Ot: 9-11-01

[Scouter]

I think we'd be remiss to not mention this today in some regard. Let's try to keep it civil and away from political discussion. Simply, where were you and what was you reaction?

I was a sophomore in high school. My first class of the day was AP European history. We were taking our first test that morning. While we were taking it, the principal came into the room and whispered something to our teacher. She told us to go to the empty classroom next day when we were finished with our test. That's when we figured something weird was up. I finished my test, walked over and was in absolute shock. Every classroom in our school had a TV so there wasn't much learning going on that day.

[Da Coach]

It was just a usual day for me. Preparing to go to work when I saw the video of what initially was being called "an accident" at the WTC. Quickly, with the second plane it was an obvious act of terroism. Then it was difficult trying to continue as if it was a normal day of work.

[Out of Bounce]

I think we'd be remiss to not mention this today in some regard. Let's try to keep it civil and away from political discussion. Simply, where were you and what was you reaction?

I was a sophomore in high school. My first class of the day was AP European history. We were taking our first test that morning. While we were taking it, the principal came into the room and whispered something to our teacher. She told us to go to the empty classroom next day when we were finished with our test. That's when we figured something weird was up. I finished my test, walked over and was in absolute shock. Every classroom in our school had a TV so there wasn't much learning going on that day.

I was in my office at my desk, when my secretary came in with the news. In my office I had a big (72") screen on the wall for our work and I had cable to it. We turned it on and a hole formed in my stomach. I turned to her and said go back and get everyone working for me and bring them here. As we watched, NO ONE said a word. Never had I seen this out of any of them before.
At first I was shocked, then sad and then mad. I'm still mad! Every time I go through the airport security I get mad and each time I hear of another death to one of Brave Soldiers, I get sick and mad. I spent 26 yrs. in the service and would back in a minute if needed to prevent another 9-11. It changed us for ever and each 9-11 my heart goes to all the family's who lost a loved one. Never, Never let your guard down the world is full of bad and evil people.
As for your age! You need to start respecting your elder's, me for the most part! JK Take Care.

[Beninator]

Like everyone else, I remember this as if it were yesterday... I was getting ready for work and getting ready for a nice vacation that was to take place the following Friday. As DC stated in his post, after the second plane hit the WTC, it was an obvious act of terrorism.
Later in the morning, I sent a friend of mine, whom I met at Bradley, an email stating that I wouldnt be able to send him an item via snail mail to England for a little while as a result of the terrorism. My friend is Muslim and sent an email back stating he was sorry for what happened and that true Muslim people do not act that way. I told him that I appreciated the gesture and knew that true Muslims did not act this way. The next day I had to call my travel agent and cancel my vacation plans for Belgium in which I was to fly out of Ohare the following Friday. --just personal recollections that are trivial to what happend in NYC and elsewhere...

Just a day of shock, tragedy, herorism, and a day that united us all.

[Guinness]

Opening my locker, I think I was a junior in HS, the guy next to me went "hey did you hear a plane crashed into the WTC?" to which I responded "eh probably some ***** with one of those small Cessna's head a heart attack at the wheel, **** happens"

And then I went to cnn.com, and despite the happenings, our school forced us away from all media coverage to go on with the school day as usual.

[ph]

Heard the crash mentioned at work, before heading to my classes at BU, initially just thought that it was another crash like the Empire State crash that happened in the 30's?
Then heard the 2nd crash on the car radio. I still had to go to class 1, which went on as normal
By the time of my 2nd class, word was out that one of the towers collapsed, the prof tried to get the class TV on cable, but couldn't and cancelled the class because he knew that we would not learn anything with so much else on our minds.

[Dubl R 1]

Was getting ready for work. At that time, thought the first plane was an accident, by the time I drove from home to work, the second plane hit. Didn't get much work done that day, everybody was glued to the TV at work. It was pretty surreal.

[RedbirdFan21]

I was a sophomore in high school in consumer education class... I now understand how everyone in my parents generation talking about what they were doing when JFK was shot... since I will never forget what i was doing when we heard about the tragic events.

[Beninator]

Every time I go through the airport security I get mad............

I have to tell you about an experience that I had at Boston's Logan Airport that torks me off to this day. I was at Logan Airport in September 2003 as a result of my flight from Chicago Ohare to London Heathrow being diverted because of a mechanical problem. The next day, we were in a gate awaiting to be boarded for our flight when the federal security screeners held an impromptu meeting to discuss how people on my flight should be screened at random. Basically the screener's idea as I clearly heard, was for people boarding my flight to pick a number between one and three. Those people who picked "one" were taken aside and searched. The people who picked two or three were allowed to board the plane. So after overhearing everything from the screeners and watching their actions, I would have to have been a complete dumb*** to pick number one. So I picked three and was absolutely furious that the screeners at the airport that was the center of the 9-11 tragedy were so lax.

[ManMythLegend]

I was a Junior in high school, riding the bus to my area vocational course at a neighboring HS. I thought it was an accident at first, never realized it was a commercial airliner until the second one hit. Then it was pretty obvious. I don't think we did anything in school that day. We all just filtered into the classrooms that had cable hook-ups and watched the news. A few of the surrounding schools were sent home early.

I remember putting American flags and "Never Forget" stickers in the windows of my car the very next day.

-MML

[SFP]

It was in the middle of the dot com bomb era and I was on the couch putting some final touches on a contract that was being negotiated. I had the TV on and I could not believe my ears what was happening. Well the contract never went through due to 911 (which killed my business) and for much of the day I stayed on the couch to watch the events unfold. That evening feeling so sick I went down to the local watering hole to meet up with some friends and listened to Bush's speech that night in stunned silence. I said, if terrorist ever does anything like that again I would volunteer to grab a gun and head over to wherever they are from and start shooting. A bunch of COWARDS!!!! Like a lot of you guys have expressed I'm still mad and even madder that we have not caught Osama!

BTW I had a cousin who flew out of Boston that morning on an American Airlines flight. I just spent the week with her and until I found out which flights I was pretty scared. Luckily for my family she was on another flight then one of the terrorist flights.

[clt013]

I was working for the Census Bureau and in a training class just outside of DC. A co-worker called our office during a break and was told that a plane had hit the WTC. At first, we thought it was probably a small plane, but as we checked the Internet upon returning to class, we discovered it was much worse. Soon the whole class was surfing for details, while the teacher kept trying to plow through his lecture--even though nobody was paying any attention to him.

About an hour later they finally let us go and I could see the smoke from the Pentagon as I started driving home. There were all kinds of rumors flying around (bomb by the Supreme Court building, fires on the National Mall, etc.) on the local radio station. My wife worked for the Defense Department (not at the Pentagon, fortunately) and was already home by the time I got there. A day we will most definitely never forget--especially since we were fairly close to one of the crashes.

[Out of Bounce]

I have to tell you about an experience that I had at Boston's Logan Airport that torks me off to this day. I was at Logan Airport in September 2003 as a result of my flight from Chicago Ohare to London Heathrow being diverted because of a mechanical problem. The next day, we were in a gate awaiting to be boarded for our flight when the federal security screeners held an impromptu meeting to discuss how people on my flight should be screened at random. Basically the screener's idea as I clearly heard, was for people boarding my flight to pick a number between one and three. Those people who picked "one" were taken aside and searched. The people who picked two or three were allowed to board the plane. So after overhearing everything from the screeners and watching their actions, I would have to have been a complete dumb*** to pick number one. So I picked three and was absolutely furious that the screeners at the airport that was the center of the 9-11 tragedy were so lax.

Thats funny but not really. I just hate it (security checks) because it just took a little more of our freedom away. I just hate putting everything off me in those plastic trays and most of all, removing my shoes. Not sure why the shoe thing bothers so much, you would think the won search scan would. When you do get through and get your belongings back I feel like I am in my first day of basic training again (the hurry up thing, getting your belongings and get moving). Not much fun but I understand why it has to be. Thanks for your story, I will be thinking about it in the first week of Oct. as I am flying to London. Take Care.

[yem549]

It had already been a messed up week as my grandmother had died the sunday before. On the morning of 9/11 I was at work, at the Chicago Board Options Exchange....Once we saw the second plane hit the building, and heard that the pentagon was also hit, the last place I wanted to be was in the middle of Chicago's financial district.....I'll never forget leaving downtown after they announced that the NYSE was shut down indefinitely and we would be as well, sitting on my outbound el, looking at the inbound els full of people on their way to work oblivious to what was going on in the world...went home turned on the tv, watched until 11 when the bars opened, remember walking to the bar, how quiet it was, no planes, no one on the streets....my coworkers and I wound up having the rest of the week off, we spent a lot of time in that bar.

[Double D]

I was teaching a freshman social studies class. I always spent alot of time discussing world affairs with the students, but this event obviously took their attention and our discussions to a new level.

I remember telling them that I was about to show them something that was "very real" and not out of a movie. At that time only the two trade towers had been hit. After I had explained to them what they were about to see, we turned on the TV and the Pentagon had just been hit. It was remarkable to see their reaction and listen to their questions.