There are times when an event is so significant and its impact so great, that the memory of the moment seems indelibly marked in your mind’s eye. I think we all remember exactly where we were and how we felt when we first heard about the September 11 attacks. As we reflect on these moments today, for the sake of future generations, take a few minutes to share your feelings about the events that have affected you.
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On 9/11, I was a defense contractor in northern Virginia. The news of the disaster spread fast. I viewed the rising smoke of the damaged Pentagon from the 11th floor of my office building. Lest We Forget.
We were on our way to the airport (JIA) sending our son off to the UK to celebrate his 18th birthday with his sister, when the news came on the car radio. I will never forget arriving at the airport – all the American citizens (tourists) milling around, somehow not knowing what had taken place & my heart went out to them. This is the day the world has changed, forever. G Whiteman
We don’t watch TV in the morning but a very close friend called and said very sternly, “Turn on the television!” When we asked why, he just said “Turn it on!” We both sat there in awe of the first building on fire, then we saw the 2nd plane hit the second tower and knew immediately that the U.S.A. was in trouble. The reports of the Pentagon and Flight 93 came on a bit later and we knew we were in deep trouble. We sat in shock and horror for most of the day and evening as the events and details unfolded. 9/11 was the saddest day ever experienced by all. – Never to be forgotten!
I’m a Pediatrician in NJ. Making rounds at a local hospital on the morning of 9/11 a nurse told me about a plane crashing into the world trade tower. She said I look puzzled. Knowing a lot about flying I know that area is a restricted area and flying into an object that big could not be an accident. Telling her this she thought I was dead wrong. A short time later she apologized to me in telling me a second plane had hit the second tower. I then realized for the second time terrosists had attacked us on our own soil. The world had changed.
When my husband William who was soldier that time where we were stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky that day in morning. My husband told me there is something about World Trade Towers then Pentagon then Pennyslvania. I have hard time to understand what is going on. We were on base and we got locked down, went home on our quarter housing on base. We turned tv on and we were so broken hearts and so angry for what people did to our people who died. We have never forget for 5 years, we still remember what Fort Campbell did lock families and workers down and will not allow in and out for few days. We were ready to moving day, had to postpone almost a week later then we got everything then we left Fort Campbell, Kentucky. My husband is medical retired. We still memory of this people who lost their lives and who wounded and having bad things. We still look out every days and nights, no matter when or what happen in the future. We still pray for this missing persons never found bodies from WTC, believe that this people searching love ones, need to find their bodies to bring them home to beautiful place than garbages. We do pray every days and nights, it will never change our life. I have never saw in my life, it was shocked me and made me so angry. Our two sons joined in the Army and went off to Iraq that was first one younger son for a year then second one oldest son for a year too. Both of sons told us that they wanted to help and get it done and fighting for our country of American Soil. We did support them but we do worrying about them, we have to accept for what they sign up for country. They came home and safe. They said if any happen then they will get them for what they did to American Soil. So this need to find that love ones and bring them home for beautiful place from garbages. May God Bless American!!
I was on my way to work in the Dallas area when the first plane hit. It was on the radio and I remember just not comprehending what happened. When I got to the office everyone was working as usual, they had not heard yet. Then the second plane hit and one of the guys went home and brought in a television. Nobody got any work done that day. We had no phone calls come in, so I think it was that way in every office in the country. The thing I remember most about the days following, was the silence in the air. We lived in the flight path of DFW airport, and the total silence and the lack of airplanes flying was very strange to me.
I had just turned on the morning news after the first plane hit in NY. I was watching while getting ready for work when the 2nd plane hit. I was stunned at what I was seeing. I managed to get to work in downtown Chicago but I was very nervous being in the city that day. I was at work for about an hour when they sent all of us home. I went to spend the day with my sister who was living by Midway airport at the time. It was such an eery feeling sitting on the porch in the silence, no planes overhead.
Five years ago I was a graduate student. When I first heard the news I was struck with the notion that the media was going to have a ‘field day’ of epic proportion. Indeed, they did.
There was a great disturbance in the force the night before 9/11, I was unable to sleep. I had CNN on all night. Every time I decided to turn off the TV and go to bed, I was stopped by a feeling that I should wait, that I would see something on TV and it was very important. Finally, around 5:30 AM Pacific time, there was a breaking news announcement that the leader of Northern Afganistan, Mahood or Masood, had been assasinated while giving an interview to a reporter. AS it meant nothing to me at the time, I turned off the TV and went to bed.
I was asleep having a terrible dream, when 2 hours later I was awakened by our son banging on our bedroom window to wake us up.
He said “America is under attack..quick, turn on the TV”.
In my dream, I was on a stairway, with many other people, people were going up and down the stairs, crowds of them… I was looking for my fiance. We fought through the crowds to find each other and embrace in a terrible surge of emotions of desperate love and fear. In the dream, I discovered that a beautiful medallion that I always wore, one he had given me had been left behind. He said, I will be right back. Then he disappeared up the stairs and came back..the medallion that he handed me was charred and smoking as if it had been burned in a fire. He said ” I went into the FUTURE to retrieve this for you” Then we embraced again, and were torn apart by a searing pain. I awoke to the banging on the window, but was still feeling the pain for a few moments. I can still remember vividly, running to the TV..we watched in horror, all day and into the night. I believe that on some level, I was there in the lobby of one of the towers, in my dream state, watching and experiencing what some unknown woman was feeling. I have often wondered if she and her fiance made it out alive. During the days that followed, our family lived and moved in a sense of unreality and mourning. I will never forget. My father died 2 weeks before, and I am glad he did not live to see 9/11 and the years since.
I never thought that I would thank God for taking my father’s earthly life in June 2001. But I have during the weeks and months and years following the 9/11 attacks. The pain he experienced from Pearl Harbor would have been relived on 9/11. Thank you God for mercy shown in allowing this cup to pass him and thank you Dad for your WW2 service to this counry.
God Bless America, help us and protect us!
While you remember, take time to write it down. How great it would be to have our ancestors thoughts about significant events in their lives.
Sorry, I wasn’t done…
While you remember, take time to write it down. How great it would be to have our ancestors thoughts about significant events in their lives.
On 9/11/01 I was in my classroom. We heard rumors about the attack through the grapevine. Without details, I kept class going on as usual. We eventually got dismissed early. I had an appointment for a massage after school but canceled it and went home instead to watch the reports on TV. It was unbelievable…and very scary. We live between the crash site in PA and Washington, DC.
My memory is the begining of ww11. I was 5 years old, the radio was on and we were listening to the prime minister, Neville Chamberlin. After he announced we were at war with germany (this was 1939), my mother rushed out into the garden and took down all the washing drying on the clothes line. I asked her why she was doing that, Her reply was “I don’t want any bullet holes in the clothes”. This whole moment made a strong impact on me, although I had no real understanding of war. The next 5 years of bombing, and gas masks etc. taught me what war was, and I wish it on no one.
I ask God to bless the world.
Marjorie
CHILDREN OF SEPTEMBER
IT WAS EARLY TUESDAY MORNING, ONE OR TWO A.M.
THE LIGHTNING AND THE THUNDER, WOULD LEAD THE MORNING IN.
BY DAWN THE SUN CAME SHINNING, THE WORLD BEGAN TO RISE.
NO ONE KNEW THE DEVIL HID AMID THE CLEAR BLUE SKYS.
THEY WERE INNOCENT AND TRUSTING, AND WHOLLY UNPREPARED.
ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND TRAVELERS, CLIMBING HIGH INTO THE AIR.
AND FAR BELOW UPON THE GROUND, HOW MANY THOUSANDS MORE.
WOULD TASTE THE BILE OF EVIL, COME KNOCKING AT THE DOOR.
They came with one intention and with smiles upon their face,
They lived right there among us, and earned our daily grace.
They preyed to their unholy imitation of a god,
And swore their lives to perpetrate, some bastardized jihad.
THE BUSTLING OF THE CITY WAS AS IT SHOULD ALWAYS BE.
THE CHILDREN IN THEIR SCHOOL ROOMS, THE TRAFFIC IN THE STREETS.
THE FIREMEN, THE PASSENGERS, THE BUISINESS MEN AND COPS.
THE WORLD WAS TURNING SLOWLY NOW AND JUST ABOUT TO STOP.
Like taking candy from a baby, they knew what we would do.
Let them have the moment and soon it would be through.
So silently, we waited for the airoplanes to land.
Only one, who knew their fate, would dare to make a stand.
THE FIRST PLANE HIT IT’S TARGET, IN A BLAZING BALL OF FIRE.
AND JUST WHEN WE BELIEVED THE FLAMES, COULD NOT GROW ANY HIGHER.
THE SECOND BOMB CAME CRASHING THROUGH, A THIRD WITHIN THE HOUR.
THE WORLD WAS CHANGED FOREVER, IN THE TUMBLING OF THE TOWERS.
THERE WOULD BE 3,000 ANGELS, GIVE OR TAKE SOME HUNDREDS MORE.
THE FIRST TO LEAVE THE BATTLEFIELD AND ENTER HEAVENS DOOR.
THEY DID NOT EVEN KNOW THAT THEY WERE SOLDIERS IN THE FIGHT.
THESE CHILDREN OF SEPTEMBER, WHEN THE DAY TURNED INTO NIGHT.
THERE WERE HEROS IN THE MALSTROM, 10,000 NOBLE DEEDS.
MANY GAVE THEIR VERY LIVES, TO HELP ANOTHERS NEEDS.
AND SCARS TO COUNTLESS OTHERS, TO THE BODY AND THE MINDS.
A WOUND TO EVERY HEART AND SOUL OF CIVILIZED MANKIND.
In the days and weeks that follow, the human devil hides.
His signature is everywhere, in his hatred and his lies.
He thought that we would tumble like the towers to the ground.
Instead, we rise together, as a new would spins around.
WITH THE BATTLE JUST BEGINNING, AND THE BATTLE CRY SO LOUD,
WE’D NEVER SEEN SUCH UNITY AND NEVER BEEN SO PROUD.
THE ANSWER WAS QUITE SIMPLE, THE ROAD WAS PLAIN TO SEE.
THE WORLD MUST FIND THE INFIDEL AND BRING HIM TO HIS KNEES.
AND SO WE CAME TOGETHER, FROM ALL AROUND THE WORLD.
IN PLACES YOU WOULD NOT BELIEVE, THE STARS AND STRIPES UNFLURLED.
AND THOUGH IT’S JUST BEGINNING, WE NOW CAN SEE AGAIN,
THAT HUMANKIND CAN NEVER LET IT’S FIGHT FOR FREEDOM END.
THERE WOULD BE 3,000 ANGELS, GIVE OR TAKE SOME HUNDREDS MORE.
THE FIRST TO LEAVE THE BATTLEFIELD AND ENTER HEAVENS DOOR.
THEY DID NOT EVEN KNOW THAT THEY WERE SOLDIERS IN THE FIGHT.
THESE CHILDREN OF SEPTEMBER, WHEN THE DAY TURNED INTO NIGHT.
THESE CHILDREN OF SEPTEMBER, WHEN THE DAY TURNED INTO NIGHT.
Robert Cook
9-17-01
I had just gotten to work at the Texas Worforce Center satellite office, in Coldspring, TX. I’d bought a small portable TV for the Chamber of Commerce and myself to use (theirs was a one-woman office I shared space with) when we had no customers to deal with. I’d heard something on the radio, not understood, and turned the TV on to see if there was any coverage, not believing what I thought I’d heard.
The Chamber of Commerce lady was not in, yet, and I watched in horror, alone, sitting there that day, with tears streaming and listened as the second plane hit, then the third and fourth. I prayed I was having a nightmare, looked outside to see if the sun was shining and called my house. My husband answered and I told him about it. Several times I called him that day, just to make sure he was still there and reconnect with reality, my reality, the one without terrorist attacks and mass murders.
Then I called all my children and told them that they needed to prepare in case they had to leave, as we all lived around Houston, where there were many petroleum refineries and a busy shipping port. I knew that was a prime target of anyone wanting to take the United States down fast, or cripple it. I told them that if we all had to run, to look for me at Tahlequah, home of the Western Cherokee. If I had to run, I wanted to be as far as I could from Houston, and with people I felt were like me, who thought like me, would know how to survive like me. My children didn’t understand, thought I was over-reacting, and maybe I was. I thought I knew the lengths evil would go to, but this was a new one on me and I was instantly off-balance.
For the next few weeks, I held my family close, stored water, watched the news, especially Houston with wary eyes. The fear lingered until after the first anniversary of the date had passed.
I didn’t go to Houston. I did move away from Houston, to Arkansas. My children still live all around Houston, so does my dad and many of my cousins. When Katrina and Rita struck, I had flashbacks of “9-11”. I’d watched the news much more than I ever had, during that year. I cried and prayed for those families who’d lost loved ones, not just the Americans, but the others who lived and worked here, too. I prayed that the perpetrators of this sin against God and Humanity would be caught quickly. I prayed for the warriors who tried to track them down. I wondered how ANYONE could justify such sinful attacks through their “religion”. This was not rational. This is not sane. This is not justifiable, yet they believe they are right. I can not see it as a spiritual issue. I can not.
We live on the West Coast. I was asleep. My husband came home, woke me up and said to come look at the TV. I don’t remember if he said why. The first tower was on fire. I remember thinking how will they ever get the fire out. Not too long after the second plane appeared on the screen and went into the second tower. It was horrifying – unbeliveable. Who was doing this to us? And then a horror even more unimaginable – the tower just started falling into itself. This couldn’t be happening – but it was, and not long after the second tower came down. Who would hate us so much that they would fly airplanes into buildings full of innocent people? It was to get worse as we watched the Pentegon hit by a third plane and then Flight 93 going down in Pennsylvania. Then all the airplanes were grounded. That was so errie. I thank God that so many people were able to escape from the towers. I mourn for those who lost their lives and my heart/prayers go out to those who lost loved ones. Lord have mercy on us.
I will always rememberwhat happened toat day. I had the TV on that morning to the Today show and they were talking about the big news of the day that Michael Jordon was coming back to play pro basketball. I turned off the TV and went to the bowling alley ( I bowl on Tuesday mornings) and as I walked into the bowling alley, they had all the TVs on in the alleys with the pictures of the 1st tower burning. We all watch the TVs while we were bowling. When I got home, I turned the TV back on and watched the coverage all day. It was on all stations, even cable. I needed something to keep my mind off my worries because my husband was out of town and was due to fly back on that Friday on United Airlines. I got a call from him later that day that he wasn’t sure when he would be getting home. He finally made it home that Sunday evening and I was never so glad to see hime get off that plane. As a result of the attack, his company has change d to doing a lot more confeerence calls instaed of the men flying as much.
Having just returned from a trip to the middle east, my husband and I were having a quiet cup of coffee watching morning television. On “Fox and Friends” part of the cast was on the sidewalk with Mr. Peanut when I saw a woman jerk her head around as if responding to a loud noise and then return to the interviewer. Less than a minute later, they cut to the studio inside, where E.D. Hill made the sad announcement.
Partly because we had just been in the very nervous middle east, I immediately called my daughter in DC to turn on the television. She was sure it was terrorists, and said, “Watch for another one — they go in twos.” So we were watching closely when the second plane approached. Even though part of our minds had expected it, another part could not believe what we were seeing. But the horror was just beginning.
A few minutes later, after the attack on the Pentagon, my son-in-law in DC began the six mile walk home from his office across the street from the White House, wearing “lawyer shoes” totally unsuited for hiking.
Like thousands of families in the Northeast, we spent the morning in a kind of suspended animation, glued to the television and hoping for a phone call from loved ones.
Today we find that it is possible to live without the sense of security that we (falsely) had in the early hours of September 11, 2001. It is possible to go forward without confidence, making awareness a substitute for blindness. In reality we are safer today than we were then, because today we know what threatens us. Let us step forth boldly and live in strength and faith. Let us not forget.
My husband was “working from home” that day. We had been in the midst of preparation details for my daughter’s wedding to be held on 02-02-02. Her wedding gown, which had been spotted with water drops from a tree during her pre-wedding photographs were taken outdoors. As I finished getting ready to pick the gown up from the cleaners, my husband phone. The conversation was brief. With an almost wooden look on his face, he told me that my daughter had said there was something about the Trade Center and to turn on the television.
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