I'm not an especially sentimental man, but it got me a bit this morning. Where were you when you heard about the attack? I was in bed after a night of work at UPS. A friend from USMC boot camp called me and told me to turn on the TV because a plane just hit the WTC. I recall thinking he was BSing me and he should stop reading so much Tom Clancy until I flipped the TV on and saw it. We talked about where he and the rest of the 0311s were going to be sent. I did go back to the recruiting station and briefly thought about reupping but decided against it.
Where were you 20 years ago this morning?
- Thread starter benstt
- Start date
HansGruber
Ronin
On my way into work, building databases for a school; right after I got in, someone mentioned the first strike…I figured small plane, navigational error…then heard it was bigger.
Turned on the news to see the second strike, looked at others and said “This is not an accident…we’re at war, and going to be for a long time”.
I seriously underestimated that assessment.
It was afternoon in Germany for me (US Army). I had the day off, so the family and I were heading out to do some shopping. They weren't ready, so I turned on the TV to see what was playing and saw the breaking news. The first plane had just hit tower one. I thought it was a horrible accident until another plane hit tower two. At that point, I knew immediately it was a terrorist attack. I told the wife that we should cancel the trip, because the phone is going to ring recalling me to the unit.
TEXASforLIFE
Ronin
I was farming. Who would've guessed!
TEXASforLIFE
Ronin
When the news broke my mom called me and said "Order 2,000 gallons of diesel and 1,000 of unleaded".
jumpinjoe
Hellcat
Had just arrived at a conference room at our administration complex where we were about to begin negotiations for a 'teacher's' labor contract in our local public school system. In full disclosure here ... I was not on the teacher's side of the table, but the administration's side
The first tower had already been hit and we watched in disbelief as the second plane did it's dirty deed. We cancelled negotiations for that day !!!
The first tower had already been hit and we watched in disbelief as the second plane did it's dirty deed. We cancelled negotiations for that day !!!
Old_Me
Ronin
i used to work nights. so Tuesday morning when i got home about 6 AM, i went to bed. but i never sleep well. i got up about 8:30, and was at the breakfast table, watching the Today Show.
as i was watching, this is when it happened. the first plane, i thought maybe some sort of malfunction, or pilot health emergency.
then the second plane, and that's when i went to full "we are under attack" mode.
i used to drive from MA to NJ 5 nights a week.
that night (after the attacks) there were armed soldiers at ALL the bridges in NYC.
made for some interesting drives the next few nights/weeks, when we were allowed continue to do our job.
as i was watching, this is when it happened. the first plane, i thought maybe some sort of malfunction, or pilot health emergency.
then the second plane, and that's when i went to full "we are under attack" mode.
i used to drive from MA to NJ 5 nights a week.
that night (after the attacks) there were armed soldiers at ALL the bridges in NYC.
made for some interesting drives the next few nights/weeks, when we were allowed continue to do our job.
ddeuce22
Professional
I was in school, Sophmore year of high school. We heard rumors about the first tower. We ran to the MCJROTC room and wheeled out the TV on a cart and plugged it in. Saw the news. Before they could even make an announcement on the loud speaker my entire high school (5500 kids) was already out the door frantically trying to get home, and make contact with mom, dad, aunts and uncles, friends. Everybody had a parent, relative, or friend who worked downtown either at the trade center, or in the buildings adjacent to it. Myself included.
It was absolute chaos trying to get home. I remember finally getting home and just walking down to the ocean (I lived right off the beach so we could see the towers burning off the manhattan shoreline right from our neighborhood in Staten Island. It was so surreal and just something I will never forget. Nor the days that followed.
Train after train, bus after bus of NYPD, Court Officers, FDNY, Sanitation workers, Union contractors. COVERED in debris and soot. None of them said a word. Most were so dehydrated they could barely cry. Some cried the entire walk home.
We offered them food, water, clothing. Anything they could bring back to the site with them. They all would return an hour later in fresh clothes with whatever tools and supplies they could carry, getting back on public transportation to continue. These men and women worked for hours and days on end. The nights turned into a patriotic frenzy. We flooded the streets, waving American flags, singing the star spangled banner, cheering on the heroes as they returned from the site.
I remember one of them screaming at us because it was nothing to cheer about. He just absolutely had a mental breakdown. His face is burned in my brain forever. I've never seen anger and sorrow at one time the way this man had it written all over his face.
The patriotic fervor turned ugly in my neighborhood. We had this Egyptian muslim family that lived in our neighborhood who ran some sort of news broadcast channel or network from their home. They always had this enormous satellite dish on the top of their house. They never bothered us, and we never bothered them.
Until the 1st night of all this madness. The father comes out into the street and lights an American flag on fire.
The beating he proceeds to receive at the hands of all of us (i'm not proud to admit it, but myself included) was merciless. Some others stormed the house and proceeded to rip the satellite dish off of the roof, destroying it.
Police were called, one patrol responded and watched over him until an ambulance arrived. That was all that was done. They left once the ambulance drove away. Not a word said.
It is an event that defines a generation of Americans. For better or worse. It is sometimes hard to see how deeply it affected other parts of the country, being that it hit right at home for me. I can truly say that while being arguably the worst event and attack on continental soil, it was also the time I remember my country being absolutely unified.
The weeks that followed are just the most sad and depressing stories about friends and family waiting to hear from loved ones, who never do, or receive false alarms. To which a very close friend of ours lost their father. no news for 3 days, only to receive a call from a hospital in NJ that they had a Joseph Grillo there, in recovery. The entire neighborhood goes there to see him, only to find out that it was Joseph F Grillo, not Joseph M Grillo.
Through everything that happened. That is the one time I broke down and just absolutely balled my eyes out. That was the moment that broke me.
It was absolute chaos trying to get home. I remember finally getting home and just walking down to the ocean (I lived right off the beach so we could see the towers burning off the manhattan shoreline right from our neighborhood in Staten Island. It was so surreal and just something I will never forget. Nor the days that followed.
Train after train, bus after bus of NYPD, Court Officers, FDNY, Sanitation workers, Union contractors. COVERED in debris and soot. None of them said a word. Most were so dehydrated they could barely cry. Some cried the entire walk home.
We offered them food, water, clothing. Anything they could bring back to the site with them. They all would return an hour later in fresh clothes with whatever tools and supplies they could carry, getting back on public transportation to continue. These men and women worked for hours and days on end. The nights turned into a patriotic frenzy. We flooded the streets, waving American flags, singing the star spangled banner, cheering on the heroes as they returned from the site.
I remember one of them screaming at us because it was nothing to cheer about. He just absolutely had a mental breakdown. His face is burned in my brain forever. I've never seen anger and sorrow at one time the way this man had it written all over his face.
The patriotic fervor turned ugly in my neighborhood. We had this Egyptian muslim family that lived in our neighborhood who ran some sort of news broadcast channel or network from their home. They always had this enormous satellite dish on the top of their house. They never bothered us, and we never bothered them.
Until the 1st night of all this madness. The father comes out into the street and lights an American flag on fire.
The beating he proceeds to receive at the hands of all of us (i'm not proud to admit it, but myself included) was merciless. Some others stormed the house and proceeded to rip the satellite dish off of the roof, destroying it.
Police were called, one patrol responded and watched over him until an ambulance arrived. That was all that was done. They left once the ambulance drove away. Not a word said.
It is an event that defines a generation of Americans. For better or worse. It is sometimes hard to see how deeply it affected other parts of the country, being that it hit right at home for me. I can truly say that while being arguably the worst event and attack on continental soil, it was also the time I remember my country being absolutely unified.
The weeks that followed are just the most sad and depressing stories about friends and family waiting to hear from loved ones, who never do, or receive false alarms. To which a very close friend of ours lost their father. no news for 3 days, only to receive a call from a hospital in NJ that they had a Joseph Grillo there, in recovery. The entire neighborhood goes there to see him, only to find out that it was Joseph F Grillo, not Joseph M Grillo.
Through everything that happened. That is the one time I broke down and just absolutely balled my eyes out. That was the moment that broke me.
Working in Passaic NJ. I was in the lower level of a sewer plant when people started saying a plane hit one of the towers. Thought it was a freak accident. Started headed to break when they said the other got hit, and that it may be terrorists. We all went to the roof to see the towers smoking. They stood for a long time. Went to wrap up and the first one fell. Heading to the truck and the second fell. By the time we hit the turnpike it looked like a nuclear bomb had gone off. It was surreal. Didnt really grasp the weight of it all until I got home, though
javbike
Professional
I was getting ready for work I had the tv on not a news channel probably one of my movie channels . I got a call from my wife she said turn on the news I saw what was going on we were still on the phone when I said holy **** they are attacking us . Bold son of a bitches I couldn’t believe what was happening
Recusant
Hellcat
I was teaching Civics to a class of 8th graders in a middle school. A teacher came down the hall and called me over to the door. She told me to turn on the TV we had in the room. As the class watched the fire consuming the upper floors of the North Tower we saw the second plane hit. I realized at that moment that this was an act of war and told the class so. While my 8th graders had 5 more years to go until graduation I thought about my students from prior years who would be in the forefront of the conflict that was sure to come. As the day wore on the news just kept getting worse as we heard about the Pentagon, Shanksville, Pa. and the collapse of both towers. To make matters worse I had a colleague who had an uncle that worked for an accounting firm located on one of the upper floors in the North Tower. She was distraught and in tears most of the day and we all felt so helpless.
I was in bed asleep. I worked the night shift and was working OT , 12 hr shifts then driving home 35 -45 min. Woke by the phone . My wife at the time was calling . When I answered the phone she almost screamed at me to turn on the TV . She said we were under attack and that they were bombing us. I said who is attacking and then I saw the plane fly into the tower and I just stared at the TV.
I will never forget the horror I felt when the first tower fell ..... I will never forget where I was at the time either.
I will never forget the horror I felt when the first tower fell ..... I will never forget where I was at the time either.
HayesGreener
Hellcat
I had retired from the police department and we had moved to our ranch in NW Florida the year before. It was my intent to be a gentleman farmer and breed Quarter Horses and Red Brangus cattle. I had built a breeding barn and run in sheds, and planted pastures and hay fields. I bought three beautiful mares, two with Doc Bar heritage, but had not completed the deal on the cattle. The breeding barn was complete except for the roof. I had just put 2100 fingerling catfish in our newly dug lake.
I was still in the USAF reserve as an OSI Special Agent, and would do various assignments for them of a week or so duration from time to time. I had just received an assignment to give a classified threat briefing to a reserve air refueling wing based in the Midwest that was deploying to Operation Northern Watch in the sandbox. I told my wife it was my last trip of the year as I had to finish the barn roof. I flew to a nearby airport, got a rental car, and drove to the base. I met with the Intelligence shop and gave my briefing on time. It's not classified any more but the bell ringer in the briefing was the fact that Bin Laden had just moved his family to a place of safety. All indications were that he was planning an imminent attack against U.S. interests somewhere on the Arabian Peninsula. I completed my briefing and walked across the street to the Intel office to shred my classified and drive to the airport. As I entered the Intel shop I watched as the second plane flew into the World Trade Center.
Command thought I knew more than I did and invited me to the command post. I had been informed that National Command Authority had ordered the fourth plane shot down. Then Flight 93 went down. Speculation that we had shot it down was rampant. My HQ told me I was being mobilized immediately and to get to my HQ ASAP. I drove my rental car home, packed a bag, and drove to my assignment.
I spent a total of 6 years of the next 10 on active duty with assignments all over the world. My horses never got bred, the cows never came, and I had to pay someone else $25K to finish my horse barn. Like so many, my entire life, and the lives of my family changed in an instant. My wife had to take up the slack on the ranch.
My eldest son was active duty on 9/11 and he deployed 9 times-he was calling steel in on AQ by Christmas 01. My son in law was a Marine and was with 1st MEF in Iraq. I think the patriotic spirit rubbed off and my youngest daughter is now career Air Force and my youngest son was a Marine.
I retired from the military at age 60, 41 years from the day I first entered active duty. A total of 16 years active duty, the rest reserve time. I was sickened by the events in the Kabul evacuation debacle, which also brought back the frustration of the way we left Saigon in 1975. I don't regret a moment of the time I spent on active duty, working next to some of the finest men and women America has to offer.
I am so proud of those magnificent men and women who gave so much to bring a reckoning to AQ. God bless our troops in these uncertain times.
I was still in the USAF reserve as an OSI Special Agent, and would do various assignments for them of a week or so duration from time to time. I had just received an assignment to give a classified threat briefing to a reserve air refueling wing based in the Midwest that was deploying to Operation Northern Watch in the sandbox. I told my wife it was my last trip of the year as I had to finish the barn roof. I flew to a nearby airport, got a rental car, and drove to the base. I met with the Intelligence shop and gave my briefing on time. It's not classified any more but the bell ringer in the briefing was the fact that Bin Laden had just moved his family to a place of safety. All indications were that he was planning an imminent attack against U.S. interests somewhere on the Arabian Peninsula. I completed my briefing and walked across the street to the Intel office to shred my classified and drive to the airport. As I entered the Intel shop I watched as the second plane flew into the World Trade Center.
Command thought I knew more than I did and invited me to the command post. I had been informed that National Command Authority had ordered the fourth plane shot down. Then Flight 93 went down. Speculation that we had shot it down was rampant. My HQ told me I was being mobilized immediately and to get to my HQ ASAP. I drove my rental car home, packed a bag, and drove to my assignment.
I spent a total of 6 years of the next 10 on active duty with assignments all over the world. My horses never got bred, the cows never came, and I had to pay someone else $25K to finish my horse barn. Like so many, my entire life, and the lives of my family changed in an instant. My wife had to take up the slack on the ranch.
My eldest son was active duty on 9/11 and he deployed 9 times-he was calling steel in on AQ by Christmas 01. My son in law was a Marine and was with 1st MEF in Iraq. I think the patriotic spirit rubbed off and my youngest daughter is now career Air Force and my youngest son was a Marine.
I retired from the military at age 60, 41 years from the day I first entered active duty. A total of 16 years active duty, the rest reserve time. I was sickened by the events in the Kabul evacuation debacle, which also brought back the frustration of the way we left Saigon in 1975. I don't regret a moment of the time I spent on active duty, working next to some of the finest men and women America has to offer.
I am so proud of those magnificent men and women who gave so much to bring a reckoning to AQ. God bless our troops in these uncertain times.
Bassbob
Emissary
I was on a walkboard 45 feet in the air on the side of a house. The lady who owned the house popped her head out a second story window and had me come over and look inside at her TV where the story was being broke.
3 days later I moved into my current wife's house, which we still live in.
3 days later I moved into my current wife's house, which we still live in.
In the med school's second-year main lecture hall. Our first lecture of the morning had just finished and everyone had started to get up to upload or download coffee, when the AV/IT guy in the projection room came onto the PA, and asked for everyone's attention for a moment: that there was something important that we ought to see. He then put one of the news feeds on the big screen.
By then, American Flight 11 had already hit the North Tower. We all watched as United 175 hit the South Tower.
Classes were dismissed for the rest of the day: something that rarely happened. Even so, most of us remained in our seats for the rest of the morning.
By then, American Flight 11 had already hit the North Tower. We all watched as United 175 hit the South Tower.
Classes were dismissed for the rest of the day: something that rarely happened. Even so, most of us remained in our seats for the rest of the morning.
Talyn
SAINT
I was at a University Research Station in Montana taking a continuing ed. course when NPR on the radio announced the attacks.
Later in the day we managed to get a tv set-up that gave us one channels where all the news was about what was happening.
At the end of the week with the airlines shut down folks that were elsewhere from around the country were scrambling to find rental cars & train reservations trying to get home.
Fortunately, I had driven to the workshop. I was a few hundred miles away from home but I had wheels so get home.
Later in the day we managed to get a tv set-up that gave us one channels where all the news was about what was happening.
At the end of the week with the airlines shut down folks that were elsewhere from around the country were scrambling to find rental cars & train reservations trying to get home.
Fortunately, I had driven to the workshop. I was a few hundred miles away from home but I had wheels so get home.