Where were you on 9/11?

[trickey]

In my typical everyday grade 8 class. The kids who went home during the luch all came back with stories of how the wtc were bombed, and planes crashed into them, and a bunch of stuf you would expect to hear from some grade 8 girls trying to get some attention. The storie kept getting changed over and over. Everyone thought that it was military planes actually dropping bombs on America "oh man thier dead" everyone was saying.

No one had a clue how bad it was. But we started to get a feeling of it. That day, two world class tennis players were supposed to fly in from New Brunswick to speek to us kids at the school. We were told that every flight in North America was closed, then we started to wonder how bad it was.

The only other stuff i can remember is me going to soccer practise, still not knowing exactly what had happened, the whole time we were just joking about the whole thing, we never thought anything bad could ever happen to the "world superpower".



That night i remember watching that same footage of the towers falling over and over. Scary.

[Case]

As the WTC attack started a few minutes before midnight Australian time I was asleep when it was all happening. On the morning of Sept 12 my dad shook me awake [for the first time ever] and showed me that mornings Sydney Morning Herald which had a photo of the second plane hitting the WTC on the front cover. 10 seconds later I was in front of the TV watching replays of the attacks.

[Carver]

I was on the trading floor at Raymond James in St. Petersburg, FL. We have the televisions on CNBC all day long so we saw it unfold from the begining. Hearing Mark Haines announce that one of the towers had fallen was just unfathomable. Buildings like the WTC just have a certain permanentness about them. Alot of people were really shaken up; being a brokerage firm we spoke to many people in NYC everyday. We knew people from Cantor (in the WTC) and from Morgan Stanley (although most of the people we knew at Morgan worked in another building). We also knew people who had relatives that were emergency workers so it was hard.

[connorkimbro]

I lived in california at the time, so I was just waking up and getting ready for the day. I went out to have a cigarette before formation in the morning, and, contrary to the usual atmosphere in the smoke area, everyone was pretty hushed and quiet. I could over hear bits and pieces of conversations. Crash, plane, etc. I didn't know what had happened yet. I went to formation, and the people waiting around were much the same. I found a friend and asked if something had happened. "You didn't hear yet? 2 planes crashed into the world trade center buildings." I stood there for a moment, trying to comprehend. not one plane, but two. Not an accident. "You gotta be ****ing kidding me." During formation, our first sergant briefed us on the situation, and let us know that the pentagon had been hit as well. During that brief, someone ran out of the building with news that a 4th plane had crashed in pennsylvania. The mood was. . . well, hard to describe, but unbelief, fear, sadness, rage, it was really intense. . . as people tried to comprehend, tried to cope. We got to class that day, and immediately switched on the news. Just in time to see the towers fall, crumble into nothingness. Silence. Shock. Tears. It was overwhelming. Needless to say, class didn't happen that day, we sat there and watched the news all day long. As military service members, this IMMEDIATELY had a profound effect on our daily way of life. Suddenly, the reasons we had joined the army, the air force, the navy, the marines, became meaningless. We had a new reason now. Our military careers which up to that point had been a great opportunity, to learn a language, to earn college money, etc, became something much much more. An opportunity to serve in a much greater way, an opportunity to serve our country and defend the freedoms that came under attack that day. I'm proud as hell to be a military service member, and I'm proud to be one of the many defending our country from things like 9-11. It is, I believe, the single greatest opportunity of my life.

[Murgatroyd]

I got up that morning and went to take a shower as usual. When I got back, my roommate told me about the incident. (I don't remember exactly what point in the disaster it was; I think it was probably after the second plane, but before the collapse.)

I immediately went online to get more information, but couldn't get to any of the major news sites. A few minutes later, I had a thought: Apolyton.

I spent the rest of the day (except for a few hours of class, which were rather subdued) sitting in front of my computer, reading everyone's reports from around the world of what they knew about the situation as it happened.

(I confess that I was also somewhat relieved that it hadn't happened a day later. September 12 is my birthday.)

[Kirnwaffen]

I had just gotten out of the shower, and headed up to the kitchen. It wasn't unusual that my dad had our miniature TV on, but I found it odd that he was just sitting there leaning over it. He looked at me, told me about the first plane, and I joined him. My first thought was "What idiot flys his plane into a skyscraper." I went out to feed the dogs, and when I came back, I watched the second plane hit the building, and my heart sank. I had to leave for school at that point, and I just kind of sat numbly through the day, and watched the replays on TV. After German, I heard about the Pentagon, and immediately tried to get a hold of my mother, who was in DC for a conference. I watched the towers collapse during English, and talked to my mom afterwards.

[Darkness' Edge]

Originally posted by Case
As the WTC attack started a few minutes before midnight Australian time I was asleep when it was all happening. On the morning of Sept 12 my dad shook me awake [for the first time ever] and showed me that mornings Sydney Morning Herald which had a photo of the second plane hitting the WTC on the front cover. 10 seconds later I was in front of the TV watching replays of the attacks.

it was basically the same here...except it was the today show instead of the sydney morning herald.

[Alexander's Horse]

I thought started around 10pm Australian EST. But I could be wrong.

[Frankychan]

I was typing an 8 page psychology report around 4:50 a.m. (PST). The sun didn't come up yet, so it was pitch black. For some reason, I turned on the t.v. to CNN Headline news and continued with my typing. After a while, I looked back on t.v. and saw one of the planes hit The Towers. I stopped typing my report (which was due that day) and just watched.

Next thing I knew, I started tearing up and felt sick in the stomach. Needless to say, I finished my report and went to class. After class I went to Campus Center and watched the news on a big screen t.v.

There were students everywhere.

[Odin]

I was in my 10th grade biology class, all of a sudden the principal ran in and told us to turn on the TV, just in time to see the the 1st tower collapse. I remarked, "I think World War III just started..."

[Dan Severn]

I was in English class before school started. One of the other teachers ran in on us and said, "You'd better see this! Turn on CNN!"

At the time, I was more interested than angry. It took the rest of the day for it to sink in that what was happening was real.

[DarkCloud]

Does anyone have the old thread of "where were you on 9/11" saved? for archival purposes- I'll search my archives- but wouldn't it be a fitting HISTORIC memorial to place all these memories in a thread and post it as a news item? How about that Mark and Dan?

Where were you on 9/11

and perhaps a follow-up

How your world changed on 9/11?

---
As for me...
I found out while sitting in the hall (I had been sitting there when the 1st plane crashed... but didn't find out until 10:25 NY time) What happened... Around the time the plane actually hit the building, I had been talking with some of my friends about how Jesus was a jerk for rabble rousing and that we could see how the pharisees would have seen fit to do away with him as he was a threat to the romans and their way of life, etc. Then someone... Ben ____ (Name whitheld to protect the innocent ) came by and mentioned something about a plane hitting the WTC.

At first I thought he was just being an idiot and wouldn't believe him- but he was adamant. Thus, I wandered the hall and asked a few others who had jsut arrived, and they confirmed the thing.

Then 30 minutes later I, from a radio, heard about the towers collapsing. I just sat openmouthed wondering as to what the ramifications of this could possibly be! I was shocked. I also wondered if the USA was going to be an idiot and nuke someone just for the sake of it... I played several war scenarios in my head the rest of the day...

As for the last people I know who heard out about 9/11-

I know some people who did not find out until 4PM NY Time that 9/11 had happened... they were returning from a "leadership building" course and arrived at school all jovial and joking... then saw all the people wandering around sober or talking in hushed, frantic voices, etc. I think they were some of the last people in America to hear about 9/11.

[Inverse Icarus]

i was in physics class at highschool. there was an announcement about half an hour after the first plane hit, then shortly after, a second announcement confirming the second plane.

the size (and type) of the planes were not mentioned, and for some reason we assumed they were talking about cessnas (sp?), and my physics teacher was going over how the towers were built to take a plane crashing into them.

[Ramo]

I was in my vector calc class when I first heard about the attacks and I was riding on a bus when it started.

[monolith94]

I was in AP US history. Dr. Joyce said something like, "there's apparently been some sort of plane crash into the world trade tower," after mr. hill came in and talked to him.
I'll never forget enrichment most of all. All I did was scurry around finding out news wherever I could from the school.

[Jethro83]

I was at home, asleep at the time it actually happened (since it would have been about 10 pm where I am (Newcastle, Australia). When I woke up the next morning, the TV downstairs was turned all the way up with the Today show on much earlier than normal (it was 6 am when I woke up, (Today normally begins at 7).

I went down, thinking "Why is the Today show on so early?" and saw the twin towers up in smoke. Then images of a section of the Pentagon up in smoke. My youngest brother honestly thought that this was the beginning of World War III. I immediately felt anger consuming me. Anger for the bastards who held no regard for life's sanctity. I had to punch a wall for half an hour before I was emotionally ready to go to school.

On the drive to school, there was no normal breakfast show on the radio. Instead, there was continual talk of the events. When I got to school, the entire school took part in a minute silence. Nobody could pay attention in classes. Not even the teachers. Even the loudest, most delinquent students were strangely quiet.

[Asher]

UberKruX: I'm so sorry, I had no idea.

[Ned]

UberKrux, You have my deepest sympathies.

I was at home getting ready for work when my wife said something strange, like the World Trade Center has collapsed. I stopped what I was doing and turned on my computer to see on my homepage news that both towers had now collapsed. But I had no idea why. The internet was slow. So I turned on TV and soon found out why.

My reaction went from incredulity to immense anger in a very short time. I now understood what most Americans must have felt on Dec. 7, 1941. But this was worse. Way worse.

[MrFun]

I already posted my personal experience on that day, but I wanted to let you guys know that I have read most of the posts on here -- all interesting.

Last night, on 9/11/02, I went to our campus chapel for an inter-faith commemoration ceremony of speeches, prayers, and songs.
Afterwards, we held a candlelit procession march in the night's darkness.

[Kristalli]

It's 11/9/2002...you americans...

At the moment the first plane hit I was standing on a buss stop. And I remember this because the rest of the evening I was getting drunk. I had just begun my studies at the university and it was the day we "newcomers" were "forced" to do stupid things, for example drink booze...

[Inverse Icarus]

Originally posted by Kristalli
It's 11/9/2002...you americans...

it's november 9th?

HOLY CRAP, I MISSED PTW'S RELEASE.

CURSE YOU FRAT PARTIES! CURSE YOU!

[Kristalli]

I ment that you guys mark it the wrong way....
Here September 11th is 11.9.2002.

[Rasbelin]

Off-topic...

Kristalli,

it's useless to make a remark here about it. Better post a new thread about it or leave it.

[SKILORD]

At school. It was 2nd period and i was in Math.

[Caligastia]

I was on my way to Long Island where I worked at the time. I looked at the towers for the last time while I was on the train that day. The first plane would have hit only 5 minutes after I saw them for the last time. I normally wouldnt look at them much on my way to work, but for some reason, on that day I did.

[Q Classic]

this is an excerpt from a freewrite i did a few months later.

It’s 8.30 in Atlanta a Tuesday four days before I depart for college at the great U of C, it’s 2001, the beginning of a new millennium, and in just four days I will be leaving home to go off to a faraway city and start a new path, a new life for a new millennium, I mutter to myself as I board the MARTA train at the Chamblee station to go downtown to Georgia Tech where my friends have already started their school year, already rushing around doing calculus and physics and chemistry problem sets, reading, reading, reading big thick texts, and I think ahead to the day, of which I don’t have much of a plan outside of going to see an two old quiz bowl buddies along with a bunch of my other closest friends and I realize that they’re taking the path I didn’t take, the road not taken, at least by me, and I think to my self, what a wonderful world, because the sun is shining and all is bright and everything is good today, and so when I get off the North Avenue MARTA station at around 9.20 and I walk in a cheerful mood towards the main campus of Georgia Tech, crossing over I-75/85, the main north-south expressway in Atlanta, looking forward to the visit, and I walk up past the dorms, past Bobby Dodd Stadium, the home of the Yellow Jackets, the team that our friend Heisman once coached, and then I walk up a hill, and I’m getting tired, because I’m carrying quite a few books, my legs are tired, so tired, so tired, and then I get to the student center, where I see a TV up on the right wall, and I see what I think is a Jerry Bruckheimer film with maybe Sly, only on mute, and then I walk up the stairs to meet my friend, and she gives me a short tour of where she lives, and then somebody walks by and tells us to turn on the TV and we do and we gasp in shock because it’s not an action flick--not an action flick!--with Arnold and we see them burning, the two beautiful spires burning, and then one of them falls and everyone and I stopped breathing—

we tried connecting the news websites after that. nothing worked. we tried looking for other people, trying to find any news. we ended up just staring at the tv for a while, disbelieving. and then they evacuated the campus, and i went home, called mom at work...
called my s.o. at college... and just cried.

Calif. Woke up at 6:30, dress before 7, was in the kitchen eating and my son came out and said turn on the TV and saw both tower burning and the replay of no. 2 plane hitting tower 2. I have to be at work by 7:30. I have a radio in my office and I can play it all day because of no student. The radio confirm the towers has collapse and the pentagon had been hit and later the 4th plane had crashed in Pa.
In our teacher lounge there is a TV and I saw the mayor talking about the police and fireman that had die when the towers came down.
Being a Navy veteran I knew we would be at war with someone later that day.

[Jon Miller]

I was going to take a practice Physics GRE post and came onto apolyton

I stayed on apolyton most of the rest of the day (I wanted news and discussion, but I did not want to see the tragedy)

Jon Miller

[Boris Godunov]

I dug out the e-mail I sent to my family and friends. The attached picture was taken from my office window by a coworker.

First, thanks to all of you who have responded. Your thoughts mean so much, and I am only sorry I don't have the time right now to respond individually, so I am letting you all know en masse my appreciation.

The blessing is that I have heard from those who are nearest and dearest to me, the last a few minutes ago, and they are all ok and their loved ones are ok.

I want to give my account, since it is both therapuetic and means I won't have to relive it as much in the future.

I arrived at work just before 9:00 am on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. My office is on the 11th floor of 11 Penn Plaza, which sits across 7th Avenue from Madison Square Garden on 32nd street. This is about 1.5-2 miles north of where the World Trade Center once stood.

When I entered our offices, I saw Jim running back towards the rear offices with a camera and heard people shouting "Oh my God!" When I got back to my desk, they all pointed south. We have large windows that look due south with an unobstructed view of the Towers. The western tower now had a gaping hole in it and dark smoke was billowing out into the sky. I was told a plane had just hit it.

My first thought was of the Empire State Building (2 blocks away) and how a bomber had once ran into back in the 1940s. I figured this had to be some kind of similar accident.

As the others in my office watched the news, I called Washington DC. My friend Joel works there for Marriot, and I knew his best friend Brad from high school worked in one of the towers (I have since learned Brad is ok, having been late to work. Here is to mild irresponsibility). I could not reach Joel, so called Reggie, also in DC, to let him know what was going on.

While on the phone with Reggie, I heard some of my coworkers saying something about another plane "being awfully close." A minute later, more screams. I looked up to see a massive, 20-story high ball of fire coming out of the second tower. I quickly got off the phone, and they told me another plane had just hit. I was now just stunned. I knew then this was no
accident, and I was as terrified as I've ever been.

We watched everything else unfold from our office window. While frantically trying to call people, we kept tuned into the TV reports and learned about the Pentagon. Without using any hyperbole, we all thought this was the end of everything. I called my mom in at work to let her know I was alright. While on the phone with her, I saw the most horrible thing that I have ever seen and hope I will ever see, the first tower collapsing. It was gone in seconds.

We were all helpless, hysterical, dazed. Our company president had been scheduled to fly out of LaGuardia at 9 am, and we couldn't get a hold of him (he's fine, never left the ground). The phone lines were jammed and I couldn't reach anyone. When the second tower fell, it took everything we had to keep ourselves together.

I left the office shortly after noon to walk home. It's about a 30 minute walk. Looking south, I could only see a huge cloud where once had stood the most awesome sight in the city. And I became sick with despair at knowingwhat was happening to people down there. I walked past triage centers to get home, keeping my head down so I didn't have to see people being brought in. I don't think I could have stood that then.

Even though it's happened, I watched it happen, it's still unbelievable. I don't know how I will ever feel the same way about anything ever again. The numbness is wearing off, and now it's pain and grief. New Yorkers are coming together, heroically from what I've seen, but we're also devastated.

[Ming]

As we pass the 48 hour mark of the time the first plane hit... I'm un-topping this thread. Please feel free to continue adding your stories.