[MTW]

Just as important as the 7th of December 1941. I can only prey that the outcome in the middle east mimics our friendship with the Japanese.

9/11, was also "The day that will live in infamy"

On 9/11 2001 I was finishing my E-6 Board & locking in my promotion to Staff Sgt., it was my B-Day, I was on Fort Bragg in NC. We went into lockdown, as the U.S.A. Division readiness force, we were put on 2 hour stand by to parachute in (if needed) 82nd Airborne Div. It didn't happen, but we were ready. I still haven't celebrated on this day ever since. This day is for remembrance of the Victom, Heroes, & Military along with Civilians who gave everything. To included the innocent the Wars took.

God Bless Those who have fallen...

 

[BenHolt]

I was working, we just stopped and listened to the radio for the next 2hrs while everything unfolded, I was horrifed at what I saw on TV when I went home for lunch! I'll never forget that day where I was or what I was doing that day. NEVER FORGET!

 

[NavydocXP900]

I was graduating Corpsmen(similar to Army medic but better trained) "A" school that week and got my orders to Camp Lejeune to serve with the Marines there. Ive been FMF ever since. Now I train deploying Marines and Corpsmen.

 

[aeroshots]

I was an airline pilot. Life changed that day. I could not go back in the military. My son and daughter and nephew served in the military. I became a State Trooper. My son still serves, my daughter completed her service, my nephew was killed in action. I am blessed to be related to such young people!
I am still pissed at those responsible for that day and all that followed.

 

[MTW]

I was graduating Corpsmen(similar to Army medic but better trained) "A" school that week and got my orders to Camp Lejeune to serve with the Marines there. Ive been FMF ever since. Now I train deploying Marines and Corpsmen.

Met a lot of Corpsmen during the preperations for the Al Fallujah invasion. I'll second the better training (the Marines have). It always comes down to the individual, what they put in. Seen many a green medic come back well rounded & experienced life saving warfighters though.

Like Benholt said, I watched the 2nd tower hit live (CNN), Horrifing, just horrifying...

Thanks for training those Marines & saving the ones injured. Yelling "Medic" is, never mind. Sure you know.

Wazz

 

[Tedram]

I remember that day well------ Walking into Station 2 of the Fire Department--- we all watched the news as the city went on lock down after the second plane hit. I retired from the City in 04, got my pilot's License and became an Instructor for the Army on a new thing called Unmanned Aircraft Systems....... The Unmanned Aircraft Systems have now become a major player with the War on Terror.....
Here is a pic of the Warrior A Unmanned Aircraft, one of 4 different types we teach here.......

 

[Funhog]

I was working, we just stopped and listened to the radio for the next 2hrs while everything unfolded, I was horrifed at what I saw on TV when I went home for lunch! I'll never forget that day where I was or what I was doing that day. NEVER FORGET!

I was working from home that day (not unusual for an IT consultant) and my wife was on her way to THE CITY (as we always referred to NYC) for a meeting when I saw the news broadcast. I spent the next 90 minutes trying to track her down and make sure she had not reached her destination yet. Thankfully she got caught in traffic and had already turned around and was on her way home when the second plane hit. And yes, I watched that live with horror and total disbelief.

I will never forget that day, or those who perished at the hands of evil.

 

[olddognewtrick]

Awaiting the arrival of relatives for the death of my mother on 9/10/01, I had cared for her during her terminal illness with the help of hospice in her home. My uncle managed to get in from Portland the night before the attacks, but he had hell getting back home.

My daughter was 12 at the time, while hearing the news about the number of killed in the attacks she said "it's a good thing Grandma went to heaven yesterday so she did not have to stand in line."

 

[Wren]

I had just gotten off of night shift at the police department and was getting out of the shower when my roomate hollered. I ran into the living to see what was going on and damn near fainted. I remember sitting and watching everything unfold. Next thing I know I was getting paged for immediate recall. We all returned to the station and were all geared up and put on stand by for immediate deployment of our emergency services unit. Stayed that way for a few days since we were such a heavy military community on the gulf coast. 1 Navy base, 1 Air Force base, and 2 coast gurd stations. Not to mention 2 major ship building companies. We all had pucker factor not knowing if they were going to try and do something...

 

[MTW]

I had just gotten off of night shift at the police department and was getting out of the shower when my roomate hollered. I ran into the living to see what was going on and damn near fainted. I remember sitting and watching everything unfold. Next thing I know I was getting paged for immediate recall. We all returned to the station and were all geared up and put on stand by for immediate deployment of our emergency services unit. Stayed that way for a few days since we were such a heavy military community on the gulf coast. 1 Navy base, 1 Air Force base, and 2 coast gurd stations. Not to mention 2 major ship building companies. We all had pucker factor not knowing if they were going to try and do something...

I concur, even though we weren't in DC, or NYC actually seeing the horror unfold in person (& hearing those of you from NY is heart wrenching). Being in the Military was actual surreal. We train for Division deployment "Wheels up & anywhere in the world in 18 hours or less" type motto & mission statement. This time it was real. The Military base/post lockdowns were insane. My wife took 8 hours to get to us on post (to drop off extra equipment & a few commodities). They searched EVERYTHING. I agree it was a very long couple of days after 9/11.

Interesting short story: I lived off post in Reaford NC. (west of Fort Bragg), the inspections & traffic were so bad we were told you couldn't go home unless you could Garauntee getting back in under 2 hours (basically if you lived on post). There was no way to do this legally from where I lived- being younger & thinking we could do anything, We grabbed a few sets of NVGs (night vision) & we used 1 ATV (2wd Yamaha big bear 350) loaded with 3 Soldiers & all of our individual equipment & rode it before sunrise (to work & after sunset home) through all of the ranges, drop zones, impacts areas, & training areas (woods) as not to get caught sneaking into and out of post. I vividly remember jumping off, lying in ditches to hide from patrolling MPs (military police). Freaking out when hitting unexplored ordinance, & looking back it was just stupid and could have ended my career, but i must admit, it was the biggest rush!

Olddognewtrick: I'm sorry for the loss of your mother. Your daughter sounds very sweet & caring. The waiting in line comment was precious.

Aeroshots: if you don't mind, How did 9/11 effect you as a pilot over the next few weeks. I can't imagine how nervous & sick you felt over the possibilities.

 

[AKBNY]

I was doing electircal work in a hospital in Nassau county about 15 miles outside of manhattan. We were going to get breakfast and i remember hearing the radio saying that a plane had flown into the trade center. The deli worker says to me "a small plane crashed into the building" so back at the hospital i look at the tv in the emergency room and see the real scope of it and realize something is seriously wrong, as im watching live tv i see the other plane hit the tower. We all went to the roof of the hospital and there i saw 2 grey towers with black smoke pouring out of them. We ran downstairs to clean up and i go back to the tv and catch the first tower colapsing, back up to the roof we go and now only 1 tower was standing and it was only visible at the very top because the rest was covered in what looked like yellow/tan smoke. We run back down to the tv and thats when the final tower collapsed. We go back up to the roof and now its just a massive smoke/dust cloud. I will NEVER forget that sight as long as i live. Our cell phones were not working, my mother and multiple friends work in manhattan, i was scared $hitle$$. Then we hear the pentagon was hit, there were military jets flying over and they were so friggin loud i thought well this is it, we are at war. It was very surreal for me. I raced home and there were caravans of emergency vehicles flying down the expressway into the city. I just watched the tv for a while and was just in shock. The jets were doing there u-turns right over where i lived at the time and flying back down the coast patrolling i guess. My mother and friends had to walk home from manhattan over the queensborough bridge. My co workers brother was a fire fighter and he lost his life there. Andrew B. Jordan R.I.P.

 

[Xtremespeed]

I was changing a timing belt on a Camry. Someone said a plane had hit a building in NewYork, so I walked over to the waiting room to see the tv. As we were discussing the fact that this wasn't a small plane and the possibilities that might have led to the crash, we see the second plane hit. It was a terrible moment of realization. This was no accident.

I had been looking at other career paths for some time and now I work as a defense contractor. I have to say the tragedy that darkened that day was a motivating factor in my decision. At least I feel I can make some difference now. I will never forget.

Olddognewtrick,
The comment from your 12 year old daughter brought a tear to my eye when I read that.

One thing I really miss though is how everyone stood together and treated each other with respect in the aftermath. I have never been more proud to be an American.

 

[Lunatic]

5th grade English class

 

[MTW]

AKBNY-

Thank you for adding perspective. Powerful stuff....

I hope this is never forgotten.

 

[jrdelgiorno]

Was standing in a hospital with a USMC Force Recon buddy and Navy EOD shipmate watching the horror unfold on the news. At that point we 3 knew that at least one or all of us were about to be reactivated and put into a standby status. I wasn't reactivated but my 2 buds were and one of them came back with with combat scars from hip to hip. Im glad he made it back safe and sound, but he hasn't been the same, and for my EOD buddy, he's still deploying back and forth to the sandbox.

Never forget and Semper Fi to all of those who have paid the ultimate price with their lives and to those who have returned with the life long scars of combat.

A big salute from me to you all, with much respect!!! S.F. brothers..........

 

[nogd]

I was at Parker Aerospace, a major supplier of the Primary flight controls to Boeing. When the news of the first plane hit we all thought it was a crash and said oh dear god don't let it be attributed to our Flight Controls. When the confusion settled and we got a grasp on what was happening, we just sat there in disbelief, so mad, so angry, so selfish for thinking of ourselves knowing a plane just crashed.

 

[Wheelboy]

i was in 5th grade Technology class talk about the scariest thing that has happened in my lifetime. thankful for all the rescue workers and troops who are still taking care of business and i am sorry for those who lost loved ones

 

[Wlfreder]

Tianjin China... Pretty scary being out of the states and watching it happen on news. One of my Chinese Programmers actually said he was sorry it happened...

 

[jengindreams1]

I had just checked in at the airport to fly into NYC to have dinner at windows of the world. The planes never left the ground from where I had checked in. I left my bags at the airport and went home to hug my family.

 

[JiAnthony315]

I was changing classes in 11th grade headed to U.S. History class and then spent the next few days in that class watching the news...

7 years later on 9/11 a friend of mine was killed in Iraq fighting the war