9/11

[tommc23]

It’s hard to believe that is has been 20 years already. I was in 7th grade then and now I’m working for a career fire department. I think a lot of people my age saw what everyone did that day and it had some influence on them to want to be a fireman, police officer, or for many join the military.

[revkev]

My son was also a 7th grader who went on to enlist in the Navy when he was 29. No doubt 9/11 played a huge part in that choice. 
 

Thsnks for your service as a firefighter 

[GolfSpy_SHARK]

I was in 8th grade English class when I heard. At that time military was not on my mind but definitely played a part later in my decision to join.

Amazes me that the kids in high school now were not alive for it and learning it in history class. Curious about other counties if they take American history like we take European history in school, are they learning about it as well?

[GolfSpy_BNG]

I was on my way to another town to fix a water main leak as a young 21 year old punk. I never thought anything like that was possible.
 I didn’t enlist because of it but I did join my small towns volunteer fire department.  It was also a slap in the face realization of the evil in this world and created a greater appreciation for those that have served and continue to serve to protect our freedoms as well as those that at a drop of a hat , will stop what they are doing to help others even at great person risk to themselves. 

[sirchunksalot]

I was working as a printing press operator and I remember my supervisor at the time coming into the break area and telling us that his wife had called saying a plane had hit the WTC. We were all saddened initially as we thought it was an accident, then soon after the second plane hit. They let us off work to go be with our families and I distinctly remember the feeling of shock and uncertainty as to what was happening. 

It's strange to think there are young adults now that don't have the vivid memories of that day. I applaud all those who either joined the military, the fire department, or police force after the attack. You all are real heroes. 

 

[RickyBobby_PR]

I worked but that far from the pentagon and our command had 11 staff members that were located in the d ring where the plane struck and we lost 8 of them including a good friend of mine.

Even though it’s been 20 years I remember every detail of that day from the coverage of the first plane until I went to bed that night. The next 3 days were hard not being able to get back into my building to help get things up and running for the rest of our staff that were in another section that we relocated to our building 

[Golfspy_CG2]

I was managing a hotel  2 miles from the Pentagon, just across the River in DC.   We had a hotel full of DOD staff attending a meeting.   Their phones were going off like alarm bells.   It was an unbelievably crazy and scary day to be in DC. There were so many (fortunately)what turned out to be incorrect reports of The Capitol and State Departments having been hit as well.  
 

The following day were really crazy as well as no one could really get in or out of the city in any public transportation. So much of our guests were “stuck” in the hotel.   
 

 

[Chip Strokes]

i was in 7th grade shop class when the announcement came over the loudspeaker. 

i stood up and walked straight home. my dad was working not too far from the WTC back then. i don’t know what i thought i could do for him from home, but i knew i couldn’t do anything stuck at school. 

we couldn’t reach him because cell phones were down everywhere. he showed up at home about 2 hours later with him and his motorcycle covered in ash. 

what a terrible day. 

[Shankster]

11th grade.  Sitting in the Library working on my recruiting stuff for the Navy.  Changed my mind and I’m still here today in my current career because of it.

Remember it like it was yesterday.

[Rickp]

Was in my Office when my Shipping TL called me and said “get in the Conference Room and turn on the TV” Conference Room was next to my Office I did and watched the 2nd plane hit.  I looked around and just about the entire Factory was standing around me nobody saying a word.

I was 55 years old at the time.  

[bens197]

8 hours ago, tommc23 said:

It’s hard to believe that is has been 20 years already. I was in 7th grade then and now I’m working for a career fire department. I think a lot of people my age saw what everyone did that day and it had some influence on them to want to be a fireman, police officer, or for many join the military.

To carry off of this, what's impacted me is the guys I've taken classes with, taught with and played bagpipes with who were there.  

My uncle Mike was there following the collapse and worked the pile, this photo of him is in the museum and was later added to a WTC metro card.  Occasionally he speaks of it but I'll never ask.  20 years feels like a lifetime ago but the detail is clear as any familiar memory.

 

[Kenny B]

I was 54 years old and working in Russia.  I had just gotten off work... back to the Moscow Marriott Hotel.  In the concierge lounge the news channel showed the first tower burning, then the second tower was hit.  Flights back home were delayed.  When I finally got on the plane headed back to JFK, we were over Canada when the plane was diverted to Newark.  We were bussed to JFK and made the flight out to Salt Lake City, then home that night.

[fixyurdivot]

I listened to the news unfolding on the drive into work. By the time I got into my office, reports of the second tower being hit were reported and, with that news, the sobering reality set in.  That weekend, my wife and I went to our cabin on Hood Canal and I recall sitting on the deck and how eerily quiet everything was... no plane traffic. So often I wish this country could once again be as united as were were that day and the weeks to follow.

[Marcus Evans]

It is very difficult to remember this terrible tragedy every year. These emotions every year, tears in my eyes. I think a lot about such an issue as Cultural diversity and how it influences the thoughts and, most importantly, actions of people in modern conditions. At its core, the 9/11 tragedy is a massive cultural disaster. On the writngbros website, I read several articles on this memorable day about cultural diversity, identity and reminded myself once again that you need to be kinder to your neighbors.

Edited November 23, 2021 by Marcus Evans

[cksurfdude]

So uhh it's taken me two months to look into and read thru this thread .. but this forum is one of the very few places I would read about this subject online .. the posts above are, of course, all considerate and worth reading.

I very well remember exactly where I was that morning, and the next, and also still remember very clearly many images from that day and the next .....

I remember some sad stories and some strange, disturbing stories that came out over the next few days and weeks but i also remember many let's call them relatively "happy" stories of people who might have been in one of the towers but arrived downtown after 9am .....

Like others mentioned it's also hard for me to wrap my head around TWENTY years .. and also wonder about everyone that age and younger and what is/will be their connection to that event as, well, history .....

(..but otoh and musing aloud I guess it's relative as I think about my knowledge regarding the history of the bombing of Pearl Harbor.)

Anyway I was way waaaay over enlistment age at that time but it did make me re-think a decision I'd made about 20 years prior to that day .....

So on this day each year I have my own little way of commemorating and remembering .. and hope to continue it for as long as I am able .....

Ok enough sharing .. thank you to all everywhere who have chosen to protect, save and defend!!!

[revkev]

2 hours ago, cksurfdude said:

So uhh it's taken me two months to look into and read thru this thread .. but this forum is one of the very few places I would read about this subject online .. the posts above are, of course, all considerate and worth reading.

I very well remember exactly where I was that morning, and the next, and also still remember very clearly many images from that day and the next .....

I remember some sad stories and some strange, disturbing stories that came out over the next few days and weeks but i also remember many let's call them relatively "happy" stories of people who might have been in one of the towers but arrived downtown after 9am .....

Like others mentioned it's also hard for me to wrap my head around TWENTY years .. and also wonder about everyone that age and younger and what is/will be their connection to that event as, well, history .....

(..but otoh and musing aloud I guess it's relative as I think about my knowledge regarding the history of the bombing of Pearl Harbor.)

Anyway I was way waaaay over enlistment age at that time but it did make me re-think a decision I'd made about 20 years prior to that day .....

So on this day each year I have my own little way of commemorating and remembering .. and hope to continue it for as long as I am able .....

Ok enough sharing .. thank you to all everywhere who have chosen to protect, save and defend!!!

Since this came alive again I had an interesting experience with it just last week.  I teach 3rd grade religion.  The classroom teacher was asking questions about  Abraham Lincoln when I came into class so jokingly I asked them one more, "Who is buried in Grant's tomb."  It took a while to get that answer sorted out but eventually we got around to me being around their age when JFK was assassinated and then to the realization that I remembered 9/11 well.  Of course their parents were the ones in Middle or elementary school when that event occurred so they had to hear all about my perspective on it.  There's was very interesting - I think the Pearl Harbor analogy is a good one - I could talk to my parents or teachers about Pearl Harbor and they would recollect where they were and what they were doing - it made the history very real - some with 9/11 I or the Kennedy Assassination I guess.

[tony@CIC]

40 minutes ago, revkev said:

 I could talk to my parents or teachers about Pearl Harbor and they would recollect where they were and what they were doing - it made the history very real - some with 9/11 I or the Kennedy Assassination I guess.

I was in high school for the Kennedy assassination and at work for 911, both of which had a deep impact on me. My FIL was affected by Pearl Harbor that he would not buy anything made in Japan til the day he died in the mid 1980's.