Thread: Where were you Sept.11 2001?

I was in first period (anatomy and physiology class) during my junior year of high school. I remember feeling shocked, horrified, saddened, and very angry. I remember talking to a group of buddies about enlisting for the military, many of my friends did, and some did not (myself included). Since then, some have returned, some are still fighting, and one died in 2004. I can honestly say that 9/11 changed my life forever. In many ways it has motivated me to go to college and to pursue a career in government.

I was at the Dentist when the first plane struck, didn't know anything about it until got home in time to see the second plane hitting the tower and was completely horrified by what I saw.

When they replayed the first hit on the news I just had to sit down before I keeled over, the sight of all those desperate people jumping out of the windows made me feel sick.

I stayed glued to the TV with my mom and brother all day, all of us were in shock at what was happening. We may not be Americans or live on that side of the pond but it was still a horrifying event that shook us all.

I remember it quite clearly. I had just left Calculus 3 and was headed to Psychology 1 (sophomore year of college) when I stopped to get a coke or something from a vending machine. There was a tv next to the vending machine, and they were running a story about the first plane hitting the building, and all I could think was, "man, what a sucky pilot!"

(understand that I went to a school that was about 25% flight students, and they were always wrecking planes, although usually in less catastrophic ways)

Watching the news, I was not really concerned about the American Airlines flight... my father was a pilot for AA, but I knew that he was a good enough pilot not to run into a stationary object... still, I felt a twinge of worry; something mechanical could have happened, etc.

I decided I'd skip Psychology that day (boring class anyhow) and hiked back to my dorm to get a better idea of what was happening. About that time, the United flight hit the second tower and it dawned on me that this might not be simple bad piloting. A few minutes later, the news started talking about hijackers and I started worrying more about my dad. I finally got ahold of my mom, and she reported that dad had gone on a trip to Sea/Tac and was fine, although he wound up being stuck there for nearly a week as a result of the transit snafu that occurred.

As I watched the news, and the broadcast of the towers collapsing, I couldn't help but think that it was all very surreal. I didn't really feel anything, apart from relief that dad wasn't flying the LaGuardia run that day. It's like the one thread of connection I felt to the whole event had been (thankfully) severed, and the whole affair was just too far outside of my monkeysphere to care about.

In the weeks and months that followed, I watched as our country resolved itself to revenge (although nobody called it that) and declared war on an enemy that had no flag, no uniform, and no sovereign government. I watched and was mildly depressed. I resolved to do my part and went to the nearest Marine recruiter and tried to convince him to let me join up, but thankfully he wasn't interested.

I went and looked at the pictures today, and it's every bit as surreal as it was 7 years ago... it makes me feel old that it was so long ago and it doesn't feel like that long.

I was at home when the planes struck. I was at my mother's church listening in on a lady's Bible study when I realized the gravity of the situation, and I was at university when the towers fell.

The weather was wonderful that tuesday morning in tulsa, but I guess it was not much comfort at the time

As Seraphim noted, it was strange to not hear aircraft for the next two days. I lived just two miles from the Tulsa airport for 15 years, and the skies were eerliy silent

I ride my bike to work most every day. I did on 9/11/2001 as well.

As has been said , it was a crystal clear day here in Boston. I always see the planes flying over taking off out of Logan. In hindsight, I realize that one of them could quite possibly have been one of the planes that hit the towers.

I logged on after I got to work, and saw about the first plane that had hit. I thought "how are they going to fix the tower way up high like that?". After that, things went from bad to worse in the news that came in, as we all know all to well.

Later in the day it was very odd, as there was a crystal blue sky, but all the airplanes had been grounded, so the usual background of planes taking off/landing flying overhead was absent from the norm. A very surreal day.

I was in my morning American Government class. Our prof who was former army intel came in and said that a plane had hit the world trade center and we weren't sure if it was an accident or what. We had class, then I came down the stairs into the entry way of the building where the coverage was on the TVs. I came down just a minute before the second plane hit.

I was arriving at work when the folks I carpool with and I heard on the radio that a plane hit the WTC. Like most other posters, we thought that the plane was a small plane (Cessna, etc.).

I walked into the bulding where I worked and my boss told us to go home, only the on shift Emergency Plan team will remain.

I work in the Radiation Protection department at the United States' largest nuclear generating facility - Palo Verde.

I went home and watched in horror at the replay on TV at the most vicious attack on the USA in my lifetime. I prayed for those killed and injured and thanked God that I had my family with me.

The next day upon arrival at work we were greeted by a large Arizona National Guard force and our lives at PV changed forever.

I remember it very clearly. I was still on hollyday from highschool and was having lunch. It was arround 13:00 hours here in Portugal and the news were on television. I was shocked... first they announced that a plane crashed into the World Trade Center and we all thought it might have been a Cesna or something... something had happened before, quite simillar, when a B-25 bomber crashed into the Empire State Building back in the 1940's... But this was diferent. The wheather was great and sunny, so... I got us wondering and glued to our TV sets. Then, live on TV, the second airplane... And the rest is History for us not in America, but to you, in the US it's your story and your very own History. No politics, no theories... just a tremendous tragedy that moved us all. It was real - and for us in Europe (sorry for the expression, friends...) it was too close for confort...

Then came the bombing in Madrid and then the bombings in London... and all this is related and we are in this one together. Putting aside any political statement, we are all equal and the death of an inocent person - no matter where, or why or what colour or creed - is a tragedy.

But after a tragedy, courage emerges. And the footage of the Policemen and Firemen and many civilians in NY salvaging, resqueing and being exorted by tragedy into almost irresponsable courage is always a moving sight... so, to all of you who lost kin in the 9/11 tragedy, I send my deepest regrets and feelings.

I was at work. My manager came out of her office and said she heard something weird on the radio about the WTC and an airplane hitting it. I thought that was strange of course, but didn't know the size of the plane or any details. Then she came out and said another had hit and they were jet liners. Work on the whole office floor stopped and I think most of us went in the conference room to watch on TV.

I remember they showed Bush who had landed at some airport in a southern state while he was walking briskly on the tarmac. I distinctly remember IMO he had a look of fear in his eyes that was unmistakable; the same type of fear that maybe a child would have if he and/or his friends poked at and taunted a wild animal not realizing or being surprised about the fury that would ensue and be directed towards them. Weird analogy, but that's how I felt.

Chris L

I was working a long way from the United Kingdom and had just returned from my work to my hotel, the Taj Mahal in Mumbai (Bombay), India. I was taking a well earned drink and looking forward to going home the next day. I noticed maybe 10 people watching the television and as this was unusual I walked over to see what I thought was a movie. Nobody was speaking and I quickly realised that the horrors I was watching were live and real. I then noticed that many around me had tears in there eyes. I then remember feeling angry , sad and totally powerless. I telephoned my wife to share my feelings.
Some of the Indians were well aware of terrorism having suffered horrific bombs in their own city from the same extremists. They understood and made the link immediately as they watched the carnage unfold. They explained it to me. I still feel the anger and I'm forever grateful that I live in a Country that bothers to try and stop these things from happening again.