9-11-01, Where were you

[OgenRwot]

Senior year of high school. Walked into my football coaches classroom and they had it on the tv, I watched the towers fall. Like everyone else I was shocked.

I knew right away that we were at war and that life would change drastically. My idea of change was a lot different then than it is now but it did change a little bit for us. I see the ramifications more now but that's besides the point I guess.

[Elhuero]

I'm pretty sure I've posted this here before. Oh well.

My alarm clock set to KILO 94 woke me up. I knew instantly something was wrong, the tension in the DJ's voices was palpable. I sat on my bed and listened as they spoke, but no specifics were given.

After listening for what felt like several minutes I screamed in my mind "What the fuck happened!?" and as if she had heard me the DJ said planes had hit the twin towers. I said "Holy shit!" and went into the living room to turn on the TV.

Then I said "Holy Shit!" again.

That was pretty much all I said until I got to work.

After work I spent the next hours and days glued to the TV. I am not ashamed to admit that I cried like a baby. One thing that really got me was when the two french filmmakers were reunited in the firehouse.

(happens at about 2:50)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmkSVw44zpA

Around dinnertime I drove up to my folk's house. It felt like I was on another planet. Going up Chelton people were standing on the street in front of their houses, waving flags, lighting candles and waving at the cars like it was a parade. I honked and waved back. Later I sat on the front porch and looked up at a sky empty of aircraft for the first and probably only time in my life.

A buddy of mine told me his experience.

He was active duty Army in Korea. On that day they were in the field training. They got called back in and shown the T.V. footage. Soldiers that had family in NY went one direction, toward phones to start trying to get in touch with loved ones. The rest went another direction, where they were put on high alert, issued live rounds and sent back out.

He said they were all pissed off and ready to rock if the north had so much as twitched. They stayed on alert for a long time.

Forgive and forget.

hmmm... forget? no way.

forgive?

fuck that.

[gnihcraes]

Had just arrived at work, some crazy lady said "a plane has hit the world trade center" - huh, ok. (crazy woman) After about an hour, there was finally some information on the internet about it - much more than the lady indicated. Eventually they closed up all the government agencies and sent us home for fear of being a "Target" - yeah like they are going to fly an airplane into a local government IT shop that is far from the metro areas. I tried to stay at work, but they forced us out and sent us home. (stupid)

I drove to the Good Green Mountain guns at that time and picked up a 1000 rounds of 7.62x39 for the SKS. Came home and watched all the news the rest of the day with the wife and my small children.

[mikedubs]

Soph year of undergrad, sleeping off a binge in my dorm room...my dad calls and says "Turn on the news!" "Which station?" "Any one!" Just in time to see the second one hit and say holy shit. Shitty shitty day.

BigBear, I know how you feel!

[Troublco]

I was at work on base (Buckley) and as soon as we heard the news we turned on the TV. We watched for close to an hour, then as soon as we saw the second plane hit everything went into overdrive. We worked 24/7's for a few days after that. One of the most eerie things I recall was how quiet everything was. The only thing I really heard when I was outside was the sound of our jets as they flew patrol over the city. So quiet.

[Birddog1911]

I was at work on base (Buckley) and as soon as we heard the news we turned on the TV. We watched for close to an hour, then as soon as we saw the second plane hit everything went into overdrive. We worked 24/7's for a few days after that. One of the most eerie things I recall was how quiet everything was. The only thing I really heard when I was outside was the sound of our jets as they flew patrol over the city. So quiet.

That was something that got me as well. Working on the same field as Co.Spgs Airport, and nothing at all moving. It was so quiet it was disconcerting.

[palepainter]

I was enjoying breakfast in when I lived in AZ. Watching the morning news, to check on the ever changing weather in Tempe. Saw the initial interuption that morning, took a tv to work to follow the rest.

[ghettodub]

I had the day off of work. Woke up, most likely hungover, and had to return two videos to blockbuster. Turned on the TV, and only heard in the background something about something in New York. Didn't think much of it, so I finished taking a shower, getting ready, etc, and then drove up to blockbuster. Dropped off the videos, and the motor in my car blew. So, angrily, I called all of my friends to try and get a ride home, but no one answered, so I walked four or so miles home. I grabbed a beer from the fridge, super pissed off, and then finally sat down to see what was on the TV...

[KevDen2005]

With an Infantry battalion on FT Benning, GA

and Big Bear is right, I can't believe how young a lot of you are, I thought I was young

[Irving]

I've been watching these little boys, 7 and 8, and today I asked the older one today if he knew what 9/11 was. He said he didn't. I told him to ask his mom tonight what it was. I forgot to tell her when she picked him up tonight.