Where Were You On 9-11-2001

[baby vinny]

i remember i was in my sophmore year of high school sitting in home room. i had a friend lose her aunt in the north tower that day. that entire day i had onee teacher acutally fallow the lesson he had planned, in all the others we sat and watched the news.

the halls that day inbetween classes was the quietest for the year. the next day the school held an acembly to let the students know if we needed to talk they would be availble.

my family was unable to talk or email my uncle for almost a year after it since he is millitary we would get a five minute phone call at about 6 months and all he could say is he was ok and asked for some hygeine products.

ALL I CAN SAY IS THANK YOU TO THE POLICE, FIREFIGHTERS, THE NAVY, THE MARINES, THE ARMY, THE AIR FORCE, FOR THE SACAFICES THEY MAKE KEEPING THE USA SAFE.

[spoonchicken]

It was my first day in a classroom as part of my vocational training. I decided to flip on the TV, and see what was happening in the world this day.....I went to class as scheduled, as did all of my aprrenticeship classmates, and we couldn't talk about anything else all morning long. Afetr we came back from lunch break, our instrcutor said "We really do need to get started on the lesson of the day"... At which point we were eager to do so. We were so pissed off about it, we wanted to take our minds of it for a while. After all, we knew damned well it would be ALL over the TV news when we all went home. My sincere thanks to all the first responders , and to the United States Armed Forces...

[beallucanb]

I was sleeping until my brother called me, a few min after I tuned in to the today show the second plane hit the towers, I watched the rest of the time until the towers fell.

I lived at the time near a international airport, a small airport by most standards, it was amazing just how quiet it got without planes, all but the interstate and the trains kept moving and making noise

I moved away from there now all my days are that quiet, I like it much better.

[Mama Melody]

I was in bed before just another day in Jr. High. My dad came into my room and woke me saying "Come out the the TV, your country is under attack."

I'll never forget that.

[robehouse]

I was on my way home from work. I worked the overnight shift and rode the bus home. I listened to a radio station with my earphones on. Howard Stern was on and he announced that a plane had hit the two towers. I thought it was a joke until I changed the station and they were talking about it. After I got home I turned on TV and watched the news. By then the second tower had been hit and I kept watching for awhile. I knew it was one of history's big events, like JFK assassination and the Challenger explosion, something that would never be forgotten.

[diaperboyMKE]

I was in Salt Lake on business, I had arrived at our local branch and everyone was huddled in the break room, something about an explosion or a plane hitting the WTC. Moments later the reports started coming in about a second plane, We were glued for the next 4 or 5 hours watching as the towers fell one by one, I was floored. I missed my family, I was far away from home, and the airports were closed. I felt bad, but I also hoped I would be able to get home and not be stuck in SLC for the next week.

[Mischa]

I remember the day vividly, it was my first full day in a new school in a new town. The sky was bright, crisp, and clear, and I remember thinking how beautiful it was as I walked into school for my fourth day of sixth grade.

We had morning homeroom then went to art class, I forget exactly what we were doing for a project, but soon after the class started the fire alarm rang. We all left the building, there were already teachers talking about something happening, but I didn't know what, the fire drill was just a routine drill for all I knew. A few minutes after getting back into class, the principal came on and said there was an accident in New York and the World Trade Center was hit by a plane.

We were kept in the art classroom for a little while longer, if I remember we were in a security drill. The principal then came on and told us the Pentagon had also been hit. I remember leaning over and telling one of my classmates that, since the Pentagon was the Army's headquarters, we were gonna get back at whoever did it.

After the drill let up, we were brought back as a class to our main room and then after the Social Studies teacher and our main teacher talked, we went with the Social Studies teacher's class to the library. That is where, sitting on the floor, I saw the South Tower collapse. After watching the coverage a while, we went back to the classroom.

I don't remember much of the rest of the schoolday, but after school, my mom picked me up and took me to my aunt's where I watched more of the news. I was also there when the War on Terror started on October 7th.

On May 1st, 2011, I was sitting in my room when I got a CNN Breaking News email: Osama bin Laden is dead, CNN John King's reported Sunday night, citing sources. I immediately yelled for my grandma to turn on the news and I watched as people gathered at the White House, Ground Zero, and Times Square.

[square_duck]

This was 10 years ago, and yet it's a rather vivid memory...which is odd for me. I guess it was just the fact that it was a "national' thing that makes it memorable. I was 40 soon to be 41, and I 'think" I was supposed to have that day off, since it was a Tuesday, and I think I had Tuesdays and Wednesdays off. I had closed the night before, so That morning I was sound asleep, after being up late.

I was awakened out of a dead sleep by the phone ringing and my answering machine picking it up and the store manager of my store yelling for me to answer or to call back ASAP. He was of Armenian decent, so he was a bit excitable and energetic, but also a heck of a nice guy.

In a fog, I got up, trudged to the answering machine to replay the message and ponder what was said. For you younger people, yes this was BEFORE voice mail etc and all the 'hi-tech' stuff we have today

he yelled back

"THIS COUNTRY HAS SERIOUS PROBLEMS!!!!! THE COUNTRY IS UNDER ATTACK, THE TOWERS ARE BURNING THE PENTAGON IS BURNING...... THIS COUNTRY HAS SERIOUS SERIOUS PROBLEMS!

" I NEED SOMEONE TO OPEN, WHEN CAN YOU GET IN HERE????"

(I'm still in a 1/2 asleep fog)

"uhhhhh....I uhhh, just got up..What happened to whats his name who was supposed to open???"

( I think he said something, but I don't remember)

"OK, GET IN HERE AS FAST AS YOU CAN"

I hung up the phone, made some coffee and oatmeal, and turned on the TV....Coffee was consumed as was oatmeal, I got dressed and headed out. I called a friend on my (then 'new") cell phone, and asked what was going on, he sai dthe same thing that the manager said,..

"The towers are GONE...The pentagon is GONE"

"What do you mean the towers and pentagon are gone?? I was just watching it on TV and they were still there (assuming it was a live feed at the time)

"NO! TOM.....THEY ARE G*O*N*E!!! Both Towers just collapsed..."

"Huh??!!!" but I ....uhhh..

I don't remember much more of the conversation, I think he had to go, and I was driving so I hung up...I think something about listining to the news or ....?

I was on the freeway anyways and couldn't talk much, and my battery was getting low, so I turned on the news on my radio and continued to drive to work.

I got there and clocked in, and grabbed the 2 orders on the rack, George gave me my bank (money for change $15) and I headed out.......that was around 10 am-ish, and I worked all day...non stop. I think I took 18 deliveries, as I was the only driver, and worked around 9 hours straight, all the while listening to the radio reports coming in.....and maintaining a steady burning anger.

The roads around town were relativly empty, and it was kind of a quiet day....for being outside. The store was close by a College campus, yet little activity.

The one thing I do remember that was 'interesting' was that all the deliveries I made, non of our customers were of middle eastern heritage...non....ZERO!

This was in a diverse community that has a large middle eastern population, and I didn't make one stop to any of them....Racially, I delivered to everyone else....but no calls and no deliveries to anyone of that nature.....it was ...odd. I normally didn't work on Tuesdays, and hardly ever worked the day shift, so this was really an odd day. It seemed they had all just disappeared, but, maybe it was better that way given the news and events. Specially since it was a "terrorist attack" and the "terrorists' were all of middle eastern make up. Not that it was the fault of anyone local....we were in Los Angeles, not New York, but it was still an odd thing.

The city was relativly quiet, minimal traffic, and the people I did meet were quiet. I usually try to joke with my customers and make the delivery a "fun" event, but it seemed most people who were home were in a fog, or stunned or in shock over the mornings events, which is understandable..I was rather befuddled also.

It was a long day, I think I got off at around 5 or so, when the next driver came on duty. All I know is that George answered the phone and cooked and I drove. I also think I made around $50 that day in tips, but it didn't seem to matter really. Work needed to be done, and it seemed we were the only ones to do it....*shrug*

What happened afterwards I don't remember. I guess I went home, had a beer (or 3) and watched TV or went on line and chatted (DPF days) and went to bed sometimes later on.

Thinking back on it, I still might have that message on my answering machine...I have to go back and check. I don't use it anymore with the advent of voice mail and cell phones and such, but I still have it, maybe because of that day..I don't know.....and maybe it doesn't matter. *shrug*

[babystevie]

I was driving to work & had just arrived when they said on the radio that a plane had it the WTC. I ran in and told my employees to turn on the TV. We watched as the 2nd plane hit and watched the rest of the day. It got so eerily quiet. That went on for weeks. It is something I will never forget. Thank you and God Bless all the 1st responders & police & fire fighters.

[underwhere]

I was sleeping. I worked second shift in retail, and I was woken up by my mother (I still lived with her at the time) who was in a panic watching things happen on TV. Yes, I too became glued to the TV, but unlike the response from my mother, I was not too surprised given my understanding of the global economic and political presence of the USA at the time. (FYI, not a lot has really changed in that regard. In fact, I dare say things have gotten worse with regard to the perception of the USA abroad.)

Eventually, I had to get ready to go to work, so I did. I showed up on time for work. At that time, I was working at a Target store which was attached to, though not technically part of, a shopping mall. I understand the mall was closed, probably for security reasons, but Target stayed open, not that anybody came to shop that day.

Target has a corporate policy of pretty much not closing unless a black hole opens up somewhere in the middle of a Target store. In all of the six plus years I worked for them, as far as I know, they only closed once, and then, only because of an electrical problem effecting the entire building when something hit an electric pole outside. (I wasn't working that day, but I heard stories afterward, and was very surprised to learn Target actually closed down for business that day.)

I don't remember if I was glued to the TVs in Target or not, but what I do remember is that I got roughly 2 hours of sleep per night for several days because I wanted to know everything the second it hit the news, and I know I only went to bed when I practically couldn't move anymore.

Not a lot has changed in the economic and political landscape since 2001. The USA still holds a stranglehold on a lot of countries by way of substantially funding the World Bank and the IMF, which then lend out money to countries on terms they could never hope to repay, so that the USA can "legitimately" effect political games which economically benefit large US corporations. We still play political and economic favoritism with little regard to anything but the almighty dollar. As a citizen of the USA, having been born here and lived my whole life here, I really don't believe we are all that much safer now than we were at that time. Homeland Security creates a fantastic perception of being more secure, but all the so-called "experts" I have read have serious doubts as to whether we really are more secure or not.

I, too, thank the police and fire fighters who risked their lives, many of whom lost theirs in the process. I just think its a shame we lost them. We didn't have to. We know now, with all of the information which has come out, that there were people aware of certain pieces of what was going to happen because of intelligence gains at the time. There was, of course, no single person who had the job to assemble disparate intelligence information. While we do have an intelligence czar now, I feel like its really too little too late. In any event, we will always face threats, both from within and from the outside. Bin Laden may have been an asshole, but he had some legitimate political axes to grind. To think he is the only one who held such beliefs would be folly.

[LilFozzyJ5]

I was on duty in the Royal Air Force, standing in the crew room with my jaw on the floor watching it live on the news channel at RAF Lyneham!

[PArms]

I was at work when a friend/coworker told me that a twin engine airplane flew into one of the twin towers. I wondered how a small plane could accidentally fly right into a giant building while under control by some of the countries' best air traffic controllers in broad daylight with clear skies. While most everyone remembers what a beautiful morning it was, I was thinking about how crummy the weather was on Monday. When I later found out what was really happening, I figured that the attack was supposed to be on Monday morning when more people would have been at work but that the weather wouldn't have allowed the terrorists to see the buildings.

[Yvhuce]

My grandpa and I were picking up parts for a tractor that had broken down the day before. The news came over the radio station that was playing at the parts store. We listened for a while after getting the parts, then went home and fixed the tractor. Then, I disked a field for the rest of the day. Apart from worrying for the people over yonder, it was just another day on the farm.

[BabyJune]

I was at work and everyone was running down the hall to watch the news footage on the projection screen in the meeting room. I came in just as the second plane hit the tower. What a shock when we realized that it was NOT a replay, but the second tower had been hit. Since I live near an air base, you can imagine how many security vehicles were on the road for my commute home.

[Repaid1]

I had some business in the morning so I was coming to work a bit late. I stopped around the corner from work and got a pack of smokes when the lady told me a plane hit the first tower. I went into work.....and for a Metal fabricator custom shop. none of the Machines were on and nobody was there. All the lights on, everything running but nobody around.. Kinda freaked me out. I went towards my office and saw every employee in the main bosses office (he was the only one with a 10" tv) I was like WTF? So I fired up my systems.. then walked in to see what was the deal... I caught the second plane as well, trying to figure out like others said, was that the replay?

I then knew after 10 years in the Marines, that wasn't a freak'n accident..these are bombers/terrorists. The rage in me blew! our phones are normally ringing off the hook and I am the dumb ass that ended up answering them most of the time. Anyway.. they didn't ring for almost the whole time. We have a contractor that was out of New Jersey. Go figure..he called... I answered, and I basically said WTF? He said ...we are watching it across the river (I think) that is when the first tower fell... The shop was back at work at the time, I pushed *1 on the shop intercom, which turned on all the main bullhorns...and yelled the fucking building is gone! Like magic the whole factory went silent and went running for the bosses office again...

We all set dumb founded watching as finally the second tower dropped. I am no less pissed today as I was that day. Laden or not. I try my best to not judge others on who they are but it is hard when I walk into the 7/11. I still can't get over the pictures they showed of the women chanting in the streets from over there in celebration. I would love to drop a few nukes on them and black top the whole place... Damn them! Please be safe and I hope they understand not to do anything on the annv. It's best not to rattle the nest of the hornets again. If so this time I fear that we will use nukes! Rant over. Carry on!

[aleyxsis]

I was at work (when i had a good job ) and a co worker came down the line saying one of the towers had been hit !. I thought no way it is just bad joke then some else said the pentagon had been hit and the 1 tower had fallin i thought no way this is not happing !.When i got home from work that day and turned on cnn i seen the devastation and learned all about osama and i also knew nothing would be the same ! .In my opin nothing has been right since that day .But what really irks me (im canadian) is that my american company did not blink an eye it was like every other day nothing was said or done not even a moment of silence which we (the workers) wanted for all those that were lost ! PS a shout out to all that have served and that still serve you have my respect (end of rant )

[Fontaine]

Sitting in 7/8th period Social Studies in 7th grade. Heard a rumor about a small plane crash. Couple of people were running around. I came home and couldn't help but smile at the absurdity of it all. It didn't seem real.

[DLK]

I was standing in my living room, just after waking up (worked 3rd shift at the time), drinking coffee, watching tv in utter suprise/anger.

[little wetter]

i was at a local library using their computers when i heard a lady behind me say that they did'nt even try to miss it. i instantly searched the news sites but found nothing. it wasn't till i got home and turned on the tv. my parents called me and asked if i was alright, because my sister had died a year earlier in a plane crash. watching the video was so sureal. so that's what happened to my sister. there was a story in the local paper today. an f16 fighter pilot was scrambled to intercept flight 93 and take it down. her plane was not armed, no bullets or missles. only practice ammo. her mission was to fly into the jet or shear a wing. lucky for her the pasangers took it down before she had too. can you imagine the fight and will in her mind?!?!?!?! there are so many untold stories of bravado and selflessness to be told.

thank you usa slodiers

[Goerge]

I was getting a life home from school and heard on the radio about a plane crashing into a building.... At the time I didn't know about the world trade centre, it's only when I got home I realised it was the towers out of home alone 2. I was shocked.

[Necros]

Coming home from college, i then watched a horror movie and went to bed like any other day ._________.

[curiositykilledthecat]

Well in 2001 I was in Oklahoma going to school and I recall waking up and putting on the local talk radio(sports) and hearing someone remark on how somebody hit the north tower. I laughed and said, "How much of an idiot to you have to be to hit a building?" I went off to the college and I remember an hour or so later we had an assembly and our Dean came out and told us what happened. Being from the Northeast I was a little pissed. I spent the rest of the day flipping burgers and watching the news in between orders at my job. Though highly inappropriate, I woke one of my friends up by screaming into the answering machine "I swear it wasn't us, it was the boiler!" About five hours later he calls me up both screaming at me and laughing as he got the reference(it is from an MST3K movie). I spent the next few days calling everyone I could back home. I had a lot of support from the local Oklahoma's as the state was only a couple years removed from the Oklahoma City Bombing. The only issue we had in the state was one idiot in some small Podunk town tried to raise gas prices to close to $%.00 a gallon right after the attacks. Thankfully I didn't lose any loved ones in 9/11 and post 9/11 was the first time I had really any patriotism stirred within me, it didn't matter political allegiance or philosophies at that point for me as it was the first and last time that this country actually stood united on anything.

[carruiz]

I was in the house that time together with my family and that's really a shocking news to us.

[grayfile]

I was in my bed at home and my mom came in and said that one of our friends had called and said somthing terible had happened. After that my mom and I watched everything unfold on tv. I know that I will never froget the images of that day.

[Amyuser]

I was in a Hospital not far from The World Trade Centers with my Mother she was in Pre-Op for a mastectomy and stuff started breaking loose in chunks surgeries where canceled as they prepared for MCI, i turned on my radio and every command frequency was almost unusable and Maydays were coming by the bucketful, i Kissed my Mother and said i have to go to work, She said you are on Family Medical leave you don't have to go anywhere,so i let her briefly hear my radio and the desperation in the voices of my Brothers and then we kissed and i left and by the time i got my gear and got down there ,The North & South Towers had collapsed and there was no more maydays . i do not think i need to describe the pile or the work that followed.

343 FDNY firefighters died on 9/11 and from 9/11/01-9/11/11 55 more Firefighters/First responders have lost their lives as a direct result of exposure to toxins that they came in contact with on 9/11 as time goes by we are losing more of the Heroes of that day due to unknown toxins that they where exposed to.

Nappy