Where Were You ?

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 !