20 years since 911

[mtpockets]

Doesn't seem that long, what were you doing when you heard of the attacks? I was skinning rabbits and bottling them for the winter. Needless to say my attention got quickly diverted to the horror unfolding before my eyes. Sad Sad day!

[Karl_Hungus]

I was actually living in NYC at the time and was sleeping in my apartment. A friend called me and told me about it. I wasn't worried because I thought it was just some unfortunate accident until I heard that a second plane hit. Shortly after that, the landline phones stopped working (jammed up I suppose), and I couldn't call anybody.

A bit later, I went out to get some food and was struck by how strangely quiet it was on the streets. Cars weren't moving, and people weren't talking. Very uncharacteristic of NYC. I also remember the weather outside was nearly perfect...which juxtaposed with the horrors that unfolded that day didn't seem right.

I lived across from a firehouse. They lost a lot of guys that day, and on each anniversary, they would place candles outside the firehouse.

[PhDPepper1111]

Crazy indeed how it's been 20 years.
I was working in my home office trying to finish my dissertation when my wife comes downstairs.... at first I thought it was an Orson Welles War of the Worlds hoax type situation - seriously.
It took me a while for the reality to sink in.
I was contracting for a GOV power supplier at the time and waiting for my commissioning date with the Air Force.....


Willing to bet there's more than one of my fellow bros in here that thinks it was not a hoax, but WAS a conspiracy (obviously, it was a conspiracy, but some still think our own gubmint did it).

[Mark1T]

I remember vividly that it was a Tuesday morning because it was Back and Biceps Day and I was at the gym. My workout partner at the time was a Continental pilot and he was alerted when the first plane hit on his Motorola StarTac phone. Then again when the second plane hit and the Pentagon. It got quiet, but most people there had no clue what had happened. Got home and it was all over the news.

Horrible day.

[steffo99]

Was at the office in south FL, following events live on tv. Remember ppl around me speculated about Saddam, but I thought he wouldn't be that stupid, given the history, and immediately thought of Bin laden. Driving home later on and listening to the radio, I did get all teary eyed tbh.

[ConcertinaWire]

Teaching a class, kid comes in and tells us. Thought it was an accident then a teacher comes and tells us to assemble.

[keyboardworkout]

I remember the day well.

I work with several three letter agencies. The ones I talked to were having a meltdown saying their facilities were under lockdown then they were being sent home.

[IronCharles]

I heard it on the radio at work. Listened throughout the day, discussed with co-workers, then watched the coverage at home on TV after my shift.

[Desparado]

Had just walked in to the office and my boss had a grim look on his face. I asked him what was going on and he said to walk in to the conference room where everyone was watching TV. Like most people I thought it was just an unfortunate accident and then we watched the event unfold, the second plane hit, and the world was never the same. I remember when EVERYONE was so unified, we all felt the anger and anguish of New York. Sad, sad day.

[DougyF7]

I was in highschool in tech class. I also thought it was a hoax or joke at first, and reality set in for me when I got out of school and my mom picked me up. No airplanes flying made it seem quiet that day. Still sort of seems unreal to me... I grew up in CT - an hour outside NYC, so it just seemed too crazy to be true.

A year earlier my class field trip was to the World Trade Center and I remember standing on the roof.

[Corbi]

Wife and were there 2 years ago this week, we visited the Memorial on the 10th and flew home the 11th which made my wife a bit nervous. Very somber memorial that can hit you hard seeing the names of the victims and the shear devastation that occurred.

[ConcertinaWire]

I know where the dancing Israelis were, at that time. They were all set to record the event, for private showing later.

Whatever happened to them?

[GrouchyUSMC]

I was in the Marine Corps on Okinawa, so 13 hours ahead. Middle of a typhoon so PT and work was cancelled the next day so we were all up playing cards, drinking, watching movies, etc.

First plane hit and the news cut into the movie to tell us. The usual reaction - what a dumbass, how did he not see it, did the pilot have a heart attack?

And then the second plane hit. And we knew were under attack.

So we did what we do best. You had an entire barracks full of half drunk Marines start packing their seabags and laying out their gear. We knew they were going to find out who did it, and once they did they were going to send the Marines to hunt them down and kill them. Most of us slept in cammies thinking we were going to get called up quick. It took a bit longer than that until we finally got boots in Afghanistan, but we were ready and waiting.

[Plateauplower]

It was a Tuesday and I was in a college medical microbiology lab from 8-11. We found out after we came out that all classes were canceled. Then I walked to my house and watched news with my roommates. We made 3 cans of mixed veggies, noodles and 3 cans of tuna and some cheese for dinner. We liked bush 2 at the time for the response, then the patriot act thing happened. That might not have been an ideal thing, in retrospect.

[OldFartTom]

Working for a division of company with job in London that was headquartered in 1WTC . It was just before lunchtime for me. A woman who was an irritating BS spreader came in and said look at the news a plane has crashed into 1WTC, I assumed it was a light aircraft in a freak accident and didn't believe anything she said, so I said I'd look after I finished xyz.. She said no it's deliberate look at the news, but I couldn't get news sites online and internet access tanked. The company had a huge private internetwork from US across Europe and out in APAC but access to the public internet was flaky there so I thought nothing of it especially since no info she'd ever passed to me before had been reliable.

Then I got some text/SMS messages from buddies in downtown Manhattan. I found the big TV screen in reception and switched on the news. After the first tower fell the boss said FK regulations we won't be doing anything today anyway... everyone go home.

Got sent out there for 5 days, not long after to help them get back on feet, unfortunately the temp office was on edge of ground zero and on that side of building, so it had an unobstructed view of remains of 1WTC and GZ which wasn't easy for my colleagues.

[mtpockets]

Enjoyed reading these comments, keep them coming folks.

[KeepItMoving]

I was on my way to court. I stopped briefly at my office to pick up some documents. I noticed alot of odd looks on people's faces. Fear. Apprehension. Unease. People were speaking quietly. A couple guys passed me on my way back to my car and I overheard one say, "probably those fkn ar*bs."

I got to my car and turned my radio on. I heard the most terrible news. I felt like it couldn't be true. When I got to court, all the staff and judge's were huddled around televisions in their chambers. We were all shocked. They shut down the courthouse, and I went home. At that time, we didn't know if there were more attacks to come. I was so happy to see my wife was already home when I pulled in the garage.

I had to fly alot for work in those days. I was on planes within a week of the order allowing commercial airlines to fly. True story: My seat assignments kept getting changed as I got to the ticket counter. 1A; 1C; 2B. By the third time, I gave a good look over the passenger seating. It was big white guys up front, followed by old people, women and children, followed by everyone else. This was before air martials and secured cockpits. I spent alot of time getting up from my seat to look over the people behind me. It was a fkd up time.

Still is...

[Mark1T]

Very interesting interview with a fighter pilot that was tapped for a suicide mission on 9/11.

https://www.yahoo.com/gma/fighter-pi...180343760.html

[KeepItMoving]

Very interesting interview with a fighter pilot that was tapped for a suicide mission on 9/11.

https://www.yahoo.com/gma/fighter-pi...180343760.html

Well that was intense.

[GrouchyUSMC]

Highly recommend this miniseries, one of the best ones about 9/11 I have ever seen.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/t...day-in-america

[bodyhard]

I hate talking/writing about as it brings back some fcked up memories, to keep it short and not write a lot I was at 3 world trade center then the first plan hit, I felt the shake of the building. I went downstairs to meet my wife for breakfast, she had a closing at the empire state building that was canceled so she came to see me.

We went out and then saw the second plane hit and then we witness the worst sh!t we both have ever seen.

By the time we got home (we had to walk to the Bronx) we were covered in white dust.

[Corbi]

I honestly dont recall what I was doing that day but as the years go by I get more and more pissed off when 9/11 approaches. I'm sorry but I will never apologize for hating the fanatical muslim pricks who did thia as well as anyone who backed them.

[LWW]

I hate talking/writing about as it brings back some fcked up memories, to keep it short and not write a lot I was at 3 world trade center then the first plan hit, I felt the shake of the building. I went downstairs to meet my wife for breakfast, she had a closing at the empire state building that was canceled so she came to see me.

We went out and then saw the second plane hit and then we witness the worst sh!t we both have ever seen.

By the time we got home (we had to walk to the Bronx) we were covered in white dust.

Damn dude, crazy, my wife worked there before 911, she would stay at the hotel right there at the towers for the week and stay in Baltimore (home) in the weekends. We didn’t know each other at the time. My wife watches the history channel every year on 911.

[GrouchyUSMC]

I hate talking/writing about as it brings back some fcked up memories, to keep it short and not write a lot I was at 3 world trade center then the first plan hit, I felt the shake of the building. I went downstairs to meet my wife for breakfast, she had a closing at the empire state building that was canceled so she came to see me.

We went out and then saw the second plane hit and then we witness the worst sh!t we both have ever seen.

By the time we got home (we had to walk to the Bronx) we were covered in white dust.

That's crazy, so glad you both are okay.