Where were you 17 years ago today?

I was getting ready for work watching Fox News when the planes hit.

 

7th grade geography class. Mr. Fitzgerald

 

Getting an h-pipe installed on my 93 cobra at a local muffler shop when I saw the live coverage

 

On the side of a hill digging up ordnance to clear a range.

 

At work at a sporting goods store, it was my college job. We wound up closing early that day.

 

Had just left port an hour prior and was getting ready for a 5"/54 Mk 45 PAC fire. Stayed out for 6 strait weeks to guard sub lanes in the Atlantic.

 

https://www.tundras.com/threads/where-were-you-17-years-ago-tomorrow.31397/

 

I was at work. Some contractors saw the coverage on TV while on break and told us. When we got to the break room the 2nd plane was just hitting.

 

I was chillin at home, waking up to a coffee and some weed. This really cute chick my older brother was kind of dating called asking if we are okay. I was confused and her version of the story that a plane crashed in New York didn't paint the picture. I finally turned on the TV and it hit me. I pretty much watched news the rest of the day.

 

In my cell biology lab at Truman State. Our TAs son stayed home from school that day and called his mom and told her, she told us, professor told us to hurry up and finish the lab and go home. Classes were cancelled the rest of the day, sat in my dorm room and watched the news for the rest of the day.

 

Sophomore high school health class learning about STDs.

 

I was about to go to the office, the "Today" show on, they were going to have a segment about Howard Hughes so I stuck around to watch that. They cut to the first tower burning, then we saw the second plane. Rest of the day was glued to the TV, computer and phones.
Really was our generation's "Pearl Harbor" "JFK" day wasn't it?

 

Just came off active duty deployment to only put on a fresh uniform and return to the middle east to begin a new fight in the war on terrorism. NEVER FORGET!

 

Standing in our FBO with dozens of pilots who were forced to land. All eyes glued to 15inch TV monitor-not a word spoke. We stood as flight crew members continued to pile around for what seemed hours. My next memory was being home that evening and to this day I cannot piece together how or when I left nor the hr drive home. Wife and I are in DC today-foggy mourning adds a since of eerie to the air. Pics from Baltimore Harbor yesterday

 

I was getting ready for school. Sister barged in when in the shower said a plane hit a building in NY. First though was accident and how bad that sucked. Got out of the shower to see the second plane hit. Ran to school to watch the news in current world problems class.

 

I was sitting at the same desk I am today. I had the video feed of CNN on my monitor and talking to a friend of mine back east. The first tower had been hit but everyone was still wondering what had happened. My friend on the phone has his pilots license and we were talking about it being a Cessna or some other small plane and then all of a sudden the second tower got hit and we saw it was a commercial plane. We both said gotta go and hung up the phone. I then remember spending most of the morning in the meeting room at work watching the big screen with a group of people when the towers fell. The company sent everyone home shortly after lunch.

My office is just east of DFW airport and it was very odd going outside the next few days while all air traffic was grounded, it was oddly quiet.

 

Conference room for training at the Sports Authority corp office in Fort Lauderdale. First plane hit tower and nobody knew why. They called a break on the training so that NY managers can call home to make sure all was alright. They put the news on the big screen that was being used for training in the meantime, sat there and watched the second plane hit and then realized first plane was no accident

 

In Canada it was still pretty memorable. I was in grade 7. Dad woke me up saying a plane hit the WTC. Listened to the radio broadcast as the second plane hit. School was pretty subdued that day.

Even at that young age I knew the US was going to to war and I was upset I couldnt help some way because I was neither old enough or an American.

 

7th grade English class. My teacher's sister was a flight attendant on the first or second plane. I'll never forget it.

 

It was my first day at work at local sport/hunting shop. I remember selling out of all the flags in a matter of hours. I saw it LIVE on TV.

 

Was on my way to work when I heard the news on the radio. Needless to say, my colleagues and I were stunned, subdued and very angry the rest of the day at the office.

 

Working at Stanley in New Britain, CT
My ex-Wife called and told me about it.

My boss was so bothered that when we moved the TV into the hallway, he didn't want us to stop and look at the coverage.

He just continued on with his workday, having conference calls etc.

i will never forget him.

 

I was sitting in my chair drinking coffee and waiting to go to work. When it came across the news, it was still unknown exactly what was REALLY happening. The strangest feeling came over me and I proceeded to get in my truck and drive straight to the nearest WalMart and buy an American Flag. I got home put it up and left for work. The rest of the day was just sheer shock, anger and sorrow. I still have that flag today as a memorial, i'll never give it up.

 

It's my b-day today too, I know the feeling...

 

Here is my 9-11 story I post every year on facebook...

Good morning Facebook friends and family... its the 17th Anniversary of 9/11 and as always, I post my 9/11 story for you all to read and reflect on. This year has been a challenging one for me. I started and finished my Master's degree, and working on my master's thesis as I type this. However, my personal challenges have no comparison to the struggle many go through on this one day each year and all the days that follow. I for one will never forget today. I ask for your prayers for all those who lost someone this fateful day 17 years ago. To include some of my family and friends. Please reflect on the loss and change to our country and the heroic efforts of first responders and military 17 years ago today. Also, pray for the service members who have lost their lives or sacrificed their bodies and minds for your safety on that day and every day since to ensure the safety and security of all Americans.

17 years ago today, is a day I will never forget! Many of you may have read my story before, for those who haven't take a moment read and share my story so others can gain understanding on what some went through.

This is my 9/11 story, and I feel a need to share it for healing & growth as well as a reminder of what we have gone through as a country and what I have gone through in my life.

On the morning of September 11th, 2001 the day started or for me should have ended like most others. I was stationed in Washington DC with NAVCOMTELSTA Washington DC. I was currently on nights and working out of our building on the Washington Navy Yard. Our command was split also covering the Navy communications in the Pentagon as well. I had just come off my mid watch going onto a 48. After struggling to stay awake on my commute home from DC to Columbia Maryland where I was staying with my Mom. I made it home around 7:30 on the morning of the 11th. After changing out of my uniform and a shower I settle into my routine of making breakfast, with the intention to settle down and eat some food watch a movie and go to bed.

I finish my breakfast and sit on the couch to watch a movie. Around 9:45 my mother calls me in a panic. She says frantically "where are you", I immediately say "I'm at home eating breakfast sitting on the couch watching a movie where else would I be?". She then follows on with "A plane just flew into your building and two flew into the twin towers..." My heart sinks, my brain stops. I'm frozen unable to process and understand what she is telling me. After a few seconds of a lack of words, reality starts to sink in. First and foremost, my co-workers and friends who work at the Pentagon... are they OK? What do I do? I then realize my cousin and uncle work in the towers. I tell my mother I have to go, I have to go help. She tells me to be careful, I say I will.

I immediately hang up the phone, ran upstairs and throw on my Camouflage Uniform and race to the car. As I speed in excess of 100 mph to get to work to help my friends and fellow service members a State Trooper pulls up next to me signaling me to pull over. I flashed my military ID, he sees my uniform and waves me to keep going... I wish I could thank him for that simple moment of understanding and compassion. When I finally make it to DC traffic is a nightmare. There is no easy way to the Pentagon even on a good day. At this point it's 10:45 am and everyone is trying to leave DC... and here I am trying to get in. I wind my way through downtown passing the national monuments and right down Penn Ave. Moving past the white house, I make it over the river onto the 110. The 110 is the highway that runs along the river from the airport past the Pentagon.

Weaving my way down the 110 I can see the smoke billowing from the Pentagon, I see a man in uniform walking along the roadside pulling a suitcase. I proceed to pull over and ask him if he needs a ride. As I approach him rolling down my windows I take notice that its an Airforce Officer, he turns and looks and it was a two-star Airforce General. "Sir, can I offer you a ride?" I ask him, he says " yeah what the fuck is going on? I just flew in this morning and hopped on the metro at the airport and only made it one stop before this shit happened." I responded, "Sir I'm not sure but it appears we are being attacked". He opens the back door tossing his suitcase in the back seat, and jumping in the front seat he turns and says thank you.

Back on the road weaving through traffic, we get to the North Parking Lot Entrance. As expected there is security posted with rifles and they stop us and ask for ID and credentials. We both produce our ID's and Pentagon credentials. Security Salutes and tells us to park on the south side of the building. Always helps to have a two-star general in the car. I proceed to drop him off on the far side of the east parking lot. I drive around and park on the South side of the building and make my way to the triage area that had already been set up. I first approach the chaos with no idea how I could help..

The first tent I approached a doctor was exiting and I asked him what I could do. He pointed inside the tent and directs me to help with triage and first aid. I spend the next 3 hours assisting with basic first aid, wound care, shock and dehydration to those who were injured in the blast. At this point, even the first responders were starting to become fatigued. I exited the tent to find out how else I could help. A few senior military persons asked for a group of people to go retrieve supplies. We mounted up in the back of a truck and headed to the Gas station. We backed up to the store at the gas station and pulled the doors off the front and emptied the contents of the store into the trucks, returning with drinks and food for everyone.

After some rest and food and drinks, a group government and military reps came asking for volunteers. I of course familiar with volunteering raise my hand with some 30-40 other military persons. They told us to go with them. We gathered our things and followed them through the basement and into the courtyard. Walking out to see boxes with black bags starting to be laid out on the ground. A man says "Body bags... you guys are on body bag detail". In preparation for an unknown number of dead, we began laying out hundreds of bags on the ground.

At this point, it was unknown how many were dead. We then gathered with the firefighters worked up into groups and started the next 6 hours of going in team by team searching for survivors or the dead. I will leave the details out from here, it was the most emotional, and physically exhausting thing I may have ever done. I will never forget the sights and smells, I will always remember the looks on each other faces when we would find someone and realize the devastation sinking deep in our hearts and minds for our fellow Americans who had perished that day in the towers, the Pentagon and flight 93...

So after being on site for 8 or 9 hours, I was sent home in sheer exhaustion. But I didn't want to go home. I wasn't sure what to do with myself. I called my best friend Jessica and said I'm coming over and she didn't hesitate to tell me OK. I showed up at her apt, I remember faces but no names. There we many people there all in the living room sitting around glued to the TV. I walked in said nothing and sat down next to her on the couch and she gave me the biggest hug. This was something I needed more than anything else that day. Love and support! I almost immediately passed out, the rest was a blur.

This is my 9-11 story, I will never forget my 13 co-workers who perished that day or my Family who lost their lives in the towers. The emotion, heartbreak, anger, fear, and love from everyone who rose up and worked together in a time of great national crisis. To my fallen Service men and women. You will be missed and never forgotten. Please Never Forget!!!

 

Working at a Saab Dealership at the time in the service department.

The word spread as customer walked in for their appointments and the older woman standing in front of me completely broke down to the point where she could not stand. Her son worked inside one of the Towers and she tried to call him, but he did not answer. After about five or so minutes he called her back and said he didn’t go to work that day. He had called out the night before because his daughter (her granddaughter) was sick and they could not get a sitter. He worked from home instead.

Although I don’t remember her name, I will never forget that day or that her son’s name was David.

 

I would have throat punched him

 

Thank you for sharing this.
Thank you for your service.
Salute to you sir.