I was 18, and in class at Automotive tech school in Phoenix AZ about to start class. Semi Truck transmissions class actually, that day is still fresh in my head as to where I was. the instructors let us watch the TV for an hour or so and then we had class. They weren't sure what to do at first, but carry on was the call they made.
9/11, where were you that day?
- Thread starter Tranz Zam
- Start date
9/11 still is and likely will always be a day that I remember quite vividly. I was in middle school and we spent the whole day watching the news and talking about what happened. My grandparents, who lived on long island, were scheduled to fly into CA a few days later to visit but couldn't because all air traffic grounded. My mom grew up in NYC and I still have a good amount of family there so I recall my mom spending all day talking to people asking if they were alright.
Horrible, horrible day. It still gives me goosebumps when I see the footage of the planes hitting the towers and thinking of all the civilians, firefighters, police, and everyone else who lost their lives that day.
Horrible, horrible day. It still gives me goosebumps when I see the footage of the planes hitting the towers and thinking of all the civilians, firefighters, police, and everyone else who lost their lives that day.
I was at work when one of the office girls came back to tell me a plane had hit one of the towers. I thought it was odd but got into my shop truck to run some errands. I had just pulled into the Home Depot parking lot when news broke about the Pentagon getting hit. Knew something wasn’t right then. Got back to the shop about the time the second tower was hit. We had quick meeting with management who gave us the option to stay or go home. I stayed but wasn’t in the mood to do much so I sat in my office and listened to the radio.
One of our remote sales guys was at the office and supposed to fly home to Dallas that day. That wasn’t going happen. He’d already checked out of his hotel and couldn’t get another room, so my wife and I put him up for a couple of nights. He couldn’t get a rental car to get back to Dallas, so the GM leant him his company car to get home. After flights resumed, I flew to Dallas and got the car. The airports were just eerie.
One of our remote sales guys was at the office and supposed to fly home to Dallas that day. That wasn’t going happen. He’d already checked out of his hotel and couldn’t get another room, so my wife and I put him up for a couple of nights. He couldn’t get a rental car to get back to Dallas, so the GM leant him his company car to get home. After flights resumed, I flew to Dallas and got the car. The airports were just eerie.
Swamp Yankee
TJ Enthusiast
I was working in the office when it happened and my co worker who was normally quiet started yelling at the top of her lungs for everyone to shut up something bad happened, and we all listened to the reports on the radio. I remember the internet wasn’t very good back then to support everyone in the country trying to stream the news, 15 of us watched what was happening on one monitor which kept locking up on us.
The following days were strange outside with no planes flying, it was so quiet. My first born was only 3 weeks old when this took place, I was worrying about what kind of world I had brought this child into.
The following days were strange outside with no planes flying, it was so quiet. My first born was only 3 weeks old when this took place, I was worrying about what kind of world I had brought this child into.
My situation was similar to the op's but I ask people at my work how it was on that day to hear what they went through. We do communications for air traffic control for the flights coming into and out of the United States over the Atlantic ocean. Every flight was diverted to Canada, the Caribbean islands, or told to turn around. After hours of working non stop things started to calm down and eventually completely stop for 3 straight days. No flights in or out. They still had to come to work for the occasional military flight and then eventually Europe to the Caribbean and South American picked up. One of my best friends father was working in New York air traffic control center and talked to American 11 right before losing contact.
I being stationed in Korea, and working nights had just fallen asleep. Roommate wakes me up and told me a plane flew into the pentagon.
figured he was talking about how a Cessna ran out of fuel. Happened a few years before when a plane had to land on The White House lawn.Once I’m awake I’m up for at least two hours.
Ended up turning on a TV and realized my roommate seriously underplayed what had happened.
I’m one of the few pre 9/11 guys in my company, Having Joined the military in 98
figured he was talking about how a Cessna ran out of fuel. Happened a few years before when a plane had to land on The White House lawn.Once I’m awake I’m up for at least two hours.
Ended up turning on a TV and realized my roommate seriously underplayed what had happened.
I’m one of the few pre 9/11 guys in my company, Having Joined the military in 98
I was 40 feet in the air stationed in a armed guard tower. News of it came over the radio. Felt numb and helpless as my post was a 12 hour shift and I wasn’t but a 1/4 of the way through.
I had taken that day off as my wife and I were scheduled to sit for a portrait (photograph). Was still asleep, sister in law called with "We're under attack! Pentagon, New York....".
Of course we turned on the idiot box, until it was time to go to the beauty salon to get dolled up for the portrait. After the portrait, we came home and turned on the TV again...
One of my dance sisters in California told us she had gotten grounded in Texas (either Houston or Dallas, forget which). She, along with 2 men and another woman, ended up renting a car and driving non-stop back to the Bay Area.
Of course we turned on the idiot box, until it was time to go to the beauty salon to get dolled up for the portrait. After the portrait, we came home and turned on the TV again...
One of my dance sisters in California told us she had gotten grounded in Texas (either Houston or Dallas, forget which). She, along with 2 men and another woman, ended up renting a car and driving non-stop back to the Bay Area.
I was at work. It was an awful day.
Bless the men and women who went to war after that, many of whom I know, two of whom were killed. I have a lot of respect for the military, and regret not entering the service.
Bless the men and women who went to war after that, many of whom I know, two of whom were killed. I have a lot of respect for the military, and regret not entering the service.
I was in high school. That day I was in “in school suspension” where they just made you sit in a quiet room all day...
Another teacher came in after the first plane hit and turned on the TV. We watched the rest live.
Another teacher came in after the first plane hit and turned on the TV. We watched the rest live.
I was 40 years old, I was home sick watching TV, when the first plane hit. I thought how can anyone hit a big building by accident?
Then the second building was hit, I figured we are going to war.
Then the second building was hit, I figured we are going to war.
SaharaBound
TJ Enthusiast
I was in 1st grade in a small Midwest farm town. Can’t remember much really other than teacher’s turning on the news.
Was in my bathroom shaving with the TV on CNBC in the bedroom. Morning anchor and one of the commentators were discussing the fire in the Trade Center when through the mirror I could see the second plane hit the tower in real time..... The anchor then said: "That was intentional.... I think we're in a war situation".
I owned a 20 person Architectural Practice in those days that designed hospitals. I had 3 reservists in senior positions.... hospitals stopped all work immediately and I lost 3 senior employees over the next 2 months as we began the build-up.
I owned a 20 person Architectural Practice in those days that designed hospitals. I had 3 reservists in senior positions.... hospitals stopped all work immediately and I lost 3 senior employees over the next 2 months as we began the build-up.
I have to say I am not a very emotional guy, but about 2 years later I was in the Amtrak station in NYC and they had pieces of some of the I-beams from the WTC on display. I walked in front of one and was absolutely overcome with emotion being in front of it...it was almost a magnetic pull feeling, I was actually crying in the middle of Penn station.
I was in 6th grade, and remember seeing it on TV and school sending us home. One of my current friends who is a few years older than me lived in NYC at the time, and he remembers everything being covered with a blanket of smoke like it was dark out, and lots of people running.
I happened to live in an area that was a flight path at the time, and I remember how eerie it was to not hear any planes when they were all grounded.
I happened to live in an area that was a flight path at the time, and I remember how eerie it was to not hear any planes when they were all grounded.
It probably is, but I'm not sure I want to set foot in the city or state of New York.
I was in 7th grade. Grew up on a farm, only had the antenna for TV. My cartoons where cut, and the breaking news came on. I remember at first not quite comprehending (or at least in hindsight that's how it felt) and I still couldn't turn away. As it sunk in and I realized something very real was happening, I ran all the way out to the barn to get my dad who was out feeding animals. I remember the news anchors being calm at first, saying that they don't quite know what the situation was and why it crashed, it seemed like it still could've been a accident.
I remember they had life footage, but there must've been a lag between the screen the news anchors saw, and what was being aired because I remember her face, when it sank, moments before the second plane came into view and crashed on the footage I could see.
We definitely watched the tv too long. I had an hour bus ride in the morning despite the school being a 10 min drive away (first on, first off) so I knew it was big when I got a ride to school. I remember every teacher telling us that we are just gunna be watching the news that day, and we did. Even as a whole school full of 7/8th graders, that was a quiet, joke free, ominous day.
I remember they had life footage, but there must've been a lag between the screen the news anchors saw, and what was being aired because I remember her face, when it sank, moments before the second plane came into view and crashed on the footage I could see.
We definitely watched the tv too long. I had an hour bus ride in the morning despite the school being a 10 min drive away (first on, first off) so I knew it was big when I got a ride to school. I remember every teacher telling us that we are just gunna be watching the news that day, and we did. Even as a whole school full of 7/8th graders, that was a quiet, joke free, ominous day.