Where were you on 9/11?

[raftercy]

I was at work, starting the day as usual, when a co-worker who hadn't come in yet called and said we should turn on the TV as a plane had hit the WTC. We turned it on, but we thought it was a small plane and didn't think a great deal about it. Then as we watched, the second tower was hit, and we all realized it was a terrorist act, and the mood in the break room changed. We tried to work, but kept going back to watch the TV for updates. We didn't consider that the towers would collapse, we assumed that the fires would be put out. Later that day, experienced the lines for gas. A very memorable day for sure.

 

[Tony Gunk]

Posted this last year. Can't believe it's been 20 years.

I was 29 at the time and had just celebrated my two year anniversary the week before. My wife and I lived in Battery Park City (Gateway Plaza - about a block and a half from the WTC). Every morning we went to work via the subway through the WTC to get to work at Times Square. That morning, we were a little late, so we were in the apartment when both planes hit. Heard the second one - I thought a plane had crashed into the Hudson River.

Basically 2-3 blocks away when the towers fell. Scariest part was when the first (south) one fell, and we were basically pinned against the esplanade - didn't know if chunks of the building would hit us... it looked like a volcano exploded. Thought about the possibility dying from suffocation. I couldn't see my wife - had to hold her hand to know where she was.

I won't go through every detail, but ended up on a ferry to Jersey City, NJ, where we stayed at a scummy hotel and ended up living with my in-laws in Brooklyn for a month before we could get back to our apartment.

Fast forward - I was going to give a presentation about my experiences to my daughter's 8th grade class, but they aren't letting guests into the school due to COVID.

Attached are a couple pictures from that presentation showing where our apartment was.

View attachment 75378 View attachment 75379

 

[flycy]

On an upper floor of 801 Grand. Lots of crazy rumors going around about multiple planes hijacked, multiple buildings being targeted, and so on. Lots of people went home but those of us who stayed were either glued to TVs or hovering around the windows most of the day.

You should have heard the "confirmed" reports coming out of the intel community including confirmed reports that F-15s shot down an airliner over Alaska and dozens of planes all over the world not communicating with ATC, suspected to also be hijacked.

 

[MisterO]

I had just started my first year of law school and came out of Torts class. They rolled televisions into the atrium and all the students and professors watched in disbelief as the second plane hit the tower. I had just been honorably discharged from the Air Force earlier that year and thought for sure I would be brought back in off of inactive reserve.

If you haven’t been- go out to NYC and tour the museum. It’s something every American should experience and may we never forget.

 

[Sousaclone]

You should have seen the "confirmed" reports coming out of the intel community including confirmed reports that F-15s shot down an airliner over Alaska and dozens of planes all over the world not communicating with ATC.

I can't imagine the cluster we'd have in this day in age with social media with false sightings, rumor mill, and just general fear mongering. It was bad enough with facebook groups and just pure unsubstantiated rumors during the BLM protests. People nowadays would be spouting off (and believing) that someone was going to drive a loaded oil train into the white house or there was a tanker ship full of anthrax headed for Denver.