd never be able to work that high in a building as I am petrified of heights. I was anxious for those people who might be trapped, and wondered what it looked like on those floors where the plane came in, and wondered what it would have been like to be sitting at your desk and see it happen to you. I was becoming furious. Then just as the camera changed to show the towers from across the river, the second plane came in and hit tower 2. Everyone gasped and the women became histerical and began to cry and scream. I had reached Livid. I wanted so bad to help, and at the same time bring upon the persons responsible the most henious revenge possible, yet I found myself completely helpless and this infuraited me even more. The news kept replaying and replaying the event, and it just drove my anger higher and higher. I wanted to fight. I wanted to find an Islamic person and gut their body with a spoon then crap in their carcas. We all continued to watch in disbelief. We kept saying com'on everyine move it, get out of there, get out of the buildings. We then received word that the Pentagon had also been attacked. Total histeria broke out amongst the women. We were all feeling a bit helpless and vulnerable as well as angry. We heard that there were reports of more planes being hijacked and wondered where it would all end. We heard that Sears Tower was attacked, but that was later proved to be false, and that what had actually happened was that a fourth plane was hijacked near Pittsburgh and it was thought that it was intedned to attack the Sears Tower, but in reality it had ended up crashing in PA after turning towards Washington DC. Soon afterward tower 2 collapsed and I became numb. I had been there at the WTC. I might have worked with someone who died there at the WTC. I kept thinking of the people at the banks and brokers that I used to call every day, and wondered if any were lost, what they were doing, what they were seeing and experiencing. This attack was unjutified, and I wanted revenge. On one hand it was an unbelieveable sight to see and be witness to history. I wondered what it felt like for my parents when Pearl was attacked, and if they felt the same as I did this day. The sense of urgency peaked as we all hoped tower 1 would stand just out of defiance if nothing else. Women were crying and sobing. The phrase "Oh my god" was uttered repeatedly. I was wondering where god was to allow this to happen. Then we watched as tower 1 finally came down. I was devastated, and livid. I stormed back to my office cussing and swearing the whole way. I beat the crap out of my mouse. It didn't help. I kept saying to myself. Ok George, its time, let do this, it needs to be done. (I was referring to the president.) I knew this was the work of some middle eastern pieces of crap, and I wanted them punished. We were all released from work early, and traffic was a bit heavy, but I was numb and angry on the drive. I parked my rear in front of my TV and tuned into FoxNews. There I stayed until the wee hours of the morning soaking up any piece of information I could, and seeing the planes raming the towers repeatedly. By this time they had film of the first plane hitting as well as the second. I was waiting to hear the president say the word to attack, but it never came that day. I watched as WTC 7 fell as well, and took in all of the hopelessness of the feelings. I wondered how they would ever get that mess cleaned up and get things back to some semblance of normal. Somehow they did it. I am happy we bombed the pants out of Afghanistan, and eliminated these jokes that call themselves Taliban. Please, how pathetic can people get, eh, really, how pathetic?? I hoped from the start that this would make BIG changes happen that were and are sorely needed in the USA. I wanted the elimination of this politically correct crap. I wanted an end to this gentler kinder garbage. I wanted the world to realize you cannot deal with SOB's like this but one way, death, period. But although some changes have been made, I am sorely dissapointed to see that the whiners, liberals, and civil rights morons have again take back control, and imposed their idiotic crap on the world. I will still wait for real justice. The only justice I'd accept though would be to see the families of each person responsible strung up, and gutted in public. Particularly this wussey Atta piece of crap and especially Osama's family. I want the message sent loud and clear that you can die a complete A$$ Hole but your family will suffer your cosequences. Second I hope to party my buns off the day they drop a nuke named "Infidel" over Mecca during the holy month and wipe out 5 million islamic SOBS in one felled sweep. That to me would be a good start to taking out the trash.

DaveG

I was sitting at my desk at work when I heard a "thud" and felt the building shake. The guy who managed the "physical" part (computers, desks, etc.) of the trading floor I was on started shouting "Get away from the windows!" as a blizzard of paper filled the air.

After the air cleared, people started crowding around the north windows. We could see smoke coming from behind the South Tower (from the North Tower, although we didn't know it) across Liberty Street, which, 35 floors below us, was covered in light debris - paper, etc. - some of it burning.

CNN had pictures within five minutes of the impact, so we knew a plane had flown into the North Tower. People started talking about a small plane - maybe the pilot had had a heart attack.

After another five minutes, it seemed like nothing much was happening, so I went back to my desk. I called my wife and left a message telling her I was OK. A couple of minutes later, we heard another "thud" - louder this time and the building shook harder than the first time. I hit the floor.

The PA system came on and said we weren't evacuating the building yet. I called my wife and left another message telling her I was OK.

A few minutes later, the PA system said to evacuate the building, from the bottom up, so I had a few minutes to wait. I called my wife again, she answered this time, and I said "we're evacuating the building." She asked "Why?" I said "I guess you haven't listened to the messages yet. An airplane flew into the World Trade Center." I told her I'd call when I got away and I'd head for the Port Authority Bus Terminal at 42nd Street.

I pretty much went numb after that. I deliberately didn't go over to watch the TV, so I didn't know what was happening. I went to the reception area, where everyone was gathered, and listened to someone who had been on the west side of the building. He said "I got under my desk, because I saw the (second) plane and thought it was coming right at me."

After a few more minutes, after most people had gone down the stairs, I and five or six others got on the elevator and rode downstairs. The lobby was empty, except for a few security guards, who directed us to the exit on the south side of the building.

I got out of the building and headed east, toward Broadway and the subway. The streets were covered in light debris - about a half inch of ash, mostly. I got to Broadway and walked north, toward the Fulton street stop. I walked past the Wall Street stop and heard the train still running.

I got to 140 Broadway, which has a big plaza in front of it. The plaza was packed with people, all watching the fire two blocks away. I thought "What are you fools doing here?" I turned around and walked back to the Wall Street stop. I got a one-trip Metrocard - it's time-stamped 9:46 a.m. Ten or 15 minutes later, I was at Grand Central Station. I went outside and starting walking west on 42nd Street.

It was still a beautiful day - bright, sunny, not a cloud in the sky. People were walking down the street normally, some with cell phones. It was like any other nice September day and like a whole 'nother world from Downtown.

Nothing much happened to me after that. I stood in front of the Port Authority Bus Terminal for an hour or so. No one could get a call out on their cell phones, so all sorts of silly rumors were flying - that the Sears Tower had been attacked, that bombs were found in the Empire State Building, that the White House had been attacked, that the Towers had fallen. I didn't really believe any of them.

I finally got a call through to my wife around 12:30, which is when I found out that the towers really had fallen, although I didn't really believe it.

A couple of hours later, I stood for an hour or so in a line for the ferry to get across the Hudson River. I was at 23rd Street and had a beautiful clear view all the way down to the huge plume of smoke coming from where the Towers used to be. That's when it started to sink in that it wasn't just a movie, that it was real.

stujoe

I was at work fixing medical equipment. I caught a little of it as it started on CNN. After that, I was too busy doing security sweeps and performing other security details that were implemented as the force protection levels increased to catch more than a snippet of information here or there.

It wasn't until I was able to get home many, many hours later that I was able to get enough information to really understand the whole of the situation.

Kejun99

On the way to work while stopping at a traffic light, a stranger drove up along side of me all excited with a startled look on his face and motioning for me to lower my window... I thought I had unknowingly hit someone with my car or something as horrific! He shouted at me to turn my radio on... I said it was broken..he said the WTC had been hit by a plane... I didn't know what to think of that other than an accident...he said New YorK was being attacked... I thought he was a mental case driving a car... I said thanks, the light had changed to green and I raised the window and proceeded on to my job... When I got to work... no radio until someone found a handheld radio with static reception... I couldn't hear it and my co-workers relayed what was happening.. I stood at my art desk saying to myself,,"My God, people are dying at this very moment, as these buildings fall." I was in shock... and bowed my head in a small prayer.. I felt so helpless.. later that night I saw the stills on my computer when I arrived home about 9:30pm at home.
Ken

66Tbird

Had just turned on the tube when the news broke, the rest is kind of fragmented images.

mbbiker

I was at school when it happend, i got to my class and sat down to watch the t.v. that was in the room and as i sat down i saw the 2nd plane hit the WTC. It was a social problems class so you can guess what we studyed for a while Terrerisom.

All i remember is walking from room to room until the school day was over because no one was teaching anything we all just sat and watched the news

Russ

Somehow, after reading through this thread, any problems that I may have in my life; any difficulties that I have encountered; any concerns or anger I have felt; hurt or pain I have experienced, now seem so very, very trivial. God bless all of you.

Russ, NCNE

indianabyron

this is great as somebody that was born in 1970 (ya im young ) my generation dosent have Pearl Harbor, we dont have kennady or martin Luther king, to be as ear marks on history. things that we can say my god i remember exactly what i was doing or how i i felt when i heard about those things. I truly wish i was not now included in that group with september 11 my generation has now joined the rest of you . And we are all the sadder for it .


thanks for responding to this thread

1956Quarter

NP, I needed to get that off my chest. Maybe I'm just an emotional guy.... but things like that just tick me off.

gemseeker

Indianabyron - I wasn't aware of your age. Now that you point it out, the 1970's to 1990's have been pretty quiet compared to other times in this country's history. There hasn't been any cataclysmic event during that time period unless you take into account such events like the Iran hostage crisis of 1979, the Challenger explosion of 1986, the big stock market drop in 1987, or the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995.

In my lifetime, the biggest events were the Kennedy assasination of 1963, The King and Bobbie Kennedy assasinations of 1968, the first moon walk of 1969, and the change from B&W to color TV (not sure of the exact date). IMHO

Russ

Gemseeker,

Toss in a couple 6.5+ earthquakes, and our big events are the same.

Russ, NCNE

gemseeker

Russ- The SF earthquake back in 1906 was a pretty big one. The think the most massive one was off the coast of Java island.

CarlWohlforth

I was reading the newspaper on the web. I read that the first plane hit. I turned on the TV and sat in shock and horror as the 2'nd plane hit in the background of the screen. It took a long time before the buildings fell, that was another shock. It wasn't until the next day I learned my 2'nd cousin was on the 102'nd floor when the buildings collapsed, may he rest in peace.

GQ

I found out about the first plane on the radio. When I walked into the firehouse (I am a professional firefighter), I heard about the second plane and we were put under lock-down.

indianabyron

Ok I got to thinking and ya I guess I can call the space shuttle explosion would be a good one. Earthquakes no thats not in the right league we know they are going to happen.

The Attack on september 11 those are defining moments of a generation. Thats what the future will look at when they look back into history. An earthquake ya it will get two lines in a book the space shuttle another couple of lines. But september the 11 will get a whole chapter on it probally more .

My generation from the 70's on hasent had to face this type of thing until last year.


Byron

SarasotaFrank

I will not soon forget that period of time. At about 8:00 AM, I left my home 60 miles south of Tampa driving to Tampa Airport to board a plane bound for New Jersey. Just as I was arriving at the Airport, I heard the first news reports. I was parking my car when the second plane hit. After realizing I would not be flying that day, I was ready to leave the airport when the first tower collapsed.

With an illness in my family up north, I had to get back to flying only a couple of weeks later. I flew weekly from Tampa to New Jersey for several months, usually in the cavernous confines of planes with as few as 25 passengers.

Tampa, by the way, is the closest major airport to the Venice, Florida flight school attended by several of the terrorists.