Where were you 13 years ago today?

[fishhawk]

13 years ago......wife and I left early for a trip to Milwaukee to settle her brothers estate so some where along the way the planes hit. Remember walking into a gas station and every one was glued to the TV and all upset and I asked WTH is going on? My stomach hit bottom and when I got back into the truck wife asked whats wrong. A day I will never forget. steve k

[crowbuster]

I was at work, 12hr shift, no tv, radio,didnt have cell phone, nuthin. Guy came in the breakroom said his wife told him on the phone a plane had hit one of the towers. We couldnt believe it, went to the lobby but all phones were in use, that is not a good feeling, not knowing what is going on but having a very sick feeling in your gut. Terrible day

[jakec]

man i can still see exactly where i was i was. i was splicing up a crossbox in brookpark subdivision. heard about it on john boy and billy radio show. i packed up my tools and headed to my mommas house to watch tv and pray. pretty scary day.

[southpaw]

I was in my senior year of high school. I was walking in the hall between classes and people were saying that they flew a plane into one of the towers. Got to my cad class (teacher was my football coach) and saw the second one hit. Alot of people in school had friends or family in the city. Lots of people trying to get ahold of loved ones.

My sister, hubby and daughter lived just one block from the towers when they went down. Good thing they decided to have breakfast at home that morning or he would have been at the towers. She was unfortunate enough to see the second one hit. It wasn't too long after that they moved out here with us rednecks.

I trust there is a very special place for these extremist, and not what they are claiming.

Jerry Jr.

[cpileri]

in Washington DC on Active Duty. it was kind of an exciting day.

[shooterg]

At work, news spread fast, everyone in break room watching the news, no more work done that day. Mood was sad, then mad. Still am.

[Stonecrusher]

At work. The boss's wife told us a plane had flown into one of the towers. I figured it was a little Piper Cub or something and didn't think too much about it, until she told us the second one hit. We didn't get to watch it on tv until after work. Had to keep making chips until quitting time. We did get periodic updates though.

[cbrick]

I was at work, was just starting a new TV show that day, wasn't in production yet, just starting prep work. I had just walked into the mill where they had just begun building sets etc and there was a TV on at the tool room and they were showing the first plane when the second hit the other tower. Shocking is such a weak word. Company shut down and sent everyone home. The name of that TV show ironically was . . . "Six Feet Under".

Unlike our sorry excuse for news who kept harping about how terrified Americans were, myself and everyone I know weren't in the slightest terrified, not even slightly scared. A much better word is "p*ssed off". In the 13 years since fear is still very much the wrong word, just madder and madder.

Rick

[marvelshooter]

At work in the bathroom. My partner yelled under the door that a plane had just hit the WTC. As at least one other poster mentioned there was no more work done that day.

[jeepyj]

We used to own a small general store and we had a 12" TV in the corner. There was a crowd glued to it all day. Still sad the think what they did to this great country and all those innocent people.
Jeepyj

[imashooter2]

I was sitting in the dentist's office while the wife was getting root canal. The nurses all gathered around a little TV. I went over and asked what was going on and they said there was a terrible plane accident in NY. I walked over to see just as the 2nd plane came in. That's when we knew it was no accident.

After I took the wife home I headed back to the Boeing plant. Wife was scared and didn't want me to go. Security had the place no nonsense locked down when I got there.

[avogunner]

I had been retired from the USMC for just a few months and had hired on with a company supporting my beloved Marines. I was at a East Coast Marine base providing said support and all of a sudden SHTF on base. We found a TV and saw what was going on and then shortly after, the order came down for "ALL CIVILIANS" off base now! It took me a few minutes to realize that included me too and so on an additional level my heart was again broken.
Semper Fi.

[EMC45]

Was at work at ACE hardware and I thought when my coworker told me about the first plane, then the second plane it was a cruel practical joke. I told her that it wasn't funny and she told me she was serious. My cousin's wife laid out of work that morning due to morning sickness. She worked in one of the towers and lost some friends.....Bad day for America. So glad this current administration is taking such a hard stance on terrorism.......

[ShooterAZ]

I was just getting up and the clock/radio alarm went off to the news...a report that a commuter plane had just hit one of the towers. I imagined a small 2 engine prop plane. I turned on the TV and right before my eyes the second jetliner hit the other tower. Unbelievable. I was numb, and angry, and every other emotion you can think of.

[AggieEE]

I was house sitting/ dog sitting for a freind and his wife. I turned on the TV to catch the morning news and they were talking about a plane hitting the tower. I thought OK stuff happens I knew a plane hit the Empire State building in the past no big deal except for the people hurt/killed. Then saw the second plane and thought that was no accident. You're right I was mad, more than mad, if I was CIC and knew who and where they were at the "button" would have gotten pushed and the world could kiss off. I still don't understand why we're playing nice nice with the extremist.

[blackthorn]

I was at work in my office close to Vancouver BC international airport. I had a habit of starting work at 5 AM, so the first I heard was when one of the other guys got in. As the tragedy unfolded, there was a huge airliner (found out later it was Chinese) that was "escorted" (forced?) down by two US fighter planes. The story was that the liner had radio trouble and had not answered directions to land! Quite the sight with those two fighters above and behind bracketing that airliner. I sure would not have wanted to be those guys! Later we watched news cuts of people over there dancing in the streets. I said to my wife if I was Bush, the next thing they heard would be the rockets coming in! May those poor victims (heroes) RIP!

[GoodOlBoy]

I was at work. A co-worker was in the break room and said "Hey guys a plane just hit a building!" I walked in just in time to see the broadcast as the co-worker said "Hey is that another plane coming in?" I got to see it impact.... the rest of the day is kind of a blur.

GoodOlBoy

[Silfield]

I was at work here in the UK with an American colleague who had flown over a few days before. News reports were a little garbled initially but when the second plane hit we knew that this was no accident and a sense of despair and anger filled the workplace-I have never felt such and atmosphere before and hopefully never will again.
My colleague was a Floridian but had a lot of family in NY who he relentlessly tried to contact but without much success due to the volume of calls being made. I will never forget the sadness, rage and anguish etched onto that guys face in the following days as he tried to get a ticket home.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I was at work, Heard it on the radio, I went online and brought up a news website...CNN or FOX, I don't recall. Everyone was watching, I was the supervisor at that time. I made the decision to close the shop as everyone wanted to leave and so did I. I went home and raised the Flag, listened to talk radio, and hung out in my garage, a few neighbor came over and we talked and listened.

[searcher4851]

I was at work when I heard it on the radio. Started telling the rest of the office and no one believed it. Then the second tower was hit and everyone was listening. The wife at the time was in Texas on business and was supposed to be coming home that the next day. It took two days for her to find a rental car (actually had to rent a van) so her and her co-workers could get back home. The women at the office were mostly sad and a little scared, the men were just mad.

[Harter66]

I was on my way to work on the Depot. Being west it was still dark.I found out when I walked in at work just a few minutes later 1 of the guys got a call from home 30 min later we were sent home on admin leave. 5 days of 8 for 10 admin . Then we were back to business as usual, except for the 100% vehicle inspection that continues today.

We expected to have a Pearl like response instead work just ground to a stop it was nearly a year before shipping normalized sorta.

That day was filled more with rage than shock , I remember wondering if we would mobilize in force or go gunning 1 by 1. I also remember vividly Yasser Arafat calling and more diplomatically I'm sure saying I swear we had nothing to do with this you need men ,air bases, fuel I'm your man.

[Beagle333]

At work, in the file room of an engineering firm. But there was a computer in there and I kept it on streaming CNN all day.

[Pb2au]

I was in Madison Wisconsin working at a customer site. My wife called my cell and told me that a plane hit the WTC. I remember saying to her, 'What a tragedy, keep me posted on the details.' and hung up. I went back to what I was doing and sure enough the cell rang again with the news of the other plane.
I told my co-worker something was up, and we headed up to the engineering offices to find some news.
I was scheduled to fly home that Friday, but knowing that all flights were shut down, I just called the travel department and told them to just let me know whenever things opened up.
We finished up the week, and for some turn of fate, I got on one of the first domestic flights in the states. There was me and two others on a 50 seat jet. Cincinnati airport was ghost town, and I had security following me through the airport. What a surreal situation....

[USAFrox]

I was on the west coast at tech school training for the military. I was woken up by my carpool buddy yelling "We're at WAR!" Went to work (class), and they locked down the base. All Marine students got yanked out of class and armed up and were posted at the entrances to the bases and the doors of every builidng. That was a long day while we all tried to figure out exactly what had just happened and who it was that had attacked us. Not much training actually occurred that day, as we gave in to the inevitable and just watched the news pretty much all day.

[Bulldogger]

Room 4E442, which was about 100' counter clockwise from point of impact.
Looking to the left out the office door was nothing but dust, smoke, dangling light fixtures and fallen ceiling tiles. So, we turned right and started marching. We all made it, unlike some I knew.
Alex (LT, USN)

[Love Life]

I was in the 11th grade in Mr. Christensen's woodshop class at Austin High School. I remember he received a phone call, had us shut down all the tools, and gather around the TV as he turned it on.

When the TV 1st came on it took a second to realize that what we were watching was the news, and not a movie. At the time, only one tower had been hit. We watched as the 2nd plane hit and even as young as we were, we knew we were under attack.

My buddy and I decided we would help get revenge when we were old enough. I'm still here, he isn't, but we went and got some revenge for what those pieces of garbage from the far away toilets of countries did!!

I will never forget and I will never forgive.

[WILCO]

I was at home. Received a phone call after the first plane had hit. My country has never been the same since.

[OBIII]

I was at work, Andrews AFB, HQ AFOSI Bldg., as a civilian contractor. I heard about the 1st plane, and was watching when the 2nd one hit. My home was 120 miles away, no cell phone, so it took me a while to get in touch with my wife. She had been worried about me, and all of the kids had been calling her because they knew that I used to work periodically in the Pentagon. With 8 1/2 years in the Marines, I volunteered my services to help at the Pentagon, only to be informed, "Sorry, no civilians". Base was closed to civilians for the next day, and the day after I wasn't on some list, so had to turn around and go back to where I was staying. The next 3 days it took 1-2 hours to get on the base for work. I will Never Forget, and Forgiveness is related to Humanity, something these cowardly sand lice would not understand.

Semper Fi!

OB

[Bullshop Junior]

I was too young to remember. I remember seeing it on the TV but had no clue what was happening.

[flyingmonkey35]

I was at home feeding the kids breakfast. watched live on the news.

Still shocked.

[Friends call me Pac]

Active duty about half way to retirement. Told my troops to have their mobility bags ready to go because we would be leaving soon. Told my teenage boy that we would still be fighting this one after he finished school. I've been retired for 9 years and he has been on active duty for 6 years now.

[John Allen]

I watched it happen sitting in a barbers chair.

[crowbuster]

I'll tell you guys. It makes me proud, overwhelming emotion was rage and anger, not fear. Thats my bygod country !!!!

[smokeywolf]

Was almost ready to leave for work. Called my boss & partner who I knew was already at the studio (Sony Pictures). He said don't come in yet; call back in an hour. When I called back he said, "Forget coming in, they've locked down the studio."
They kept up pretty good security for several months afterward; bomb sniffing dogs, undercarriage checks, ID verification, trunk, interior, truck and van searches.

smokeywolf

[GRid.1569]

I'd been working night shift, got up at 2 o'clock (UK time) put on TV saw the tower ablaze.... thought, "that looks bad", then saw the second plane hit.... Ah!... it's a review of a new movie or something.... if only.... that was a bad day for all of us.... we are all so vulnerable....

[Janoosh]

I was at my Aunt's house, in the Bronx, getting ready for work. Had the talking heads on and they suddenly got real excited. Watched the hits, live, on T.V.. The news reported that the bridges into NYC were closed, so no work in Queens. Was on the flight path to LaGuardia and everything got real quiet. The city got real quiet. Those of you that ever lived in a city know that there is always some noise. It got real quiet. No fear...lots of rage...that MY city....that MY country...was attacked..

[Deliverator]

I was still in bed when the first plane hit. It was the second week of my sophmore year in High School. My mother had come in to wake me up and was screaming at me to get out of bed and said something about a plane hitting the trade center tower. At first I thought she was talking about the trade center here in Portland so I didn't think much of it as it is pretty close to the flight path. I get downstairs and see that it wasn't here, it was in NYC. Got ready for school and headed in. Before the bell rang for the first class we were watching as the second plane crashed into the second tower and we knew this wasn't an accident.

We spent the rest of the day, in every class, talking about what was happening in NYC and elsewhere. I don't think anyone was really scared, more shocked, dismayed, and angry. Especially when we started seeing reports about celebrations in the countries of our supposed allies...

[smokeywolf]

Funny how after a disaster or attack like that, everybody says expect and prepare for the worst and hope for the best; part of that preparation is being or becoming well armed. A few years later, those who are still practicing that theory are deemed paranoid, crazy gun toting rednecks, "preppers", extremists, societal outcasts.

[Dale in Louisiana]

I and my crew were kicking off a shutdown maintenance project at a petrochemical plant when somebody heard the report on the radio. didn't get to a TV until lunchtime. Just kept on working.

dale in Louisiana

[ZmanWakeForest]

Funny how after a disaster or attack like that, everybody says expect and prepare for the worst and hope for the best; part of that preparation is being or becoming well armed. A few years later, those who are still practicing that theory are deemed paranoid, crazy gun toting rednecks, "preppers", extremists, societal outcasts.

Very True!

I was in Allentown, PA working. They called us all in the break room an hour or so after the second plane hit and sent us all home.

[Mumblypeg]

I was in my patrol car headed to the LE Center. I turned on the radio to listen to John Boy and Billy show only to hear Tom Brokaw talking, I knew right then something was up. There was no traffic on the two way radio. Both planes had already hit the WTC. When I got to the office everyone was watching the TV. My only response was "Somebody will pay for this." I felt no fear as we dealt with danger every day but just felt the urge to gear up. I was not totally surprised though as they had tried to blow it up once before and I had always thought they would be back and I still feel the same way. Evil will always be there and some of us will always be ready to combat it. I say just kill them all.

[waksupi]

I was working here at home. I called my X at work ,and told her to turn on the TV. I then got my Garand out, went out to check the zero, and loaded ammo and clips.

[Elkins45]

I was between jobs so I was helping my Dad cut firewood. We came in for lunch and I turned on the computer because I was going to order a camera lens from B&H Photo in NYC. There was a banner on their website saying they weren't taking orders because of the tragedy in New York. I turned on the TV and by then both towers had fallen and they were showing the footage over and over. I remember Dad saying something to the effect of this must be the work of Bin Laden, and it being the real legacy of the Clinton presidency.

Funny how time moves on. He's been gone for four years now but on this day 13 years ago he was in good enough shape to be still driving a tractor and running a chain saw.

[Smoke4320]

At work when UPS Driver came in and said Plane had hit the 1st tower.. I immediately turned on the TV within minutes 2nd plane hit..

I kept thinking Oliver North had it right all along, we should have been looking for/taken out Bin laden much sooner

of course Hindsight is 20/20

[hardcase54]

Across the river from the pentagon. Very sad day.

[waynem34]

I QUIT SMOKING THAT DAY!I seen all those people running and could not get any air.I told myself I may not be able to do anything for them,but I could do something for myself and the people around me.Last smoke 9/11/01.I was eating lunch In the burger barn and seen what was happening.All the guys I was working with wanted to go home and I said hell no.All there gals started calling and the next thing you know I'm the only one there.Me and a lot of work.I went home too.Took a 10/22 and shot my last pack of marlboro.I worked until my boss called and I told him everyone left.Roofing crew so they were all fired lol.I told them not to leave.We had radio/It was heart breaking news though.I wanted to go somewhere and get high and go fishing.It was a nice day like today 90ish very sunny nice breeze blowing.13 years no Tobacco never looked back.

[OverMax]

Sitting at the kitchen table drinking a cup of coffee & talking with the wife that morning and kind'a watching CNN on the side.__ News Break interrupted the show and got our attention. Seen the smoky damage the first plane had already done. Seen the second plane actually hit the second building at that very moment in time.___ I looked at the wife and said.__"What the he_ _ is that all about 2-planes running into the same building. Gee's some dumb @ss Air Traffic Controller is going to get a Gigantic @ss chewing for that stunt."
Didn't dawn on either of us that it was deliberate terrorist act. Then more bad news.__ The Pentagon.__Later the United Flight 93 tragedy. Both of us stunned & glued to that little TV all day looking/ hoping for more information and someone to make sense of all this carnage we seen. What a day.

[EDK]

Working second shift at Labadie MO power plant. Wife woke me up when the first plane hit..."terrible accident." Second plane hit while getting coffee..."this ain't an accident."
Worked 16 hour overtime on saturday and sunday. Custom ivories from Paul Persinger arrived saturday and I was going to re-assemble the Old Model Super Blackhawk. Osama took the joy out of the ivories and I didn't use them until he got his "wake up call" from the SEALS.
Now I wonder what is going on with ISIS and Obama.

[Pb Burner]

I just finished a string of midnight shifts. Got cleaned up, got in bed and turned the tv on to unwind. Well, there was no unwinding, after watching for a short while watched the second plane hit. I sure didn't get any sleep that day. It's still fresh in my mind and still sort of unbelievable the lives lost that day. Never forget.

[dlbarr]

In my office at home when my son called and asked if I'd heard....we don't have cable TV and usually don't listen to the radio at home. We did turn on the TV that we had (rabbit ears and all) to pick up the news and stayed glued there all day. I remember how quiet the grocery store was when I went in there later that day. I also remember in the following days how polite every one was to each other....very sobering times

[1911cherry]

Im my barracks room on the corner of Bastogne and Ardennes at Ft Bragg. Just finished pt and took a shower , was getting dressed just pulled my boots on ,no shirt yet. I realized I was out of coffee creamer, went to get some from my buddy down the hall, walked in his room saw the first plane hit on his new big screen. Went back to my room and got the coffee pot , walked back in his room lit a cigarette, here comes plane number two- boom. I said its gonna be a long day I'll make another pot of coffee, it was.

[RED333]

I was fixing cars and trucks at the time, boss called me into the office to see.
I did not cry till I got home, this will be a sad day for many years.

[Lonegun1894]

I was in my barracks room with several friends watching a movie that evening, well, evening for us cause of the different time zone. Movie got interrupted when the first plane hit, and we watched the news. We were still watching when the second plane hit. We all just said a few things I can't repeat on a family site, turned off the TV, grabbed our packs, went to the armory to get our weapons, and went to the C-130 that was usually assigned to us. A few hours later, one of the guys called our CO to let him know where were were and what was taking him so long to join us. We knew we were going somewhere, just didn't know where. They kept us waiting longer than we wanted, but not very long in hindsight, and we weren't disappointed in our trips. We hit any target they gave us and asked for more.

[jason f]

butler pa. 7 eleven getting some lunch. stayed there for two hours watching the tv along with everyone else in there. sad day. still raises hair on back of neck just thinking about it.

[canyon-ghost]

At work, heard it on the radio. Saw the video that evening, we kept working. Have you noticed that almost all Americans WERE at work ? What does that tell ya?

[osteodoc08]

Driving back from a college class. I thought our local shock jock was playing a joke so I came
home an saw it on FOX. Tragic.

[Harter66]

9/11.
I have a diary that belonged to an old woman of a simple middle class birth. She married well later on.
Why would an old woman's diary be of any interest to anyone? Well it is a glimpse of who she was a peak into her life . No there is no racey love interest pages. But I found her blase' entry on 9/11/01 interesting because she was a Pan American flight attendant starting in 1939 or so . To be such she had to be an RN. Her home base in 1941 was Honolulu and her apartment was in Pearl City. On the morning of December 7th she was burst in on by a ship mate saying to the effect there's really no time to dress.....with that she grabbed a tea towel wrapped it around her waist and set up a triage in her living room. For those that slipped through the cracks the US was formally dragged into WWII quit literally in her front yard. This was written from her home on California Ave San Francisco Ca.

9/11/01
Spoke to Betty Mxxxxxx she told me to turn on the TV. US under attack . Flights hijacked and crashed into the world Trade Center both towers. A terrible catastrophe.* Staggering unbelievable tragedies.* Huge death tolls. NYC, The Pentagon . Osama bin Laden , Afghanistan!!
Terrible day .
Movie* came vegetables and steak,started polishing silver.

9/12/01
Slept poorly up 5 times
]* [
Divaesed. (Unk)

9/13/01
(Misc notes)
Tylenol PM . Awake past 11.

9/14/01
]* [
Sick and nervous.
Terrible news !! So many killed .That Beast ga Osama bin Laden. ]** [
Watched TV on and off all day.* A Nation in mourning determined to prevent other terrorist acts in the future.* Osama bin Laden WILL BE punished !!

I end there due to the great increase in personal day to day stuff.
I hope Aunt Ginny will forgive me sharing this but it was interesting to read her own words as it happened. She passed in 2006 and only saw the war dragging on .

[MaryB]

I was at work at the casino. I was up against a deadline to finish up the new slot data collection room. My shop was just off an entertainment area with a 40 foot big screen TV that was always on. Fox was on and I saw the first plane hit. I went to the data collection room and dropped off a load of supplies, came back loaded up and talked to the other techs who were sitting and watching what happened in between service calls. Saw the second plane hit and that was when security informed us we were staying open but at the highest alert level that put us on watch stationed around the casino. With TV's scattered all over we all saw the buildings fall and the level of anger was palpable. A lot of players went home, several tour buses pulled out early and we went to skeleton staff. I finished out a 12 hour shift but spent half of that watching the news along with everyone else who stayed behind to keep the casino open for the few players left(we dropped under 250 players on a 1650 slot machine floor).

Casino told 5 Somali housekeeping workers to leave for their own safety after an ugly scene when a player accused them of being terrorists. They were gone for 2 weeks paid vacation until things started to settle down. Business stayed slow for that 2 weeks too, people were uncertain about being anywhere in large groups that could be a target. With some of the terrorists having MN ties it was a bit tense for awhile. But life went on, people armed up and have stayed that way, we will see a repeat be it a bioweapon, dirty bomb, EMP... it is a matter of time before a terrorist inside the USA(they ARE here) does something.

[Frank46]

My wife woke me up and said the world trade center had been hit by jet planes. The girls were in school at that time. Watched it long enough to get a handle on what was going on and told her call the school and tell them we are picking up our two girls. Evidently a lot of folks had the same idea. Parking lot was jammed with cars and trucks picking up loved ones. One woman in an effort to get out of the parking lot decided that driving on the apron of the driveway was a better way of getting around traffic. Unfortunately for her that puddle of brown water was so deep the whole left front of her car sunk down to the frame. Picked up our two girls and went home to watch the events of the day as they enfolded. I used to work at a tank farm in NYC and could see the towers from where I worked. I retired some years earlier from that job and moved to Louisiana. Mixed emotions ranged from astonishment to rage to sadness. I remember all the triage places being set up for the victims, yet strangely as long as they showed them on the TV very few actually were shown to have any victims. That's when the harsh reality set in that a huge number of people had been killed. I will always remember the day the towers fell, the pentagon burning and flight 93 crash in pennsylvania. Frank

[ThaDave]

Basic typing class in High School. Someone came over the PA and told all teachers to turn on their TVs. We didnt think it was real at first it wasnt until we were watching a live feed and saw the second plane hit that we realized something big was going on.

13 years later I am sitting in Afg for a second time, after two tours in Iraq its insane the effects the events of that day has had on the rest of the world.

[SeabeeMan]

Navy EA A-school at Fort Leonard Wood, MO. 18 and a month out of boot camp...not quite what I expected but I knew full well what I signed up for. We were locked down in the barracks for a few days and eventually got to finish out schooling. I didn't get the chance to make it to a battalion until 2004 but finally got my all expense paid tour of Iraq in '05-'06 on NMCB 3's Seabee Engineering Reconnaissance Team. It's insane how everything can change in moments.

[BrassMagnet]

I was in my senior year of high school. I was walking in the hall between classes and people were saying that they flew a plane into one of the towers. Got to my cad class (teacher was my football coach) and saw the second one hit. Alot of people in school had friends or family in the city. Lots of people trying to get ahold of loved ones.

My sister, hubby and daughter lived just one block from the towers when they went down. Good thing they decided to have breakfast at home that morning or he would have been at the towers. She was unfortunate enough to see the second one hit. It wasn't too long after that they moved out here with us rednecks.

I trust there is a very special place for these extremist, and not what they are claiming.

Jerry Jr.

Could it be 73 Virginians?

[Omega]

First post, but a good topic as we need to remember for as long as possible.

I was at the motor pool inspecting our vehicles with my platoon at Fort Campbell, Ky., when someone called out to all leaders to come into the office. We watched as they replayed the first plane plane going into the towers and as soon as we seen it was a commercial airliner we made the call for a lockdown. Gates were locked, all but one phone disconnected and all personnel were briefed to not make contact outside our unit. When the second plane hit, recalls were initiated for anyone on leave/pass or temporary duty. Within hours, our planners were at Ft Bragg planning the next 13 years of my life. Retired in 04' after a few tours but stayed on as a contractor supporting my guys where I am today.

My first sentence may seem a bit withdrawn, but what I say is true as I hope nobody alive today will come to find out. In my lifetime I have seen dates get left behind and, IMHO, forgotten. Victory in Europe Day 8 May (VE Day), Victory over Japan Day (VJ Day), August 15, and of course Dec 7, a date that will live in infamy. I have come to believe that we as a country have short memories, even I forget those dates sometimes and feel bad about it when I realise it.

[Lonegun1894]

Very good point and reminder, Omega. Thank you.

[BrassMagnet]

I was at work and I was supposed to travel for work. No, I can not tell you what I do for a living. My wife texted me about the first plane and I immediately suspected terrorism. My temporary boss (acting!) said "Naw, get to work!" Mrs Brass texted me on the second plane and I stated "definitely terrorism!" Acting stated "Won't affect us! Get on the road!"
I got on the road as ordered and reached a "no cell phone signal area." All my co-workers got recalled, but I couldn't be recalled and a whole lot of people got real excited about that! I finally was able to receive a cell phone call and I was ordered to abort and return to the office immediately. I was able to cancel my hotel reservation for the week. The hotel people were real understanding.
My boss (actual) was stranded in DC with a rental car reserved at a locked down airport he could not get near. He finally rented a car elsewhere and shared it with 3 or 4 others that were stranded in DC as they drove around dropping off people that couldn't fly back home. He decided later that he would have been better off just buying the new car or truck that he wanted and driving it home.
We were locked down at work for a week or so. We had to go to work, but we weren't allowed to work or even to go to our normal work locations, just our offices. Then they decided we should go to our normal work locations, just don't touch anything or the FBI might just be investigating us! I may be stupid, but I am not stupid enough to work under those conditions. I just stayed in the office. Paperwork? All of the paperwork I need to look at is right here!

[2wheelDuke]

I guess it's 13 years ago yesterday now. I never got a chance to post in this thread yesterday because I worked an overnighter the night before and then was busy training a new rookie on my shift.

13 years ago, I was a civilian IT intern working at a police department. At the time, I was a college student and becoming a cop hadn't crossed my mind.

I didn't have classes that day, so I was at the PD. I had to either check server backups and put tapes in the safe and stuff. When I walked out of the server room, people were saying a plane had just hit the WTC. Instead of hitting the cafeteria for breakfast, we went into the captain's office and turned on the TV. There was all sorts of speculation about it being some small plane that hit on accident. We saw the 2nd plane hit on live TV and then it was clear that it was no accident. Then with the Pentagon and Flight 93, and reports of more planes unaccounted for, nobody knew just where things would stop. Just out of nervous energy and feeling like we had to do something, we set up the Emergency Ops Center. One supervisor asked who authorized us to do that, and was going nuts on us until he got the call to get the EOC online.

I used to go running near the airport, and it was pretty eerie with no plane noise that day.

[MT Gianni]

I arrived at work emotionally and physically drained after having spent the week putting my Daughter in a treatment center in Philadelphia then flying back to MT. My first indication was that the TV was on and the first plane had hit. My thoughts were that I would have to load up the guns and drive back to get her.

[troyboy]

On my way to Ft Bragg to crush rock.

[tommag]

I was getting out if the bunk at the Blue Earth, Mn. rest area. Poured a cup, fixed my logbook, and turned on the radio.
Unbelievable that such a tragic accident could happen, then came the news if a second impact. THIS IS NO ACCIDENT!THOSE B*******!!!
In Jersey a few weeks later, I was amazed at how good people were. The normally rushed, me. first attitude was gone, with people actually cooperating.

[TXGunNut]

I had just finished a 12 hour night shift, I'll never forget that day. I dropped by a LGS on the way home and of course, we were watching the TV coverage. After the towers fell someone asked who could possibly be behind this unspeakable act. I told him I thought it was Osama bin Laden. No one in the shop knew who I was talking about. When the towers fell I thought we had just witnessed the deaths of 10,000 people, have always been thankful that so many made it out alive. The oddest thing was the total absence of air traffic, my proximity to major airports and lots of general aviation traffic pretty much guarantees a plane will be in sight any time I go outside-but not that day and for quite a few days after that.
I checked by the PD, as you can guess that was an interesting place to be at that time but one thing stuck in my mind; I witnessed the swearing-in of a newly-hired officer. Most civilians have no idea how much the attacks changed the way law enforcement operates. In the months after 9/11 I kept an equipment bag, gunbelt & duty gun and my patrol rifle in my vehicle at all times. New procedures were put in place for large gatherings of people and many were cancelled altogether.
So much has happened in 13 yrs but it still seems like just a few days ago.

[nachogrande]

Working as a private duty home care RN for a quadrapalegic patient, about to wake him up shortly after making his tea & toast while watching the news. I remember what a beautiful day it was, then the first plane hit. The news said it was a small private plane, but the clearly defined outline of a jumbo jet with wing tip to wingtip spanned pretty much the entire side to side of the tower and thinking, that was no small plane, then the second one hit and the world changed forever. We were in bayshore Long Island, soon fighter jets & attack helicopters were making routine passes overhead, Manhattan was locked down, cell phone towers were overloaded, the masses in shock trying to find out if friends/family made it out. The next few days got worse when shock changed to anger, the wind shifted towards us and you could smell the dust, reports coming in of those that were presumed lost but not 100% sure. within a few days the worst for me was driving by ANY school, the signs/pictures of loved ones lost hanging on the chain link fences and trying to drive while crying like a baby along with most other drivers. EVERYONE knew someone that either survived or did not. The stories came in for months, every time you came across someone you hadn't seen or spoke to in a while. A guy I went to high school with was a captain of a firehouse in Brooklyn, He, his dispatcher and the few out of town on vacation were the only survivors. We moved out of state 4/2003. While back there for a celebration of life for my best friend/best man at my wedding, later that evening after putting him in the ground Bin Laden was killed. The next day people just seemed to migrate into Manhattan to the World trade center site, where the memorial was just about complete.

[LeadPoisonTX]

I got out of the subway and walked to my office, across from Grand Central Station. I reached my desk to answer the phone, the voice on the other end of the line said: "Oh no! A plane crashed into the 2nd tower!" I got updates from my co-workers who were listening to the radio because all the news websites were non-responsive due to overload. I was within 6 miles of the WTC, yet worlds away...