Where were you and what doing on 9/11

[mrvette]

01, when you found out about the attacks, and HOW did you find out??

I was remodeling a kitchen and two guys were upstairs laying tile in a bathroom, as usual I walked up to say hello and say helper/me redoing the kitchen, we are not stealing it......they had a radio up there, I prefer working in silence.....so they came down and told us of the 'accident' and I just stared, when he came down again to say about the SECOND plane, my reaction was 'oh bullshit' no WAY man......

He comes to attention, and says 'SIR, I am a US MARINE, and I do not LIE!!!

a few minits later the boss/our company owner calls us and says for everyone t leave the job and go home until further notice......

never saw the marines again.....

[MrPeabody]

It was very early in the morning here on the west coast. We got a phone call from a relative who told us to turn on the TV.

I have a son-in-law who was born in Iran and was brought here (legally) by his parents when he was a small child. He doesn't even speak with an accent. He was scheduled to be sworn in as a citizen that day. He and I worked together selling cars and we had both taken the day off to go to San Francisco for the swearing in ceremony. He had worked very hard at this and we were all very proud of him.

He wanted to cancel the trip, because he was worried it might not be a good day to be named Mohammed and be out in public. He was in high school when the hostages were taken in Iran and he said he had to fight his way through school every day. I told him bullshit, this is a great day to pick a side and make it official, so off we went. It was about a three hour trip. About halfway there, as we were listening to the news on the radio they announced the closure of all federal buildings, and were considering shutting down the Golden Gate bridge, which we would have to cross.

So we turned around and came home, stopping for a nice lunch along the way. The swearing in was rescheduled for a few weeks later and he became a citizen.

[04 commemorative]

I had to get into work early, I was editing a L'Oreal commercial and clients were coming in at 9am......A woman that worked for me called saying she just saw a jet hit one of the world trade towers, our CFO said WHAT !!! What tower ?? Her husband was in a meeting on one of the floors the first plane hit ! My kids both worked for me and were with me My wife and her mom were going nuts because there was no way they could stay in touch with us...on a balcony on the building we were in you could see all the way down Madison Ave and we watch the towers come down.......My CFO after a year or so was contacted that they had some of her husbands remains....she buried them and after a few more years had to sign papers saying if they found more to discard them because she was contacted almost every year with a bit more.....they did recover his wallet and drivers license too.... the rest is history.
I still get choked up and hard not to cry when I see pictures,videos or shows about this horrible attack.....I will never forget

[Rodnok1]

Buried in a vault, happened to have Internet radio playing and heard the 1st one hit. Walked out to the unsecure area and had guy in charge of building turn the news on. The 2nd one hit and we looked at each other and said we're at war almost same time. Went to another vault and listened to and watched what the country did for the next couple of days. Did manage get home for an hr before everything locked up.
Being a statistical person I unfortunately called the total deaths within a hundred or so.

Brings a tear to my eyes thinking about those poor people in the towers and those who rushed in without hesitation to help.
If anyone has not seen the documentary by Jules and Gédéon Naudet do so. It's hard to watch some parts be warned.
I personally stop and remember all those who perished every year on 9/11 and those who perished and were injured in the following years abroad.

[Dan Dlabay]

I was at work when I heard the news.

[SubZero]

Originally Posted by Dan Dlabay

I was at work when I heard the news.

slavin' away

[five-oh]

Working in a factory on a loading dock. I remember one of the guys telling us and no one believed him. The thought that we, America, would be attacked seemed preposterous. Then, as it sank in, everyone clustered around radios and any televisions to find out what was happening.
I left my factory job that evening and went to my second job as a part time police officer in a tiny rural town. For the next few months, it seemed like it was nonestop checking suspicious people that were called in by concerned citizens.
The America of 9/12/01 was vastly different that that of 9/10/01. In someways, despite the tragedy, it was better- every day Americans put aside their differences. We weren't liberal and conservative, republican and democrat- we were Americans.
I would never want my country to go through 9/11 again, but I'd love to see the spirit of 9/12 again.
Unfortunately, as fractured as our country is now, if it happened today, it would immediately be one political party or another's fault and I fear we would not have that unity. I fear for my country, and for my descendants' future..

[lspencer534]

I was at home recovering from a triple heart bypass operation. I was in lots of pain since I had complications in the hospital. Laying on the couch in the den, I could hear the TV say that one of the Trade Center Towers in NYC had been "rammed" by a plane.

The announcer was so naive: He described the plane that hit the first tower as a "small, maybe two-passenger" plane. I said "Bullshit!" under my breath about the "small plane" description. He didn't have to wait too long before it was clear that these planes were Boeing 767-200ER's.

The Twin Towers then came tumbling down. I wasn't in good health, but I wanted to kill every one of those people who caused this disaster. I watched TV for the most of the day and was exhausted when I went to bed that night.

[John Wiz]

I was at work (Northern VA, right near Dulles Airport), but had a flight around noon from Dulles to New York City... my admin's husband had come in (he worked at the same company) and asked if I heard that a plane had hit the WTC. I thought he was joking as I didn't want to go to NYC, started looking at the news and found out about the attack. Of course the wife was freaking out until she heard from me that I hadn't left yet. Needless to say, I never made that trip.

[carlton_fritz]

I had just gone on break at work. They sent everyone home early.

[JRD77VET]

I was at work taking morning break when the first tower was hit. One of the guys had his radio playing. Initial thought was terrible accident. Then heard the second tower was hit and knew something bad happened.

Were I worked was between Philadelphia and Allentown plus the Willow Grove Naval Air Station was between them also. Saw a LOT of military aircraft flying "low and slow" especially helicopters with door gunners clearly visible on both sides. Very strange not seeing contrails in the sky either.

Beginning of October Mary and I went to Canada fishing. We had to clear US Customs BEFORE getting to Canadian Customs.

[Loco Vette]

Reading films in the Mobile, AL imaging center. It was strange, I knew something big was going on but no one came to tell me what. I figured it was bad but the only thing I could do was take care of the patients in front of me. Didn't actually know what it was till about 3 PM.

[MEANZ06]

Was in SoCal on business, woke up in a hotel room watching the the news to see the second jet hit the tower. Still went to the meeting that day. No one was really "there", the whole meeting was for not. I rented the last car (minivan) after to drive back to NorCal. I remember destincly on the ride home how there were no planes in the air

[Norm]

At BWI working with state & federal agencies assisting with cargo plane contraband training for K9's. Worked the next six weeks straight, 12 on 12 off.

[MrPeabody]

Originally Posted by Norm

At BWI working with state & federal agencies assisting with cargo plane contraband training for K9's. Worked the next six weeks straight, 12 on 12 off.

Were you involved in searching all the grounded planes?

[Black94lt1]

I was at work nothing unusual except several of my coworkers were in Berlin for a conference, that conference was subsequently cancelled and once flights resumed, they spent the next 3 days on rescheduled flights to anywhere and everywhere meandering their way home.

[Wathen1955]

I was driving to work which is about 30 miles one way. When I was about 2 miles from work sitting at a light, I heard the news station state that we are under attack. What???
I continued to listen until I parked my car with additional information coming in from the news station. As soon as I got in my office, all of management had to meet to discuss "potential attacks" on the company, and how we would handle this if it happened. How would mfg continue if part or most of the company was attacked etc.
After more updates, it was clear the type of attack it was. Most of the operations that day were stopped, and most were sent home. A day I would never forget.

[erickpl]

HEading to work in soCal.

Had just dropped son off at daycare before the commute to work at NASA Dryden at Edwards AFB.

Got on post and heard the news about it. EVERYTHING locked up when #2 hit.

Couldn't leave buildings. Rumors of diverting air traffic from LAX to the lake bed. Rumors of all types started flying. We just wanted to drive 1 hour home to get our kids.

[04 commemorative]

I listen to their names being called every year .....I feel that these poor innocent people killed by cowards at least deserve to have someone hear their names being said out loud.

[Lakota]

American National Anthem played at Buckingham Palace after 9/11

For those interested, this is the only time in it's 200 year history that another country's national anthem has been played outside Buckingham Palace, apart from during state visits. Her Majesty the Queen personally authorized the Coldstream Guards to break protocol and play this, to give some comfort to Americans stranded in London due to airport closures. It is literally the highest gesture of solidarity Britain could show to another country.

9/11 American National Anthem Buckingham Palace - YouTube