9/11: So much has changed.

[Wayne S]

Hard for me to forget that day, Job I decided to go to "carpentry" the guy was home watching his brother die on TV while he was on the phone with him. There was really nothing he could say to his brother to keep him calm on the phone, his brother was way past the point of panic and rational thought. Frankly every year that goes past, all I can think of is that guy listening to his brother die and how helpless he must of felt or feel every single year on this date. It was not exactly a I love you too moment for them.

Edited September 12, 2011 by Wayne S

[Horrido]

I had just got back from the gym that morning to go to class, and the answering machine blinker was on. My girlfriend at the time recommended I turn on the TV, as a plane had flown into the the WTC. I figured some tourist in a Cessna had gotten a little too close and smacked it. Turned on CNN, saw the inferno, and a few seconds later, watched the second plane hit...

My first thought was,"We're at war..." Shortly followed by,"Nations have signed their death warrants today."

Later, it really irritated me every time a newsie commented,"Who could have foreseen this?" That July, I had actually discussed such a scenario with a coworker of mine, and was surprised it took Al Qaeda that long to carry it out. It was obvious they wanted those targets hit, and the grievous policy of submitting to hijackers made it easy to take over an airliner and have their way with them.

In August of 2001, I had purchased a SOG lock-blade 3.5 inch that was max legal limit for airline travel. So much for that. Now it's down to Samsonite hard-case carry-on suitcases and leather belts with solid cast metal belt buckles. I intend to quietly make one more flight, to personally deliver a portion of my grandfather's ashes to the beaches of Normandy in June of 2014, and then never submit myself to invasive government search again.

[Andre]

I was going on holiday to Norway with my then-girlfriend on sept 12 (which just goes to show my unerring sense of timing). Just returning from downtown for some last minute supplies I wanted to quickly drop them off at my house and getting a few more things froma shop nearby, when my girlfriend, looking pale as a ghost, stopped me with a really quiet "Perhaps you should come in for a second and look at this".

The second tower just had been hit, and the tv showed these apocalyptic images of downtown NY (which we had visited a few years earlier).

Being a movie fan, my first reaction actually was "Wow. Great special effects. What movie is this, exactly?"

Then a second later it hit me that this was all too real.

.

Andre

[Big Texan]

I was at work at the Long Range Radar that I maintain with my 3 other co-workers. We just got on to our morning teleconference to hear that there had been a terrible accident in New York city. A plane had crashed into one of the Twin Towers and that it was on televison now. We quickly turned our TV on and saw the burning tower. Then, in horror, watched the second plane strike the other tower. We knew it was a terrorist attack. Then, on the Teleconference we were told that all the planes would be told to land. At that time in the morning, here over Amarillo, TX, we have about 1000 planes showing on our monitor. Within 2 hours, they were gone. Only 2 planes flying at that point, both of them flyers flying CAP over PANTEX, the nuclear missle/bomb maker plant on the east side of town.

I seethed with anger then, 10 years later I still have great anger against the Islamic world.

The event unified our nation. We put our differences aside and simply became, Americans. Today, we're more divided as a nation now then ever before. Time to put our differences aside, and become Americans again to solve our nation's problems.

[datahiker]

If you are going to get felt up, at least they can take you out to dinner and buy you some champagne.

It's all security theatre to better placate a paranoia among many people today.

I agree. I went to an airshow this past weekend and they confiscated the mini multitool off my keychain because it had a 1" knife. Seriously? When people are carrying folding chairs and strollers that aren't getting scanned? Security theater, indeed.

I guess I was the dummy for it being visible.

[Pete "Pig" Fleischmann]

Flight 175

Captain Victor Saracini

First Officer Michael Horrocks

Flight Attendants

Robert Fangman

Amy Jarret

Amy King

Kathryn Laborie

Alfred Marchand

Michael Tarrou

Alicia Titus

Flight 93

Captain Jason Dahl

First Officer LeRoy Homer

Flight Attendants

Lorraine Bay

Sandra Bradshaw

Wanda Green

CeeCee Lyles

Deborah Welsh

Flight 11

Captain John Ogonowski

First Officer Thomas McGuinness

Flight Attendants

Barbara Arestegui

Jeffrey Collman

Sara Low

Karen Martin

Kathleen Nicosia

Betty Ong

Jean Roger

Dianne Snyder

Madeline Sweeney

Flight 77

Captain Charles Burlingame

First Officer David Charlebois

Flight Attendants

Michele Heidenberger

Jennifer Lewis

Kenneth Lewis

Renee May

[VA-115EFR]

Getting out of the shower, my wife told me that a plane hit the WTC tower. As I was watching the live coverage, the second plane hit, and immediately thought it was a replay, but realized that the other tower was already burning! I watched it for a while before I went to bed (third shifter). My wife later woke me up to say the towers collapsed! I felt sick.

Shortly after that day, just about everyone on the streets around town had a flag hanging from their house. 10 years later, very few flew the flag on 9/11/2011. Extremely sad. I only wish Americans still had that unification today as they did 10 years ago.

[The_Animal]

I don't suppose it was Middlegate?

I guess then you know exactly my thought when I first saw the Hornets on CAP over Kingsway... "waitaminute, I'm in Vancouver..."

Litvyak, Yes. I was working security at Middlegate Mall.

[Lancer512]

One story that didn't get much coverage was the over ten thousand mostly American airline passengers coming home on Sept 11 that were on airliners that were unable to enter the closed US air space.

[...]

Gander is a town of about 7,000 people that opened up their hearts and homes to about 7,000 stranded passengers for the few days that the border and US airspace was closed. These passengers were well cared for until they were able to continue their trip home.

I was one of the passengers that diverted into Gander. We've spent 27 hours on the airliner, and when we finally got out, we received a warm welcome from Canada. They took great care of us and we were thankful for their help during the following three days. I have fond memories of myself standing in front of the TV set watching the towers collapse for the first time...

Actually, my flight was Delta 15. I still have the receipt of my boarding pass. Some think of it as an urban legend, but it is true. Just google for "Delta Flight 15".

A good read is the book "The Day the World came to Town" by Jim DeFede.

There is also a movie based on the events in Gander, Newfoundland during that week, called "Diverted". It is not a Hollywood grade movie and unfortunately it received some bad critique, mostly because (of what I guess) people from Newfoundland identified themselves with the actors and locations in the movie, which claimed St.Johns to be Gander. I never realized what went on behind the scenes in Gander until I saw that movie earlier this year.

THANK YOU CANADA!

Edited September 12, 2011 by Lancer512

[The_Animal]

I seethed with anger then, 10 years later I still have great anger against the Islamic world.

Name Age Employer

•Shabbir Ahmed - 47 years old - Windows on the World Restaurant

•Tariq Amanullah - 40 years old - Fiduciary Trust Co.

•Michael Baksh - 36 years old - Marsh & McLennan

•Touri Hamzavi Bolourchi - 69 years old - retired nurse on United #175

•Abul K. Chowdhury - 30 years old - Cantor Fitzgerald

•Mohammad Salahuddin Chowdhury - 38 years old - Windows on the World

•Jemal Legesse De Santis - 28 years old - World Trade Center

•Simon Suleman Ali Kassamali Dhanani - 63 years old - Aon Corp.

•Syed Abdul Fatha - 54 years old - Pitney Bowes

•Mon Gjonbalaj - 65 years old - Janitor, World Trade Center

•Nezam A. Hafiz - 32 years old - Marsh & McLennan

•Mohammed Salman Hamdani - 23 years old - NYPD Cadet

•Zuhtu Ibis - 25 years old - Cantor Fitzgerald

•Muhammadou Jawara - 30 years old - MAS Security

•Sarah Khan - 32 years old - Forte Food Service

•Taimour Firaz Khan - 29 years old - Carr Futures

•Abdoulaye Kone - 37 years old - Windows on the World

•Abdu Ali Malahi - 37 years old - WTC Marriott

•Nurul Hoque Miah - 35 years old - Marsh & McLennan

•Boyie Mohammed - 50 years old - Carr Futures

•Ehtesham U. Raja - 28 years old - TCG Software

•Ameenia Rasool - 33 years old - Marsh & McLennan

•Mohammad Ali Sadeque - 62 years old - newspaper vendor at WTC, reported missing

•Rahma Salie & child - 28 years old (7 months pregnant) - American #11

•Khalid M. Shahid - 25 years old - Cantor Fitzgerald

•Mohammed Shajahan - 41 years old - Marsh & McLennan

•Nasima Hameed Simjee - 38 years old - Fiduciary Trust Co.

•Michael Theodoridis - 32 years old - American #11

•Abdoul Karim Traore - 41 years old - Windows on the World

•Karamo Trerra - 40 years old - ASAP NetSource

•Shakila Yasmin - 26 years old - Marsh & McLennan

Why do I put these names up. Because not all Islamic people are terrorists. In fact one Islamic NYPD cadet (remember his name: Mohammed Salman Hamdani - 23 years old - NYPD Cadet) rushed into the WTC to see if he could help any victims...and lost his life.

More than anything else, Mohammad Salman Hamdani wanted people to see him for who he truly was, not for who he seemed to be.

He was an American citizen, and he hated it when his two younger brothers teased him by saying, "Why don't you go back to Pakistan," where he had been born. He could not say the same to them because they were born in the United States after his family immigrated when he was 13 months old.

He wanted to be seen as an all-American kid. He wore No. 79 on the high school football team in Bayside, Queens, where he lived, and liked to be called Sal. When he graduated from Queens College in 2001 and did not get into an American medical school, he refused to apply to schools in any other country. He told his parents he intended to be an American doctor.

He became a research assistant at Rockefeller University and drove an ambulance part time. One Christmas he sang in Handel's "Messiah" in Queens. He saw all the "Star Wars" movies, and it was well known that his new Honda was the one with "Yung Jedi" license plates.

And yet, some people cotinued to see him as something he was not. After Mr. Hamdani, 23, disappeared on Sept. 11, ugly rumors circulated: he was a Muslim and worked in a lab; he might have been connected to a terrorist group. Months later the truth came out. Mr. Hamdani's remains had been found near the north tower, and he had gone there to help people he did not know.

And then, at last, everyone could see Mr. Hamdani for what he truly was. - THE NEW YORK TIMES on March 8, 2003

"so called patriots" would have called him a Muslim TERRORIST and did...AND THEY WERE DEAD WRONG!!! I call him an AMERICAN who risked his life to save others; just as were the many NYPD and NYFD members who also did enter the WTC and who lost their lives.

So before you condemn all Islamic people as terrorists. Remember there were victims of all races, religions and creeds at the World Trade Center. There are good people and creeps in every race, color, religion and creed. Put your anger where it rightfully belongs at extremists of all religions. That's where you get acts of hatred. Remember Timothy McVeigh and Oklahoma. He was homegrown radical "Christian" extremist. I call him a TERRORIST. Remember that. Getting off soapbox.

Edited September 12, 2011 by The_Animal

[Horrido]

Had an internet friend who was Egyptian that I enjoyed talking with. Shortly after the attacks, I remember writing to her: "They want hate, we'll show them hate." It's one of the few times I've ever been ashamed of something I've said, but at least she understood who I was referring to and didn't take it personally.

I remember watching a documentary on the graciousness of the Canadians to take in the stranded travelers. Thank you greatly for your hospitality. I am somewhat claustrophobic and need food regularly and frequently, and the 12-hour flight to Japan nearly had me at wits end. Lancer, I cannot imagine being stuck for 27 hours. By the way, what is the significance of Delta Flight 15?

Another story I find tremendously moving:

This is an e-mail from an Ensign stationed aboard the USS WINSTON CHURCHILL. For those of us who are wondering what will happen next, this comes from an even more poignant perspective. Keep the military present in your hearts and minds as they await their duties.

If you haven't served aboard ship -- "manning the rail" is a shipboard ceremony reserved for only high ranking dignitaries, such as Heads of State.

Dear Dad,

Well, we are still out at sea, with little direction as to what our next priority is. The remainder of our port visits, which were to be centered around max liberty and goodwill to the United Kingdom, have all but been cancelled. We have spent every day since the attacks going back and forth within imaginary boxes drawn in the ocean, standing high-security watches, and trying to make the best of our time.

It hasn't been that fun I must confess, and to be even more honest, a lot of people are frustrated at the fact that they either can't be home, or we don't have more direction right now. We have seen the articles and the photographs, and they are sickening. Being isolated as we are, I don't think we appreciate the full scope of what is happening back home, but we are definitely feeling the effects.

About two hours ago the junior officers were called to the bridge to conduct Shiphandling drills. We were about to do a man overboard when we got a call from the LUTJENS (D185), a German warship that was moored ahead of us on the pier in Plymouth, England. While in port, the WINSTON S CHURCHILL and the LUTJENS got together for a sports day/cookout on our fantail, and we made some pretty good friends.

Now at sea they called over on bridge-to-bridge, requesting to pass us close up on our port side, to say good-bye. We prepared to render them honors on the bridgewing, and the Captain told the crew to come topside to wish them farewell.

As they were making their approach, our Conning Officer announced through her binoculars that they were flying an American flag. As they came even closer, we saw that it was flying at half-mast. The bridgewing was crowded with people as the Boatswain's Mate blew two whistles- Attention to Port- the ship came up alongside and we saw that the entire crew of the German ship were manning the rails, in their dress blues. They had made up a sign that was displayed on the side that read "We Stand By You."

Needless to say there was not a dry eye on the bridge as they stayed alongside us for a few minutes and we cut our salutes.

It was probably the most powerful thing I have seen in my entire life and more than a few of us fought to retain our composure. It was a beautiful day outside today. We are no longer at liberty to divulge over unsecure e-mail our location, but we could not have asked for a finer day at sea.

The German Navy did an incredible thing for this crew, and it has truly been the highest point in the days since the attacks. It's amazing to think that only a half-century ago things were quite different, and to see the unity that is being demonstrated throughout Europe and the world makes us all feel proud to be out here doing our job.

After the ship pulled away and we prepared to begin our man overboard drills the Officer of the Deck turned to me and said "I'm staying Navy."

I'll write you when I know more about when I'll be home, but for now, this is probably the best news that I could send you. Love you guys.

The German destroyer FGS Lutjens saluted the American destroyer USS Winston Churchill with a "manning the rails" ceremony and the display of a banner reading "We Stand By You."

[Steve N]

ABC had a "ten years later" report on the "invasion" of Gander last week. They said the town normally has maybe a half-dozen commuter flights a day (or maybe it was per week) and the entire town only has about 500 hotel rooms. A few years ago I saw a documentary (I think on PBS) called "Stranded Yanks," about not only the Gander situation, but all those Americans who found themselves unexpectedly stuck north of the border. I gotta say, you Canucks are the best neighbors anybody could ever have..especially since it seems like most of the time we Yanks are Homer Simpson and you folks are the long suffering Ned Flanders.

SN

[PetarB]

As a thank you, I give you back Celine Dion

Nobody deserves that. Nobody...

[The_Animal]

I gotta say, you Canucks are the best neighbors anybody could ever have..especially since it seems like most of the time we Yanks are Homer Simpson and you folks are the long suffering Ned Flanders.

SN

Well; Gosh golly gee shucks... Hi-diddly-ho, neighbour...

You all are OK folks too...annoyin' sometimes, but OK, eh?

Edited September 13, 2011 by The_Animal

[TomcatFanatic123]

After being a bit busy yesterday, this is the first I've seen of this topic.

I remember 9/11/01 like it was yesterday. Still plenty of vivid memories in my mind about that fateful day, even though I'm on the West Coast and everything had already happened by the time I got out of bed, meaning I didn't see anything live. I was 21 years old at the time, attending the local junior college. I was up early that day since I had my Administration of Justice class at the Santa Maria campus at 0800. I take medication that can have some pretty dangerous side effects if I don't eat something after taking it, so I have to try to drag myself out of bed a lot earlier than I'd like to in order to get some kind of halfway decent breakfast before I leave. My routine went something like this...get up, make bed, get cleaned up, eat, check in with my grandmother to make sure she's OK, then leave. I usually never turned the TV on in the morning, I was always in a hurry to get out the door. When I called Grandma that morning, as soon as she said "hello", I knew something was weird. First words out of her mouth to me were "James, something terrible has happened in New York and Washington. Turn on your TV." I immediately flipped on the TV, and at that point (this was about 0725 or so pacific time, just before the first tower collapse), they had split-screens of the burning WTC and Pentagon. At the time, I thought "oh crap", but didn't really grasp how serious the situation was at that point because I didn't have time to watch because I had to leave for class. The severity of the situation finally began to hit me when I listened to the news reports on the way over to class, and when I drove by the entrance to Vandenberg AFB and saw all the FPCON Delta measures were in place and the gate guards were in full combat gear with M16's. I got to class, and needless to say, we had class, but nobody's head was in it. Afterwards, there was a small TV in an office down the hall from the classrooms that we gathered around for a few minutes, and we got a little more information. After my morning classes were done, I got back to my car and the news reports were still on the radio. I heard for the first time that "possibly hundreds of firemen and police officers were killed in the attack". That's when it really slammed home for me how serious it was. I called my mom on the phone and asked her for more info, and she said there was video of one of the planes hitting the towers. I rushed home to turn on the news before my afternoon classes, and that's when I first saw the video of the second plane impacting the tower.

It's one of those days you'll never forget where you were and what you were doing.

Edited September 13, 2011 by TomcatFanatic123

[Andre]

As a thank you, I give you back Celine Dion

The Canadian government has apologized for Bryan Adams on several occasions.

Cheers,

Andre

[Lancer512]

I cannot imagine being stuck for 27 hours. By the way, what is the significance of Delta Flight 15?

Well, it is not easy. We had no TV on the plane, so we did not see the pictures of the attacks. We could only imagine it. However, it was beyond imagination. That, and not knowing what was happening the next few days put some stress on all of us. Every aircraft was under lockdown, and we didn't know when our plane was going to be deboarded. The economy class seats did not help much for getting some sleep.

We continued our flight on September, 14th. During the flight to Atlanta, one of the passengers had the idea to pledge money for the locals as a thank you. We were about 220 passengers. When we landed, we had pledges for about $15,000 US. That money was used in a scholarship fund that was set up for the local schools there. The fund has risen to $900,000 by now.

Edited September 13, 2011 by Lancer512

[Horrido]

Excellent! Such as the world should be. :D

[TaiidanTomcat]

Did anyone else hear about this?

http://www.snopes.com/rumors/responders.asp

There was no room for the first responders at the anniversary ceremony?!

[Wolfgun33]

Did anyone else hear about this?

http://www.snopes.com/rumors/responders.asp

There was no room for the first responders at the anniversary ceremony?!

And as in that horrific day.....they just showed up. I had two firefighter friends from my fire department go to the ceremony. I know a lot of them went anyway.

[Big Texan]

Did anyone else hear about this?

http://www.snopes.com/rumors/responders.asp

There was no room for the first responders at the anniversary ceremony?!

Yep, it was on the news. No Clergy, No first responders. Bloomberg's decision, not a popular one I might add.

[Wolfgun33]

Yep, it was on the news. No Clergy, No first responders. Bloomberg's decision, not a popular one I might add.

Not a good idea to **** off your emergency responders.

"What you have an emergency Mr Bloomberg? Yeah we'll be there when we get the invitation."

[TaiidanTomcat]

Not a good idea to **** off your emergency responders.

"What you have an emergency Mr Bloomberg? Yeah we'll be there when we get the invitation."

I just dont get the "we will have your ceremony at another time, at another place..." either. Where and when would be more appropriate exactly?

In the mean time, enjoy your ceremonies at your friendly New Jersey Wal-Mart, heroes.

[Big Texan]

Yep, a bad decision by Bloomberg, he'll pay for it at election time.

[zerosystem]

Yep, a bad decision by Bloomberg, he'll pay for it at election time.

just seems to be a string for him though...