Where was I? And what memories do I have.
I was in floor 61 of WTC Tower 2. But my memories don’t’ start there. It all began in Miami when I said goodbye to my family on Sunday September 9th with an unusual heavy heart, none of us ever cried when I said goodbye for my trips. This time we all did. I could never sleep on airplanes but this time I slept so deeply that I didn’t even know where I was when we landed in N.Y. Went to my hotel. My roommate didn’t show up until Monday September 10th at 5:00 AM to pick up his bags. Introduced himself and gave me his subway pass. He was going to stay with his in-laws in Manhattan so no use for subways. The bus came by and picked us up. 255 of us were there from all over for the last two weeks of training with one of the largest brokerage firms in the world.
Day 1 – September 10th 2001 Today was orientation day. I was excited and full of hope. Could not wait for the training to end so I could hit the phone and start my career. Last thing I did that day after getting my ID and elevator pass was memorize the subway that would take me to my hotel, just in case. 1-2-3 Up Town. Took the bus back to the hotel. Went out that night with some colleagues, I was asked when I was to return to Miami and without giving it any thought I replied “Thursday”. Don’t know why I said that.
Day 2 – September 11th 2001 – Woke up at 5:30 AM. The room was very cold, I took a fast shower, got dressed and made my way to the lobby. My heart and mind were racing with anticipation and could feel the same from my colleagues as we waited for the bus to go back to the towers to start our first conference at 7:30 AM. Conference started, I feel insecure, can’t concentrate. Thoughts start poring into my mind, “am I hungry?”, “nervous?, what? Could not pinpoint what I was feeling. 8:30 AM the first speaker announces that he’s done and that we’ll reconvene in 20 minutes. I was the first one up and walking towards the door. Saw the Continental Breakfast table across the room and as I made my way there saw an elevator with it’s door open through a long hallway to my right. Made a military right walked what seemed like an everlasting minute, got into the elevator. I was the only one going down. Got to the 40th floor had to change elevators, again I was the only one going down. Got to the first floor, did another military right when I saw the street. Pushed through the revolving door. As soon as my foot stepped out BAM! The weirdest thunder like noise I has ever heard. Everyone was asking what happened. No one knew. The person that got out before me looks up and yells at the top of his lungs: “Oh shit! Everyone looks up and chaos explodes. There is all kinds of debris raining down, people are scrambling, yelling, running, looking for shelter. The guy that yelled along with 6 others and myself run toward the revolving doors which gets jammed and now I have 7 people stuffed in the compartment with me. That hurt. After a couple of minutes we managed to get out. My only point of reference is my employer’s office in floor 61 so I make my way in to catch the elevator but they have frozen them until they figure out what is going on. I decide to go find out for myself. I go out and around Tower 2 and make my way to Tower 1 where I see hundreds looking up in awe to what the first ATTACK plane did. As soon as I grab my spot and look up I see the first person jump trying to get away from the fire. My brain is in shock, my heart is hurting, I start feeling the Adrenalin rush that I feel when racing only this time it’s 10 times stronger. I turn away before the first person hits the ground and started walking through the crowd around Tower 1 thinking that I had to go back to the office when BAM! Tower 2 gets hit by the second ATTACKERS. The ball of fire we saw and felt was surreal. Everyone in the huge group I was in froze for a second and then PANDEMONIUM. I was caught in a stampede of people running for their lives, unable to turn or stop but had to go with the flow. Had no idea where I was going, things were falling from the sky, people were getting hit by debris, people were falling down, yelling, crying, sirens howling all over the place, the streets were frozen, chaos. We got to a plaza where people started dispersing. I was in front of some college and decided to stop to asses the situation. I could not think, my body wasn’t shaking or trembling. It was waving uncontrollably, best way I can describe it. Could not stand still because it felt like my knees would fold when I did so I started walking in small circles. All that came to mind and then out of my mouth was: “Lord, what would you have me do?” again and again… After my 7th circle I stopped and looked up. There was a sign for a subway. Made my way to it and it was the 1-2-3 Up Town. I didn’t think about it, started running down the stairs as I remembered my roommate’s subway pass. As I pulled it out and got to the bottom there was a large heavy set black lady crying her heart out. Came up to her and advised her to get out of the area to which she responded: “Thank you baby, but I think I’ll just sit here and pray, lots of good folk will die here today” again I advised against it but she asked: What are you doing down here?” “I am looking to get on the 1-2-3 Up Town” I responded. She said: ” See that train coming in now? That’s it, God bless you”. “Won’t you come with me?” I asked a third time. “I will help you” (she must have been like 300 pounds) But she just signaled with her hand to go. As I got into the train I found that everyone there was oblivious to what was going on. A lady pointed out to me by asking: “What happened to you”? To me? I asked. “Yes, what happened to your arm?” I was wearing a white long sleeve shirt, my left sleeve was covered in blood which I had not noticed and was no mine.
I ended going back home via train on Thursday.

People! – Don’t forget 9/11/01 – It can happen again. Many have forgotten and we are now more vulnerable than ever. Wake Up!

I was in Vietnam and had just gotten engaged to my future wife. Working on the computer she burst into the room screaming that America was being attacked. Switched to an American web site in time to see the second plane hit its target. Her family is watching local news but I was seeing it person. A punch to the gut. I was scheduled to fly in 2 days but found the air traffic was closed. I flew to japan for my connection to the US. Delayed for a few hours then was boarded. Asked if we will be let to land and was told they would know when we arrive. Not reassuring. But I was on the 1st international flight to land at SF. When I got into the airport for my flight home a aide worker approached asking if I was ok. That is when I lost it and cried like a child. And my wife? 20 years in 22 and is a proud conservative.

I was visiting relatives in Idaho, because it’s a good time for a vacation because it was nice clear fall weather, and nothing ever happens in September…
I woke up to my uncle walking down the hall saying something about the world coming apart.
We spent the next three days watching TV trying to grasp what had just happened and whether anything was still happening. Even in rural Idaho, the lack of airplanes overhead was notable, partly because for a long time afterward, any airplane caught my attention; I would watch to make sure it was on a reasonable course!
I visited my grandmother in an Alzheimer’s nursing home and realized most of the people there would still have the memory of the previous time the US was attacked, at Pearl Harbor.

We were in Geneva, Switzerland for planning meetings with a lab director. All flights to the USA were cancelled; we were housed by local friends for one night. The remainder of the week we stayed in the “League of Nations” Sheraton, owned by middle easterners and guarded by an obvious, large paramilitary team. 
At dinner the second night, I posed this question to an Episcopal priest I knew very well: “Given that the core of Judaism is focused on ethical behavior and justice and that the core of Christianity is focused on love and forgiveness, what the focus of Islam’s core?” His one word answer: “Power.”
A week later back in classes, I asked my students how other faculty had discussed the attack with them. No other professors had even raised the issue. My formulation for them, “Not that Y2K nonsense, but this attack was the start of the new millennium.”

It took a week before workers returned 100% to San Francisco (there was palpable fear of an attack on any city).
The week after 9/11, instinctively, SF workers crowded into St. Patrick’s at noontime to pray. Standing room only, from door to altar.
Two weeks after that, there were posters with a photo of the World Trade attack taped on every pole in the business district with these words: “America’s chickens have come home to roost.”
Evil never stops.

It was a perfect September day until I turned on the TV. We saw the horror unfold.
We saw the smoke and heard the endless helicopters flying over head. The phone lines
were busy. We were frantic to get a hold of a niece who was supposed to be in the WTC.
When we could finally connect. Her training was moved to a facility in Brooklyn or Queens, I forget. It was for one of the major financial firms up there. Her mother had just died in August of cancer.

I got up a little later than the rest, after sleeping poorly on an uncomfortable couch in the basement of my Aunt & Uncle’s place in Boulder, CO. Sunday, their oldest grandchild had gotten married. It had worked out well that I could detour through Colorado with my mom so we could attend the wedding while taking her home to CA after spending much of the summer with me up in MT. Monday, we packed up all the wedding gifts to store, and got the couple sent off on their honeymoon, followed by some extended family time, out to lunch etc.

Everything was different that Tuesday morning. I came upstairs and everyone was so riveted on the TV. It took a bit to get someone to give me the background. Then the second plane hit, and we knew.

Some time was spent in discussion. We couldn’t just stay there, waiting dumbly to see what would happen next, so the decision was made to follow our original plan and hit the road and press on driving to California. Much time was spent seeking across the radio spectrum during the drive, constantly trying to gather more information.

In 2011 a local mosque set up a carnival allegedly to celebrate Eid – directly across from a new 9/11 monument at a local firehouse preparing a memorial for the tenth anniversary of 9/11.

The mosque had the utter gall to set up a large air-filled slide where the children would climb from behind and descend directly facing that monument.  

Report on that event here:
https://gatesofvienna.net/2011/09/local-muslims-and-the-tenth-anniversary-memorial-to-911/

Fortunately, there was no repeat of the offensive ‘carnival’ across from a local firehouse this year.   So theres that.

Went to the airport around 3 am with my husband, just to be with him and say bye before he got in the plane from Lima-Peru to the US, back home and went to bed. Not sure about the time, sometime around 9:00 am my best friend called me, are you watching tv? Where is your husband, wasn’t he traveling to the US? I run to turn on the TV, it didn’t felt real at first, it was like a movie, the first tower was in flames and everyone believe it was an accident, I was glued to the tv, barely take time to change and go to the bathroom, later seeing a plane hitting the second tower, it was no doubt a terrorist attack, the speculations about more planes being taken by terrorist , I started a frantic search by phone of information, where was my husband? only around 4:00 pm my husband was able to call me to let me know he was safe, his connection flight was ready to depart but few minutes before they got the order to leave the plane, he said nobody new what was going on, he walked around the gate to a bar and saw people all together watching something on tv, he got closer and saw the towers burning. It was a long, sad day.

Pluto tv has 9/11: The Falling Man on demand. No subscription or account required. This is a free, online or via app streaming services.

Aside, the “History” channel (651) has excellent shows, WWI, WWII, etc. They are older programs and do not have the modern day skewed coverage.

https://www.pluto.tv/en/live-tv/pluto-tv-history

Was at my office in Washington DC. Could see smoke from the Pentagon.

Drove to my home in N Va past an eerily locked down Reagan airport and DCA air space.

I was in training in KC. We had just gotten back to the classroom when someone came in and said a plane hit one of the twin towers. My first thought was it was a Cessna and it was foggy.

The whole class emptied out and went back to the breakroom where the TV was. My first sight of it was the first plane hitting the building. Just shocked and speechless as were everyone else in the room.

There were LEO’s in training in another part of the building. Someone must have told them since the room was quite crowded with plainclothes LEO’s with badges. After watching what was happening for about 2 minutes, they all disappeared.

Many of us stayed in the breakroom watching what was happening up until both buildings had fallen. Eventually we were told to go back to the hotel and wait, and we would be notified what to do.

I went back to the hotel, but didn’t want to stay in the room by myself just watching, so I went down to the lounge that had a TV. Not many were around, but there were a few watching silently.

I was remembering the flight crew that had been in the lounge the night before, with 2 of the stewardesses saying their flight the next morning, 9/11, was to Boston.

I watched the news a while more until 4 twenty-somethings came down, sat at a table chatting as if nothing had been going on all day, when one started complaining about just the news being on TV. He wanted something else on. The bartender turned if off. I went to my room.

The next day we were told classes were canceled, but so were all flights, so we would have to stay at the hotel until things changed.

The hotel was filled, and KCI set up big tents on the grounds to handle those stranded. No rental cars were available. People milled about in stunned silence.

On the 2nd day after, another guy in the same class called. He managed to get a rental car, so we and a third guy in the class finally managed to start the long drive home.

Such a horrible day.

Col. Tony Shaffer and his group identified the hijackers prior to 9/11 and reported up the ladder at SOCOM. But they refused to do anything with his intelligence. This is truly one of the best interviews I have seen for a long time. A must-watch.

PS: For years now the first thing I do is read CTH. (many times a day) BUT FOR SOME REASON MY POSTS ARE BLOCKED)

I posted earlier today where I was as the TwinTowers collapsed. All day I have read all my Treepers posts so awesome to read the stories. I have had tears most of today reading all the remembrances. And Sundance’s earlier poem/post just hit me so hard. My tears & feelings are like a release from remembering that awful Sept day. Thank you Sundance for all you write/do. God bless our military troops first responders and I have to say God bless our Real President Donald J. Trump. Amen.

Horrible day. A closed circuit TV lecture was cancelled by my Asian professor. He was so shaken, he couldn’t go on. I went back to work and tried to work. THe executive’s office door, in the corner, was left wide open, so we could watch TV developments. I knew that our world would never be the same.

a midday longboard surfing session at TONGS in waikiki.

A great day …small waves, 1-3 fett, but beautiful calm conditions…late in the summer sometimes has really long train waves from the south….with offshore light winds, it is really special. really really special. I’ve done it thousands of times with friends.

but something happened. ordinarily you can hear the music throb from the local bars and restaurants in the background….and the of course the local hawaiian bands playing that waikiki swing. We normally surf those days well into the evening long after dark..the light from waikiki keeps the waves in view. it’s a very special surf thing.

But the music stopped. It was quiet…people were not on the beach…ordinarily there would be thousands of people in the sun kicking it. But nobody was on the beach…everything that we would expect was missing.

I turned to my good friend, pali…Hey braddah. Something’s up. Him: yeah, got quiet real quick.

So we paddle in. We went to DUKE’S…a iconic bar restaurant. All the beach boys were gone..boards left in the sand…some floating away in the waves. blankets and gear left unattended. We could hear people crying. Lots of crying…but mostly just silence.

very unusual.

no cars moving…just parked up against the curb…

and noiseless.

we wiggled our way through the massive crowds to see what they were all looking at.

the big screen tv’s.

As soon as I realized the situation, I asked pali to get my board home and look after my wife and kids for a couple days.

I didn’t get back to Hawai’i for 11 months.

That was me “memory”…

I am fortunate to have had such fine friends in Hawai’i.

there is this part of hawai’i that doesn’t get enough attention.

there is a huge patriotic, honorable society of americans who live there. And not just the military community. There are still people who understand and respect what Hawai’i is really about for America…

I can’t discuss what happened in my life during those 11 months only to report, we made a difference that mattered.

I am a proud patriot, who swore an oath for all the right reasons.

I will never refuse to perform my duty, even though I don’t wear the uniform..I still have the duty.

I am not alone. we are many.

September 11 2001 was a wakeup call.

We woke up.

We never went back to sleep.

God Bless America

Remembering what happened on Sept 10th, 2001. THE DAY BEFORE! If true this is jaw-dropping.

https://911blogger.com/news/2014-09-08/day-911-suspicious-events-sept-10-2001

1986…I met a girl from atlanta in soho NYC. Our first date was on the observation tower of the south trade center tower. I’m a history geek. I wanted to impress my new girlfriend by going up and pointing out the statue of liberty, ellis island and what those two special places mean for American..The land of the free, home of the brave, taking all comers.

It’s one of the best memories I have of NYC. Lived on governor island for a couple years taking the ferry each day back and forth to south manhattan and back.

Just to see about a girl. She was sweet and although I never fell in love with here, I am a softie for southern women ..Something about being polite and honest. Tried dating lots of New York girls. Just not my cup of coffee.

So this Georgia peach is with me as we are at the tip top of Manhattan and she turns to me and says:

This was the best date I have ever had.

It was for me too. Very memorable. She held my hand…it wasn’t some affection toward me. Sometimes you know what someone is feeling.

She was having that AMERICAN MOMENT. She was in awe of what this place had been in the epic of the American saga.

She held my hand as to say “wow”….

It was special.

I lost touch with this girl, but that date had a big impact on me.

many years later, 2001, as I watched both towers fall, I remembered that hand holding and the memory.

witnessing the falling bodies and the fire and collapse.

It was that day when my attitudes changed about islam.

They targeted the towers because it was meaningful and important to our culture. They took both of them out because they wanted to make us terrified and hopeless.

What they never realized is that the religious war they were bent on conducting would wake the giants in the United States.

I am proud to say, and unashamed to admit, my crew gave lots of them dirt beds.

That war continues….

this regime of intalled corruptors makes the islamic threat pale in comparison.

9/11 is NOW.

the gap narrows..stage 3 advances.

be unafraid.

GOD BLESS AMERICA

I won’t belabor this as my own moment, I did lose two good friends on that day! It was always personal, and betrayal from within is what I concluded when it was all said and done! We don’t have to look far to understand the whats, the why’s and the hows. Its just the way it is. Some of us accept the truth, while others trade one hegemony for another.

I know that Bruce is a slime ball, but this song, for me, is one of the best ever written. I used to listen to it over and over when it first came out to help me get through 9/11. The lyrics are so spot on, I would cry and cry, and cry. Still do whenever I hear the song, which isn’t often anymore, but today I had to listen to it, over and over.

The Firefighter at 22-23 seconds is the Fireman I always think about, it just tears my heart when I think of those guys w/their gear going up those stairs into the fire knowing they were climbing to hell on Earth. Mind numbing to me. God Bless them and love them, and their families.

If I got to writing about my 9/11 experience and memories I don’t think I could stop, so I won’t start. I will say to this day I can still hear in my head the Fireman down alarms going off non-stop under the rubble.

I think this is a beautiful song and video. It is like it was yesterday, literally. It is all right there. Amazing what the time of the past 20 years has brought to us since this day.

The terrorists, hate us for our freedom.

Hard to remember anything else.

Remember freedom?

SARS doesn’t.

I was working in Shirlington Va. About two miles from the Pentagon. I was wondering who in this crazy stupid world of ours would want to piss off a bunch of Generals. And now I no longer wonder about our pansie candy assed generals.