That was supposed to be my first day working a job in the Pentagon!
Fortunately for me, I stayed home that day to take care of my now late wife. I was completely oblivious because I had the TV and radio off (much like Jim). My mother-in-law called in a panic. When she decided I had no idea what was going on she insisted I turn on the TV. It was a little like watching the Challenger space shuttle launch and disaster, I couldn't understand what I was seeing at first and then I couldn't believe it.
I was in the Navy driving from my base to one in Fallon Nevada as part of an advance detachment to get our working spaces set up. As I go thru Sacramento every emergency vehicle has their lights on etc., I had been listening to my CD player and turned on the radio to hear what was happening just in time to hear about the Pentagon attack. We arrived in Fallon and went directly to our two airplanes that were also there as part of the advance detachment. Quickly inspected, fueled and loaded them with live air to air weapons and launched them into the air for Combat Air Patrol missions over California. The deployment that followed was moved up and we deployed to the North Arabian Sea to fly combat missions in response to this attack. The first combat flight flown by the air wing from the John C Stennis aircraft carrier included the World Trade Center Flag that had been flown on top of one of the towers and was recovered by crews at ground zero. Yes the aircraft that had the flag on board made it safely out and back delivering it's payload in response to the attack.
I had the day off, since we'd just closed on our new house, and I'd just dropped my daughter off at school when I heard a radio report of a plane that had crashed into the World Trade Center, more details to come.
By the time I got back to our house to finish packing and direct the movers, the second plane had hit, and America then knew it was under attack. We watched CNN as they reported developments. About 30 minutes further, I was paged to join a Crisis Mgmt conf. call for my work (large financial firm). We worked through preparations for further disruption, for what else might be attacked, and specifically, what we could do to get staff to/from our backup data center on Long Island (since the bridges had been ordered closed).
We always had STL staff in NYC for various reasons, and had about 20 staff "stranded" there for a few days. They eventually rented cars and drove back. The firm relocated their recovery data center to the Midwest about a year later.
I'd booked a flight there in October, unfortunately that same morning that the AA flight lost its tailfin and crashed into Queens. I figured air travel would be a mess for days after, and rented a car to drive to NYC. Sixteen hours from STL, as it turns out.
I don't watch the news or listen to it on the radio. I was working on the computer when my sister called me from VA, all upset and asking what I thought was going on. I asked her what she meant and she told me a plane had crashed into the twin towers. I honestly did not believe her, so she told me to turn on the TV. I did, just as the second plane hit. It may seem odd, but living here on a farm, I honestly would not have known anything about it until my wife came home from work.
Being on the west coast I woke up to the first reports and subsequently was late to work as I couldn't remove myself from the TV coverage. I don't think I was even missed.
Like many Firefighters across the Country, I was working that day. I was sitting in my pickup, on the Darby Fire in Calaveras County, (trying to get a little much needed rest during some down-time) when the Division Supervisor pulled up next to me and said "Hey, are you listening to the radio?" I replied, "Ya, I'm listening to the Doobie Brothers (Listen to the Music)..." He said, "No man, turn on some news, they just flew a plane into the World Trade Center!" As my Strike Team's 24+ hour fireline assignment would not conclude until sometime near noon that day, we had no access to television of any kind until nearly 1:00 PM.
Well, needless to say, that event has changed my life forever. As a member of one of the greatest brotherhoods known, I have approached every day, not just every 9-11, with a renewed appreciation for all that life offers us. The loss of 343 Firefighters, the Port Authority and Police Officers, and the civilians never goes unforgotten. Having become friends with a few 9-11 survivors from the FDNY has personalized that devistating day for me. I have confidence that we will "Never Forget" and we will remain ever vigilant as we continue to move forward in the aftermath of this tragic and significant event in our Country's history.
I was only 10. I can remember coming home from school and seeing it on TV. Didnt really think much of it being that age. It was only when i saw my parents getting upset that i realised the seriousness. I then remember a bit later switching on the news in the morning and telling my parents we'd gone to war.
I was stationed on the west coast. I had just sat down to lace up my boots for work when I saw the first images on TV. I sat down right before they flew into the first tower. I didn't have a clue as to what was going on, I was telling myself that it looked so real, but there was no way something like that was really happening. Then they showed the second tower under attack and I just had this feeling of helplessness. It took a while for everything to sink in. Sometimes it's still hard to wrap my head around.
To all those lost, to those that thankfully made it through and to all those that put their lives on the line to help those in need, Semper Fi.
![[IMG]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/A2jA79CCcAARWrp.jpg:large)
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