9/11/2011

[Rugaby]

It's right around the corner.
New show on discovery channel today about the rebuild.
So let's talk. Let's tell stories. Let's remember. Let's cry. Lets be stronger.
Please let's keep it nice. No name calling acquisitions. Finger pointing.
Regardless of who did it and why it happened.

 

[CanadianNemo]

I guess more than anything I remember 2 things: 1) the shock and tears as I sat on the floor on my knees, right in front of my TV that morning, and 2) the multitude of amazing, life-changing, awesome (in the real sense of the word) stories that emerged in the days, months, and years subsequent. As much as an event like 9/11 makes you question humanity, it often restores it a thousand-fold. RIP.

 

[Rugaby]

On that day I was several hundred feet under water. I was serving in the navy. I was on board the USS Henry M. Jackson. A trident submarine. We were alert, meaning doing circled in the ocean on a ready status able to shoot all of our nuclear war head missiles with in twenty minutes of notification. That day was to be a quiet day. Some drills (training) in the morning starting around 830. I had been on watch from midnight till 600 that morning. After wards I had eaten. Shot the breeze with a buddy and head to my bed. I had sat down. Taken off my shoes. And realized I was only going to get about 30 minutes before drills started. I heard over the loud speaker the words I ha heard during a drill session 100's of times before. " man battle stations missile. Set condition 4sq. Simulate spinning up all missiles. " only this time there was no simulate. As I made my way to my battle stations location I heard others poking fun at the announcement and the forgetting of that one word. Little did we know it was intentional. About five minutes later the captain came on the loud speaker and explained it hadn't been a mispeak that we had gotten a real order to man battle stations an spin up all missiles ( making them ready to fire). This was big. This was the first time in history that this order had been given. Ever. On the east coast another trident submarine was experiencing the same thing. Ten minutes later we were informed that a plane had flown into the down town area of NY. That was all the info we received. I remember being scared. Nervous. Worried. Other guys writing letters to loved ones. We didn't know what was going to happen. In Theory if we were to fire someone would fire back and goodbye world. We sat at the ready for six ish hours before we stood down. Still not knowing anything. Over the next several days we got some broken reports. But very little details. We stayed under way for another 54 days before pulling into home port. First time seeing our families. First time to make phone calls to loved ones. Some that didn't survive. Base was different. Higher security. No families on the Pier to meet us.
I remember hugging my wife. My kids. Reading saved newspaper articles. Watching the news.
I to this day know that my time in the military wasn't without reason. I know I did my part for a period of time to protect, preserve, uphold the freedom of America. I am proud of what I did that day but would give it all back for it not to have happened.
I have been to ground zero four times and each time it is humbling. A reminder of those we lost. Those that are not forgotten. Will never be forgotten.
On this ten year anniversary I will as I have 7 out of the last 10 gather with friends. Some that were with me that day and remember. Have a drink. Have a toast. Say a prayer.

 

[bballrob]

I still had to go to Jury Duty that day. It sucked.

 

[katelynneemma]

Just saw Saving Abel, they do a huge tribute to our troops and it made me think of this thread. (shows how much eiC becomes part of our daily routine)
I remember it being first week of my freshman year in high school, sitting in Spanish class the teachers cell phone rang & her running to the tv and turning the news on. We all just sat there and stared at the tv, not really comprehending how much our lives changed in that instant. I remember going to my grandparents house and having to detour for 3 years because they live right in front of a nuke plant & you couldn't get down the road.

 

[CanadianNemo]

I remember it being first week of my freshman year in high school

I didn't realize I was that much older than you!

 

[katelynneemma]

I didn't realize I was that much older than you!

I will be 24 on October 19th. Feel free to send gifts

 

[CanadianNemo]

I will be 24 on October 19th. Feel free to send gifts

Will do. Once I see what you send me on September 21st, I'll have a better idea of what to get you

 

[ed2438]

I had my newborn son in my arms that day. Turned on the TV to see what was going on and i was in shock and could not believe that was happening.

btw, Oct 24th here.......

 

[patrickj]

I worked at Unisys at that time. Walked into work and had to walk through our break room to get to my area of the building. All the TVs were on, which was odd, and showing the very beginning of the attacks, when it was still not clear at all what was going on.

The team I worked on did tech support for a big insurance company that had tons of staff in one of the towers. Quite a few of the people I worked with had users on the phone with them as they saw the plane hit the other tower and as the buildings started getting evacuated. Many of those chose to have counseling afterwards as it affected them deeply.

I remember it feeling like the most surreal day I've ever lived through. A day where you wanted to be around your loved ones, as it felt like who knew where the heck the world was going next.

 

[medenblik]

my daughter took her first steps that day....we were sent home from work and while watching the news....she took her first steps..........

 

[JWiPhone]

A story that always stuck out in my mind was Gander, Newfoundland, and the extraordinary kindness they showed to our passengers stranded there.

 

[Rugaby]

I wanted to share an experience I had today. I often visit the vfw post near by my house. I love listening to " the old timers" tell their stories. Share a laugh. A beer. They all have amazing stories and I never get tired of hearing them.
Today I talked with a man that I had never met or seen in there before. He shared a story how himself and five guys he served with on the USS Pogy during his time in the navy. They met in NY and as a group explore the town. The night before the attacks they had attended a late dinner where one of the group suffered a heart attack. He was rushed to the hospital where in the early hours of the morning passed away. The group was exhausted and saddened. That morning they were supposed to go to the world trade center and tour the buildings and that area of down town. Some of the group said they should still go. Gregg (his name) would want it. George, the gentleman I was talking to, said even he felt that they should go. In the end they decided to not go. Rest and go the next day.
Their lives were spared because a life ended. Was a sad story. You could see the pain in his eyes. I was touched and taken aback as he explained that Gregg's passing would always be want he remembered as saving his life.
I makes me think of all the good that did come from the attacks. The babies that were born that day. First steps taken as stated above. Peoples first dates.
Hug someone. I did.

 

[acosmichippo]

Will do. Once I see what you send me on September 21st, I'll have a better idea of what to get you

no way, that's my birthday too.

Interesting statistic: in a group of 23 people, the probability that any two share a birthday is 50%.

 

[Europa]

That is pretty interesting.

The birthday problem
The number 23

 

[acosmichippo]

This is also pretty conclusive evidence that astrology is BS.

 

[Michael Baturin]

On that day I was several hundred feet under water. I was serving in the navy. I was on board the USS Henry M. Jackson. A trident submarine. We were alert, meaning doing circled in the ocean on a ready status able to shoot all of our nuclear war head missiles with in twenty minutes of notification. That day was to be a quiet day. Some drills (training) in the morning starting around 830. I had been on watch from midnight till 600 that morning. After wards I had eaten. Shot the breeze with a buddy and head to my bed. I had sat down. Taken off my shoes. And realized I was only going to get about 30 minutes before drills started. I heard over the loud speaker the words I ha heard during a drill session 100's of times before. " man battle stations missile. Set condition 4sq. Simulate spinning up all missiles. " only this time there was no simulate. As I made my way to my battle stations location I heard others poking fun at the announcement and the forgetting of that one word. Little did we know it was intentional. About five minutes later the captain came on the loud speaker and explained it hadn't been a mispeak that we had gotten a real order to man battle stations an spin up all missiles ( making them ready to fire). This was big. This was the first time in history that this order had been given. Ever. On the east coast another trident submarine was experiencing the same thing. Ten minutes later we were informed that a plane had flown into the down town area of NY. That was all the info we received. I remember being scared. Nervous. Worried. Other guys writing letters to loved ones. We didn't know what was going to happen. In Theory if we were to fire someone would fire back and goodbye world. We sat at the ready for six ish hours before we stood down. Still not knowing anything. Over the next several days we got some broken reports. But very little details. We stayed under way for another 54 days before pulling into home port. First time seeing our families. First time to make phone calls to loved ones. Some that didn't survive. Base was different. Higher security. No families on the Pier to meet us.
I remember hugging my wife. My kids. Reading saved newspaper articles. Watching the news.
I to this day know that my time in the military wasn't without reason. I know I did my part for a period of time to protect, preserve, uphold the freedom of America. I am proud of what I did that day but would give it all back for it not to have happened.
I have been to ground zero four times and each time it is humbling. A reminder of those we lost. Those that are not forgotten. Will never be forgotten.
On this ten year anniversary I will as I have 7 out of the last 10 gather with friends. Some that were with me that day and remember. Have a drink. Have a toast. Say a prayer.

Wow - this is the most powerful and interesting story I have read on this forum to date - thank you for that and for your service - I could not imagine what went through your mind over those 54 days below.

My story is far less dramatic. I was in 10th grade - sitting in History Class at my high school. The principal came over the loudspeaker and announced that there was an incident involving the World Trade Centers, at that time it wasn't clear that it was an act of terroism. All the classrooms at my high school had TVs in them and my teacher turned ours on to the news (or any channel that morning for the matter). Only about 10 seconds after he turned the TV on - the second plane collided. The class was silent but I am not sure we completely understood what had just happened in terms of the loss of life that just occurred. We watched the towers fall and it then (at least for me) fully hit and I felt a horrible shudder go down my spine.

Our teacher turned to us, his back previously facing us as he was looking at the TV in the front of the classroom. In an emotionally compromised voice he said only one sentence, "What you just saw will have an affect on each and everyone of us". He didn't say anything else for the rest of the class. He sat down with his head resting on his hands, and school for the rest of the day remained very silent throughout the hallways and the rest of my classes.

 

[Rugaby]

Wow - this is the most powerful and interesting story I have read on this forum to date - thank you for that and for your service - I could not imagine what went through your mind over those 54 days below.

It changed me. At that time I was in for three years and I was definitely going to do my four and get out. I never understood what I was doing serving. I understand now. I see a flag and known protected it. I ended up re-enlisting twice after that.

 

[Napoleon PhoneApart]

Time for me to get a bit more serious here. I always get choked up whenever I watch the end of the number, "All For the Best" from the 1973 film Godspell. There are two actors here who later became recognized stars - Lynne Thigpen of The District and Victor Garber (in the Superman outfit as Jesus) of Alias and Titanic.

The end of this number gets me every time.

 

[Rugaby]

Good find Kevin. I always notice the difference in Friends episodes. Some with and some without the towers. Man on Wire also has lots of good footage of the towers.