In memory of those lost, their families, their friends, and those who ran towards danger on that September morning.

 

I can remember that day as if it were yesterday, just about every detail of what I was doing at the time all the pictures and info started coming in.....

 

Same here. I was in 8th grade..

 

A sad day in infamy, much worse than anyone could imagine!

 

I dare say, tragedy wise, this is on par with Pearl Harbor..

 

 

Special THANKS to those who participated in the relief/rescue effort and those Service Members that brought some satisfaction to the families that lost friends, relatives, spouses.

Those that lost friends, relatives and spouses our thoughts and prayers are still with you....as are the prayers and thoughts to those who were lost.

I SHALL NEVER FORGET

 

Well said Snoopy!!!!

I'll never forget the unbelief as I saw it on the internet news before heading into work - turned on the tv - then grabbing a portable tv to take to work - the co-workers huddled around it on the desk - the "you are kidding me, aren't you" response to a co-worker walking into our early morning meeting a few minutes late and who had not heard about it - how the meeting room got quiet a few minutes later as we watched a big plane on it's final approach to the local airport - the consultant sitting next to my desk from Seattle worried about his cousins in one of the towers. An unforgettable day.

 

i was at work that day in NYC. midtown to be exact. couldnt see nor did we have news nor any real means of contact outside our office. we knew what was going on but you people knew more of the event then we did. had to go down the block to see someone with direct tv, satellite. phone worked sporadically and the only communication was with one of our other offices in Citicorp Center. they were our eyes. they had a direct view of the towers. when i finally did get the chance to see it completely i couldnt believe it.

trains/buses/bridges were all shut down so we couldnt get home. LIRR trains finally started running about 4-5p that day but they would only leave after the train filled up and they all ran local. took us over 2-3 hrs to take a normal 45min trip. but not a complaint from anyone. we all told stories, or listened.

the city was changed for the next few weeks. a huge police presence the cars lined the block with them all parked diagonally on the sidewalk on 34th st across from Macys from 7th ave to 6th ave even the out of town police cars. this happened on numerous blocks in midtown as well. it was a strange sight to see HUMVEE's going down Park ave. and the fully outfitted soldiers walking around with their M-16's at the ready. the amount of helicopters, mostly police.

it made NYr's a more polite breed. you saw people wandering aimlessly down the block, not with their usual intensity to catch a train. if people bumped into one another they actually apologized. people would also talk as others just gazed into oblivion. this lasted about a month then it slowly got back the cities intensity.

as mentioned i live about 45min east of the city. i was home the next day with my windows open and we smelled the fires. my cousin went down to Ground Zero about 2 weeks later and told me that it looked like a battlefield.

i am sorry, this is NOT similar to Pearl Harbor. Pearl Harbor was a Military catastrophe. 911 was mostly a Civilian catastrophe. Military know that attacks can occur and they signed up for it. Civilians never did and never expected this. i am not taking away from Pearl Harbor just making sure to state that it is a separate issue. they were both catastrophe's but they are different.

to hear some of the peoples stories that a directly effected by this was horriffying. i heard the first plane fly over and really didnt think much about it except that it was flying low. when i got into work i was told that a small plane crashed into the towers. we all thought it was an accident because all the airports around Manhattan, JFK, LaGuardia, Newark, Teeterboro....to name a few.

it is heart wrenching knowing that people can do this to one another just because they have a problem with our government and are they are making a point.

last falli was with a friend visiting the 911 memorial. he was supposed to be there that day but as things worked out last minute he had to go to a different office. needless to say he has survivors guilt and broke down that day. a man that benches 450lbs and i consider tough was crying in my arms. he lost everyone in that office and he should have been there as well.

NEVER FORGET!!!!! but it seems as if some if not most of us have....

sorry for the long post....

 

Thanks for your personal and "up front" account

I, for one, would encourage additional personal accounts.

We did have, many years ago, a retired fire fighter from FDNY. He retired on a disability from health problems he encountered while responding to the 911 disaster. Hasn't signed on to this forum in several years, I believe, so I'm not sure if he is still "around". Nice guy, so I wish him well.