Do you remember where you were when we were ATTACKED ? It is important that you do. It's important to remember how you felt. We should all remember what we heard and what we saw, and we should have learned something from it all
When it happened, I lived about 40 miles south of the Pentagon, straight down I-95. I was working in Richmond VA installing fiber optic cable at a military base. My crew and I were approached by the military police and I was told to shut down all construction and secure my equipment. As I had my guy's lock everything down, I tried to call my office, but could not get through. I hit another worker on my direct connect, but nothing would work.
When the area was secured, my crew and I went to our off-site to get our personal vehicles, and I continued to call my office and co-workers, but the cell phone would not dial out. We then decided we would all load up in my vehicle and go to our main office in Chantilly VA, about an hour and 45 minutes away.
Just as I was leaving the Richmond city limits, my phone rang. It was my wife, and I answered jokingly " how did you know I was coming home ? " I heard her crying and screaming, and then she told me we were being attacked. She told me about the towers and the Pentagon. She told me she was so scared, and please come home now.
My phone died after she said that, and we all tried to call family, but the lines were so jammed we just gave up and sped up I-95 to our homes.
I-95 was closed near the Pentagon for some time, but the next day, my wife, some friends, and myself went through the parkway past Reagan National Airport, under the 14th street bridge, and past what was left of the Pentagon. It was still burning, and the area was still full of smoke. I will never forget what I saw, and I will never forget that smell. We knew what needed to be done back then, and we need to remember what needs to be done now. NEVER FORGET !
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Okay after bawling my eyes out with your videos, pictures and story, I think I can finally type.
By the way, very nicely done, I don't think anyone could have done it better.
I had gotten into the office here in Minnesota, shortly after my honeymoon, when it happened. I was working away, when my boss got a phone call.
I noticed the look on her face and screamed for someone to bring out the T.V. that was in one of the other offices.
As that was being done, another worker came in and began telling us what he had just heard on the radio.
We turned on the television, just before the second hit and all of us froze, tears began to stream down everyone's faces and I also new several workers had family members in New York.
I instantly called my husband and we just couldn't even believe what was happening. Of course we called all our other family and friends.
It was such a horrible tragedy and those words are not even enough to describe it.
I will never ever forget the way I felt at that moment, ever! For me being an American, for all the peoples who lives had been for ever changed, for all the grief and pain of so many loved ones lost and what would have to be dealt with and for the survivors.
Thank you for sharing your story. I never heard such a personal one like that from anyone outside of NYC. I posted mine today.
Very touching tribute. I remember where I was that day and I remember leaving work to pick up my children from school when they announced on TV that President Bush was entering the bunker. I thought the nukes would be going off soon and I wanted my children with me if that happened.
Thank God that didn't happen.
Very good post, thanks. I was thinking as I read it, "I wonder if the S.O.B.'s in the middle east are reading this and feeling good about it?". I hope they are reading it, because then they will know that we are patriotic, strong and united and that we have not forgotten.
I was at work in Florida at a college. One of the students came into our office and told us to pull up cnn.com, that the twin towers had been hit by a plane. I remember the site wouldn't load for a long time and the web was jammed and really slow. I didn't know it was a terrorist attack until our office staff assembled in a classroom that had a tv. Once we realized it was no accident, everyone started to moan and cry and pray. I heard later in the day that one of our professors had a son who worked in the towers and she didn't know if he was ok or not. It didn't take long for students and staff and faculty all to get word around of many friends and family of the campus who could/would be affected directly.
Once the third plane was down we were all feeling we were next, that it was only going to get worse. I can't vouch for everyone else, but I personally was re-evaluating my life and decisions and I remember thinkning I needed more time to put some things right.
No, I wasn't in or near New York or the northeas US, but it had a profound affect. By the way, the professor's son did not make it. I still don't feel that we have righted the wrong.
You and I were in the same general area. I had just driven by the Pentagon. What memories! I posted my thoughts on my blog yesterday, and it was like it was just yesterday.
My tale comes with far less of a story behind it. As it happened, I was not working on that fateful day. As with so many others in the nation, I happened to flip across CNN to check on the... what was that? The brilliant imagery of the first tower in flames... At that point, they were still speaking of some kind of mistake. The idea of an attack was spoken of as premature. And then, as you know, came plane number two. I'm almost crying as I write this comment. Simple as my story may be, it is a story that I will remember for the rest of my life. I believe this is the first time I've told it.
Thanks for sharing everyone. And Jeff, I think this is the first time I have actually told my story also
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