Remembering 9/11

[ScubaSam]

Thanks for the story, Sam. Must have been really difficult being in the middle of it.

Spratman - I was one of the lucky ones. Friends of mine who were near the twin towers were running for their lives as the towers came down. At the time, they did not know whether they would live or die because they did not know the towers would implode rather than tilt down as they fell. There was debris and balls of jet fuel fire flying every where. They were covered from head to toe with the gray ashes.

 

[justleesa]

....Let US never forget those who lost their lives, the families that remain and all the brothers and sisters in arms throughout the world.

:depressed:...I know no one that was directly effected by the attacks....but my heart felt and feels like I lost someone dear.....

 

[DiverBeth]

I had been up late the night before and was just getting up when I heard on my clock radio that there was a report the WTC may have been hit by an airplane. I had a bad feeling and immediately turned on CNN. I watched with disbelief and horror through my tears the events as they kept unfolding.

I still grieve for those who were lost. Yet, I think among the tragedy we saw the true American spirit from the firefighters and police of NYC to the passengers on flight 93.

 

[mrjimboalaska]

We were working over a Radar at Miesau Army Depot in Germany, quite a shock, and we left work early that day...and my wife was in DC. I was Very worried as I did not know if she was at the Pentagon or not. She was not. A close family friend was. We will NEVER forget.

 

[miked]

I was a teacher (HS Math) in norhtern NJ-approx 12 miles from the WTC.
I returned from my first class to hear "a plane had hit the WTC". A TV was on in the workroom, and we saw the second plane "live". When describing my reaction,"Shock" does not cover it at all.
I had to go back and teach a few more classes. When I returned to the workroom, I asked about the Towers, and a colleague told me "they 're both down".
Word was slowly getting out to the students; some tears, some fears-especially among those with friends/families working/living in that area.
After a while, we could see the smoke/dust cloud.
Later, amongst many (thankfully) false rumors, we heard about the attack on the Pentagon, and stories about "another one crashed in Pa."
I remember calling my brother-his wife works near the WTC- she was stuck intraffic on the NJ turnpike, and saw the planes.

After school, some of my colleagues and I converged at alocal sports bar,and watched the several TV -silently, it seemed, as the news stations recounted-over and over-the events of the day.

Later that evening, I heard from friends and family that were Police, Firemen, EMTs, etc, that were heading in to NYC to help with the rescue/recovery.

It is still disquieting to recall that day.

 

[IceBergSlim]

I was there from just after the second plane hit to the south tower falling down. I had my video camera with me and was able to tape many things that have never been seen: first responders ariving, bodies hitting the ground, human remains scattered all over. Stuff like that.

When the south tower fell I was caught in the dust cloud and pushed to the ground. It was then I lost my camera (and my shoes).

Wandering in 100% blackness I stumbled to a revolving door (I later found it was 140 Broadway) and tried to push my way inside. (there was a small glow of light in the lobby and that was all I could see)

Debris and people were jamming the revolving door and it took a while to pust through. Once inside I was able to see a little but and found the lobby in chaos.

I made my way downstairs toward the basement and found a huge man crying (he was a bike messinger and had pretty much lost his mind) There was a door to the basement and I beat it down with a fire extinguisher. (not as easy as it sounds)

Once open I found the basement to be clear and with air you could breathe. I told the bike messenger guy to go get the rest of the people and bring them down here.

While he was getting them I tried to find an emergency exit. I used the cotents of my wallet to block open door, keeping my drivers licence in my pocket in case I was killed I wanted there to be ID.

I found an exit into the subway tunnel (R train I think) and took it a short way to find a ladder that lead to a manhole type thing. There was a bunch of debris on the manhole but I was able to get it open.

I went back and got about 20 people from the lobby and lead them out through the exit. I was surprized how many of them would not give up their shopping bags stuffed with **** from Centurey 21.

Once out of the exit we emerged in what you can see on TV. A total world of white/ gray ash. I saw somone in the distance wave and we all started walking toward him (east) In a short while the dust was clearing and you could make out the streets and buildings. The growing mob all walked toward the Brooklyn Bridge but I broke off and went home as I lived right at the base of the bridge.

I was sorry to have lost my camera as it has so much footage of things that were never recorded. I did call the news stations and told them where I dropped it but it would have been under a bunch of ash and rubble. Sad loss. I am sure I had pictures of the final heroics of perished firemen as they gazed up at the fire and entered the building.

I still have my clothing from that day in a plastic bag. I don't know why.

 

[ScubaTexan]

I had been asleep when my brother came into my bedroom and told me to turn on the TV. I asked him what was happening, and all he said was, "We're under attack!" I was like, "We're WHAT???" I turned on the TV and saw the first tower on fire, then seconds later, saw the second plane ram the second tower. It may have been a replay, because my brother later said the Pentagon had been hit as well. I watched in total disbelief the rest of that day, scarcely being able to fathom what was going on.

As a side note....the very first certification I took with Debra Welch (Debraw) and her husband, Troy, was my Advanced Open Water course the weekend after 9/11. Being from New York, I knew the attack would have a profound effect on Debra, but she was such a trooper that weekend, it was right then and there that I knew she was one special person.

I also remember flying to Cozumel the following November for a dive trip with some friends and seeing the National Guardsmen patrolling the terminals at DFW International Airport with their Uzis locked and loaded. It looked like the airport in Tel Aviv. That's when reality hit home and hit home hard for me. :shocked2:

 

[Rhone Man]

The morning of 9/11 my wife was actually being admitted to a hospital in Seattle for an operation because she had cancer (now in remission). Around the hospital you could tell that something was wrong because all the staff had worried expressions and kept whispering to each, but they had turned all of the televisions off and were trying not to let patients know to avoid "alarming" them (which I think actually had the opposite effect). Eventually I went out to the IHOP across the street to ask people what the hell was going on.

By 10.30 the hospital had caved in to the inevitable and all the TVs were switched back on and the full horror of it was shown in 20th century technicolour. Like many Brits, most of my previous encounters with Americans (wife and kids excluded) tended to be with overweight tourists, and I had always previously thought of Americans as a bit soft. But I remember watching the courage and dignity shown that day and thinking to myself, this Nation is strong - not by the measure of their armies, or the size of their economy, but by the strength of their character in adversity.

 

[DandyDon]

Gotta love it...

Like many Brits, most of my previous encounters with Americans (wife and kids excluded) tended to be with overweight tourists, and I had always previously thought of Americans as a bit soft. But I remember watching the courage and dignity shown that day and thinking to myself, this Nation is strong - not by the measure of their armies, or the size of their economy, but by the strength of their character in adversity.

 

[BoomhowerSpeaks]

I was on deployment in Okinawa with the Marines and had just gone to bed, since it was late over there, a guy came in my room and said to get up because the WTC and the Pentagon had been bombed. I thought he was joking and threw a boot at him. An hour later we were at the armory drawing weapons and ammo.