What were you doing?
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Where were you 15 years ago today?
- Thread starter tomfleet
- Start date
Sitting in a chair in a knee high cast (fractured heel) watching it all transpire and wanting to go there to help.
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San Francisco at a national meeting. Had a subcommittee meeting in the early AM before the main meeting started at 7 AM as all members were eastern time zone people. One person said he had just heard a plane had hit one of the World Trade Center buildings. The meeting lasted only about 5 mins, so I ran upstairs and turned on the TV just in time to see the second plane hit live on TV. Poked my head in the bathroom while my wife was taking a shower and said doesn't look like we are flying home. She said "what are you talking about?" And then I told her.
Later that day her planned sightseeing trip that was to take her across the Golden Gate Bridge was cancelled. And a couple of days later we got to take our cross country road trip back home.
Later that day her planned sightseeing trip that was to take her across the Golden Gate Bridge was cancelled. And a couple of days later we got to take our cross country road trip back home.
At work. We had purchased a consumer healthcare company with its home office in Jersey City - the company which made and marketed Sensodyne toothpaste. My contact with the company arrived at work just after the first plane hit. His wife contacted him to alert him. From the rooftop of one of the buildings he had a birds eye view of the Towers across the rivers. He was the only person there that day and from the rooftop he described what was going on. I can still remember his voice watching the plane hit tower 2. Remembered it like yesterday.
My boss was in a training session during the WTC bombing in 93 or 94 whenever it was. He said that was an experience that he will obviously never forget.
Prayers to the family members impacted by the horrible events.
My boss was in a training session during the WTC bombing in 93 or 94 whenever it was. He said that was an experience that he will obviously never forget.
Prayers to the family members impacted by the horrible events.
My wife and I had deferred our vacation until September. We were in Lake Placid, NY. We watched the whole thing unfold. Heard fighter planes being scrambled after the second plane hit. We went home early. I remember when we drove back to PA, every bridge and overpass had an American flag hanging from it.
Had the week off fom work. Wife and I were in a drive thru at a credit union when we heard the first report on the radio that a "small" plane had crashed into one of the towers. A few minutes later at a doctors office more information began flowing in. We went home and spent the rest of the day glued to the television.
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As a DVM I was at a dairy farm treating a sick cow. The dairyman told me that a plane hit the tower. Told him that it must have been a small (Cessana) as this has happened on rare occasions in the past. When I turned on the radio and went back home to see the news I realized it was the worst. Pray for those who lives were lost and affected.
Sleeping on my Aunt's couch. Just flew back from Florida the day before, had changed my flight and came back a day early. She came running down the stairs yelling we were being attacked.
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Physics lab at Penn College in Williamsport PA. We had a break before calculus class when a classmate went to get a drink and came back to tell us there was a fire at the WTC. I didn't think anything of it. At calculus class I heard more chatter, but the class went on as scheduled. At some point, I don't remember but it must have been the teacher told us what was unfolding. After class I went to my car, was driving up 3rd St towards Newberry when I heard that both towers had collapsed. Having been to the top of both towers in my life and knowing just how far up that was I started crying. I really thought there was going to be a death toll in the tens of thousands. I'm getting a chill and shaking my head thinking abut it as I write - that day. This mornings weather is very similar - clean dry air after a frontal passage last night.
I was in 9th grade at State College Area High School in science class. We were working on some worksheets and the science teacher put the radio on to play some music while we worked. They interrupted the music to say a small plane hit the WTC.
The first announcement, while a bad situation, did not particularly alarm anyone in the class so far away from NYC--accidents happen. However, some time later another teacher entered the classroom pale as a ghost and whispered into our science teacher's ear. Her face immediately went pale too and the class went silent. Another plane hit the other tower--this was no accident.
The rest of the school day the teachers tried to keep it business as usual. Very few teachers turned the news on, but adults were running around the building whispering in each others' ears. We heard rumors of "the Pentagon" and "the White House" and it was hard to understand what was really happening. When I got home and finally got to see the news on tv, it was one of the few times in my life where the reality of what happened was much worse than I could have imagined. It's 15 years later and my heart still reaches up and grabs at my throat when I see the images, videos, and hear the stories from that day.
The first announcement, while a bad situation, did not particularly alarm anyone in the class so far away from NYC--accidents happen. However, some time later another teacher entered the classroom pale as a ghost and whispered into our science teacher's ear. Her face immediately went pale too and the class went silent. Another plane hit the other tower--this was no accident.
The rest of the school day the teachers tried to keep it business as usual. Very few teachers turned the news on, but adults were running around the building whispering in each others' ears. We heard rumors of "the Pentagon" and "the White House" and it was hard to understand what was really happening. When I got home and finally got to see the news on tv, it was one of the few times in my life where the reality of what happened was much worse than I could have imagined. It's 15 years later and my heart still reaches up and grabs at my throat when I see the images, videos, and hear the stories from that day.
I was working downtown Manhattan. Watched in pure stunned, impotent, silence from yards away. I vividly remember before it all hit the fan thinking whilst walking to work what a spectacularly beautiful day it was. I was in my office when our office mgr called me to say a plane hit the WTC. I went and looked and thought it was a mighty big hole for a sightseeing plane to have circled too close. Went pensively back to work. Then I got the next call and knew I needed to get everyone out. I could see folks spinning shirts and towels in open windows. Sickening. Felt so helpless. Unbelievable amount of dust that rolled thru. Lost some friends that day (guys and girls). My apartment smelled like an iron smelt for quite some time.
This only hit me after I went thru the 9/11 museum recently - the voicemails of care, friendship left for several folks that had died in the attacks, by friends reaching out to see if the people were OK and safe (they weren't, unbeknownst to the callers). When my phone was working again, I had a ton of those same messages. I didn't think too much of it b/c I was fine, but when I heard those same msgs of care and warmth at the museum recently for those that had passed, it was overwhelmingly sad. Still is. While American politics may have its scars and bad decisions, you wont find better people on the planet than Americans
Driving to work past the Pentagon. The Pentagon impact occurred about 8 minutes after I passed.
At a project site in the Lanadale PA area. Contractors were listening to the events on radio and relaying what happened. Headed back to the office in Bensalem and decided to go home and ended up watching the rest of the events unfold on TV.
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I was at my office in the Pittsburgh suburbs, but my wife was working in the upper levels of a very tall building in downtown Pittsburgh so I was concerned for her safety until she was on the ground. One of my daughters lives in New Jersey but works in Manhattan, about 20 blocks from the World Trade Center. Her travel to work takes her past the WTC, and on 9/11 we did not hear from her for nearly 8 hours. Cell communication was all but impossible. Thankfully she was never in danger, but it took 8 hours for her to get home on a trip that usually generally takes 45 minutes.
At work, preparing to send my staff home for the day, even though it had not yet been authorized from on high. I said fug em.
Office in Johnstown, right about now it had just become very clear that a jet airliner had crashed in nearby Somerset County, and nobody really new why or how or what. We just knew about the other ones in NYC and DC.
On the ride home, I took a back way, around the airport.....or tried to. I had an idea that there might be something going on up there, because several military units....including Marine Reserve Cobras.....were based there. The roads were closed and traffic was being redirected by a young fellow. He told me that the airport was a backup landing site for Air Force 1 and had to be secured.
I knew about the AF1 plan, and I had seen practice runs by smaller Federal airliners several times. It is unnerving to watch a plane painted like that approaching the airport nose pointed seemingly vertical. Scary. It was not used for this purpose on that day, though. On the other hand, visiting dignitaries will be using it today, because it is the closest serviceable landing spot to the Flight 93 Memorial near Shanksville.
I asked the kid how old he was, he told me, and I wished him luck. That right there is the thing I will remember most from that day....until the day I die.
Office in Johnstown, right about now it had just become very clear that a jet airliner had crashed in nearby Somerset County, and nobody really new why or how or what. We just knew about the other ones in NYC and DC.
On the ride home, I took a back way, around the airport.....or tried to. I had an idea that there might be something going on up there, because several military units....including Marine Reserve Cobras.....were based there. The roads were closed and traffic was being redirected by a young fellow. He told me that the airport was a backup landing site for Air Force 1 and had to be secured.
I knew about the AF1 plan, and I had seen practice runs by smaller Federal airliners several times. It is unnerving to watch a plane painted like that approaching the airport nose pointed seemingly vertical. Scary. It was not used for this purpose on that day, though. On the other hand, visiting dignitaries will be using it today, because it is the closest serviceable landing spot to the Flight 93 Memorial near Shanksville.
I asked the kid how old he was, he told me, and I wished him luck. That right there is the thing I will remember most from that day....until the day I die.
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Ironically, getting ready to drive to NY to fight a speeding ticket. Had the TV on, and was watching the news when the second plane hit. Like everyone else, that's when we knew.
We called the magistrate to see if they were still having traffic court- and they said yes, but we could reschedule. We said we'd come and get it over with. Usually when you go to one of these, all the troopers who have pending tickets are there to offer "deals" to the people they ticketed, but that day all but one of them had been sent to the city. So the one trooper called all of the scofflaws into a room and offered the deal- plead to a lower speed, pay the fine (which is the reason for it all) and get no points and no report to your state or insurance. Everybody said yes, then we spent the rest of the time asking the trooper what he knew about how things were in the city. He said it was still a horrible mess, but they were sending everybody they could.
The other thing I remember was that our Air National Guard (MA) had the first fighters over NYC to protect against another attack.
We called the magistrate to see if they were still having traffic court- and they said yes, but we could reschedule. We said we'd come and get it over with. Usually when you go to one of these, all the troopers who have pending tickets are there to offer "deals" to the people they ticketed, but that day all but one of them had been sent to the city. So the one trooper called all of the scofflaws into a room and offered the deal- plead to a lower speed, pay the fine (which is the reason for it all) and get no points and no report to your state or insurance. Everybody said yes, then we spent the rest of the time asking the trooper what he knew about how things were in the city. He said it was still a horrible mess, but they were sending everybody they could.
The other thing I remember was that our Air National Guard (MA) had the first fighters over NYC to protect against another attack.
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anon_xdc8rmuek44eq
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In Germany, driving the office (Army) van on my return from another base. Listening to German radio and hearing reports that a plane hit the WTC. I firt thought it was a small private plane or jet, until I got back to my office to see what was going on. That night would begin guard duty for me for about six months straight....
I was driving up to PSU for the career fair. Spent the night before with friends in Lancaster out watching MNF, and left around 8am the next morning (think the career fair started around 11ish, so my co-workers and I were meeting at the BJC at 10 to start setting up). Had the early parts play out on the radio while driving on 283 and 322, then kept up throughout the day on the TVs in the back rooms of the BJC. Went out for dinner and a few drinks afterwards and ended up at the Gaff, which was without a doubt the weirdest atmosphere I've ever experienced at a bar.
On a Southwest Airlines flight returning home from St Louis back to Houston. Flight was instructed to turn around and head back to St Louis, then instructed to head toward Little Rock, AR, then ultimately we landed in Ft Smith, AR. Guy across the isle from me called on his cell phone and got the word on the World Trade Center being hit and the Pentagon. As with everyone that day, just a totally surreal moment in time.
Sprinted to the Hertz Car Rental counter and got one of only 3 cars they had in this very small airport. Hertz charged me $400 for the car, even though I worked for GE and the rate should have been $40. Similar price gauging went on all over the country from what I recall. All day (12 hour) drive back home to the Houston Intercontinental Airport to get my car and had to be escorted by an armed security officer.
Sprinted to the Hertz Car Rental counter and got one of only 3 cars they had in this very small airport. Hertz charged me $400 for the car, even though I worked for GE and the rate should have been $40. Similar price gauging went on all over the country from what I recall. All day (12 hour) drive back home to the Houston Intercontinental Airport to get my car and had to be escorted by an armed security officer.
One way rentals are always much much more depending on availabilty and destination. I've paid as much as $300 for a one way traveling about 725 miles. My experience, anyway. Sometimes there aren't cars available for a one way. In any case, a very stressful time for all.
Teaching Algebra to around 30 freshmen in a MD HS. Some kids started crying/worrying immediately after the message over the intercom as they had parents working at the Pentagon/NSA/Ft Meade etc. My sister happened to be at PSU where her roommate was eventually whisked away from campus by police to her family farm in Shanksville where Flight 93 went down.
Sitting in my saw booth, sawing logs into lumber. I was listening to Howard Stern. His description of what was going on was really great. None of the talking heads to give their speculation. Just Howard and crew giving a blow by blow of what they were seeing on the TV and out the windows. Also got to hear some of the rumors.
I was the Captain on a B-727 going from Ft. Wayne, IN to Portland, OR. Denver Center announced "All aircraft remaining on frequency, be advised that a bomb has gone off at the World Trade Center and someone has blown up the Whitehouse".....To this day, I'm amazed at how confused the information was.
Was walking into work when 1 of the assistants at the front desk said there were reports a small plane hit the WTC. We both thought it was some Cessna or tourist who got too close to the building. Went back to the lounge where the tv was on and saw it was much more than that. I don't think much work got done that day as we all watched the towers fall and the coverage.
I remember flags flying on every bridge and overpass for months after. The following year I was working in DC on the anniversary. Antiaircraft missiles were stationed around the city in some of the grassy parks. The week of 9/11/02 I remember seeing all of Arlington, VA from across the river in DC. Every tall building there had huge flags draping down from the roof. One of the most impressive sights I had seen. Wish I took pics of it.
I remember flags flying on every bridge and overpass for months after. The following year I was working in DC on the anniversary. Antiaircraft missiles were stationed around the city in some of the grassy parks. The week of 9/11/02 I remember seeing all of Arlington, VA from across the river in DC. Every tall building there had huge flags draping down from the roof. One of the most impressive sights I had seen. Wish I took pics of it.
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Ranger school with rucks rigged for our jump back into ft benning from Elgin AFB. Flight and jump cancelled of course. Graduation a couple days later was a little different as we all knew we would be at war soon.
Meeting with a client. Didn't know anything had happened. Walked into the office - worked at Smith Barney at the time - and the first thing I saw was one of our assistants crying. She was devastated. At first I suspected someone in the office had died. Then I saw the monitors. Silence.
Worked late the night before and had the morning off.
My wife woke me up with the words: All hell is breaking loose in New York City.
I will never forget the scared look on her face.
I was in Spanish class in my senior year in high school.
The hallways erupted into a frantic melee and my teacher lost control for us not paying attention and began screaming.
ESPANOL! ESPANOL!
Some people love their jobs too much. Even prior to that day she was a see you next Tuesday and her tirade solidified her legacy in my mind as a worthless piece of shit.
The hallways erupted into a frantic melee and my teacher lost control for us not paying attention and began screaming.
ESPANOL! ESPANOL!
Some people love their jobs too much. Even prior to that day she was a see you next Tuesday and her tirade solidified her legacy in my mind as a worthless piece of shit.
Like 10 years after, my commute took me past the side of the Pentagon that got hit. I traveled past about an hour or so before. Wife took bus to Pentagon Metro. She was underground when the first tower was hit. Came up at Farragut North and into her building like normal - her cousin who worked for same company greeted her in tears.
I got into work near Tysons Corner Va. Logged onto this board to see the first report about 5 minutes later. Came out to secretary's desk and we huddled around first a radio and then a TV. When the Pentagon got hit, everyone got their stuff and vamoosed despite some dickhead partner saying the office wasn't closed. I called my wife and told her to immediately get on Metro to Tysons Corner area stop ( can't remember the exact stop) - she got about the last train before they shut down. Drove home on back roads. Got back and watched TV for 14 hours straight.
We had just gotten back from a vacation to Napa on Sunday. Took the next day off, so when I drove to work on the 11th, it felt like driving to the gallows. Such a beautiful day and I was heading to my soulless law job. It was absolutely gorgeous that day in the East.
I still hate Saudi to this day. We should turn Riyadh to glass and take over the oil fields
I got into work near Tysons Corner Va. Logged onto this board to see the first report about 5 minutes later. Came out to secretary's desk and we huddled around first a radio and then a TV. When the Pentagon got hit, everyone got their stuff and vamoosed despite some dickhead partner saying the office wasn't closed. I called my wife and told her to immediately get on Metro to Tysons Corner area stop ( can't remember the exact stop) - she got about the last train before they shut down. Drove home on back roads. Got back and watched TV for 14 hours straight.
We had just gotten back from a vacation to Napa on Sunday. Took the next day off, so when I drove to work on the 11th, it felt like driving to the gallows. Such a beautiful day and I was heading to my soulless law job. It was absolutely gorgeous that day in the East.
I still hate Saudi to this day. We should turn Riyadh to glass and take over the oil fields
Holding a meeting in my office, in Philadelphia. I recall my secretary coming into my office telling me that a plane just hit the World Trade Center. I ignored her thinking it was a small plane that went off course. Later as the fear mounted and details began to come in our building went on lockdown. Fortunately we were in one of the safest buildings in the City, a former WW2 tank storage facility. My best friend was on the tarmac at JFK when the attack happened.
On my way to a 11:00 meeting at Goldman Sachs (a few blocks from World Trade). Was on the Path out of Newark when the trains stopped For those of you that know the area I ended up stopping at Harrison, that small stop before going across the water. Saw the second plane hit. I think about it all the time.
In my office--somehow, I got my computer to pick up the WABC tv feed and was able to watch it all as it happened. Not much work got done that day (and I still do not know why we were not sent home). My SIL lost one of her best friends on Flight 93--they'd been roomies in flight attendant school, though my SIL eventually chose another career later in life.
Was on the first day of a business trip in Baton Rouge. TV was on in the reception area at our meeting location. Showed the first tower with the burning hole, but did not see video of the plane impact at the time. Most thought it was an accident.
Went to the meeting and details rolled in throughout the morning. Subsequent meetings planned for the week were cancelled. Out-of-town attendees rented cars to drive back to their home sites. I only had to drive to Houston Hobby, much closer than many others. I don't remember being "gouged." In fact I forgot to gas-up the vehicle before returning it. A lot of people lost focus that day.
Went to the meeting and details rolled in throughout the morning. Subsequent meetings planned for the week were cancelled. Out-of-town attendees rented cars to drive back to their home sites. I only had to drive to Houston Hobby, much closer than many others. I don't remember being "gouged." In fact I forgot to gas-up the vehicle before returning it. A lot of people lost focus that day.
Was in San Diego in the Navy at the time. Woke upturned the TV on to see second airplane hit WTC.
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