Remembering 9/11 ----- 23 Years Later

[superblytrife]

I was sitting at a MEPS station getting ready to go over my contract info for the Army Reserves, and then I was shipping out to basic training at Ft. Knox later that day.

I vividly remember there was a Missy Elliot video on the TV in the waiting room and then someone rushed in and changed the channel to the news.  One tower had already been hit and at that point I figured some idiot pilot made a mistake.  But then we all watched live as the second tower got hit.  I was ******** bricks at that point, being that I was literally minutes away from officially joining the military.

Eventually they sent us all back to the hotel until we got further orders--all planes were grounded so nobody could get to basic training.  We stayed in the hotel for 2 more nights waiting to see what would happen, and as you could imagine, it was a pretty tense few days.  You had a bunch of kids watching world events unfold that literally would impact their military careers.  Crazy stuff.  

Anyways, they sent us home for the weekend and brought us all back the following week.  We ended up taking a bus to Ft. Knox.  Sometimes I still wonder why I went through with it after getting a chance to walk away, but I'm glad I did.  Ended up re-aggravating a prior injury and got discharged less than 3 months in, but that short time in the Army definitely changed my outlook on things.  I reenrolled in college and knocked out 7 semesters straight (and made the Dean's List 6 of those) thanks to the focus and drive I picked up in my time at Ft. Knox. 

 

[AIR J XIII]

9th grade. We were in homeroom after first period, and they told us a plane hit a building in New York, I live in Florida. In my mind I pictured a small passenger plane with propellers hitting a small apartment building, like 6-7 stories max, so I didn't think much of it at the time. To be honest, it was a normal school day, until 4th period when the second plane had already hit. Then we just watched the news the rest of the day.

When I first saw the reply, AND learned it was the twin towers, that's when the confusion/shock/disbelief started. The plane that's swerved in so it didn't miss

 

[illmatic34]

I was in 2nd grade. I remember there were rumblings among the rest of the teachers about what was happening. My teacher wheeled in a TV and we were confused because we had no idea we were gonna watch a movie today. She turned it on and we watched the first plane go right through the tower. I didn't know what to make of it; maybe the pilot was just negligent, or even drunk. Then the second plane flew in and we were all shocked. The rest of the kids had no idea what was going on, but we could tell everyone on the staff was devastated.

That day changed EVERYTHING for a lot of Americans.

 

[shoeking2102]

3rd/4th grade.

I remember going to class seeing this all over the news channels but legit thinking that this wasn't a big deal and was wondering why so many people were paying attention to it.

 

[cosmiccoffee9]

One of the coolest things I learned at the 9/11 was the story of Welles Crowther. 24 yr old kid that was working in the building and rescued 18+ ppl that day. He led them down and went back into the building multiple times until the tower collapsed and killed him. Judging frome the positioning of the bodies, the firefighters guessed he was leading yet another group to safety when he died. The people he saved didn't know who he was but they mentioned his red bandana. Turns out he always carried a red bandana. They have his bandana on display. A true hero, man

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welles_Crowther

my favorite tower story is that of Stanley Praimnath, an 81st floor office worker whose office took a direct hit from the second plane.

after realizing he was somehow alive if completely trapped, he called out for help until he was discovered by one Brian Clark, an 84th floor worker who was debating with his officemates whether to go up the stairs in hopes of a helicopter rescue or to risk encountering a severed stairway on the descent.

Clark, hearing Praimnath's cries for help, decided to go down and help--no easy task--while his coworkers headed for the roof...which they could not have known had a locked access door.

Clark went to save a stranger, a decision which may have saved his life as he and Praimnath decided on the stairs down and so were two of the last people to leave the South Tower...only 18 in total escaped from above the impact zone.

happily, they are still friends to this day.

the worst thing I heard that stuck with me is that the last thing the passengers on the left side of the banking plane would have seen is the rapidly approaching South Tower with the North already burning. 

the whole thing is really mind-boggling all these years later...

 

[ninjahood]

They are airing 9/11 specials all day on the History Channel.

There's a new special called 15 Septembers Later that will air at 6 PM ET.

There's a show coming on at 10:30 tonight where they try to figure out what happened to the flag they put up at ground zero. Apparently, it's gone missing.

flag was found...some Marine had it in Washington state.

 

[arstyle27]

May all who perished on that day rest in peace.

George W. Bush and the US government were responsible for 9-11.

 

[getback]

 

[160jordansdeep]

We should never forget the people we knew personally either family or friends who are American citizens like our selves who lost there lives that day.

Never forget the The horror of how people died that day for nothing

Plus lets not Forget the thousands around the world who lost their lives in the same fight since that fateful Tuesday 15 years ago

 

[ninjahood]

#neverforget

 

[Rumble Gang]

I was in 4th grade at the time. Remember it clearly. We were all sitting down and 1 kid got picked up early. I remember that feeling like damn they're lucky to leave here early. Then another kid, and another. Everyone thought it was the strangest thing. No one knew what was going on because technology wasn't what it is today.

Then I got picked up. My family was scared and I was confused to what was happening until we got home and saw the TV. I remember it clearly. My uncle was working on a high rise in Jersey City and he saw the first plane. They evacuated everyone off the construction site.

I know a lot of guys and girls who went up to help at the time. Though I didn't get into the fire service into 2009, everytime I see the pictures or videos of that day, it cuts into me deep. Feels like you lost family.

RIP to everyone who died that day

 

[water]

I was only 4. 

My twin brother says he remembers the sounds of planes/jets taking off however since we literally lived right next to Otis Air Force Base on Cape Cod 

My mom told me I was with her and my twin bro while she was watching the news but my mind is still blank and I really don't remember. 

 

 

[anomolie]

I was in 9th grade when this happend. I was on my way to algebra class. I started to see people run to the library where the tv was. So much emotion. I do remember seeing this one dude crying. He had a sister that worked in the WTC. Anyways he found out she was out of town that day. Went to class and watched the coverage..when we started to see people jumping from buildings..the teacher turned it off. Felt so numb that day. Lowkey seemed like we was watching a movie

 

[HNL HI]

man, it was eerie as hell when they grounded all the planes too.

 

[Bend_The_Knee]

I remember yhe ignorance i saw days after.

People trying to beat up anyone who looked middle eastern, calling them names

 

[v8erman]

I still watch that documentary that came out not long later where the filmmakers followed a rookie firefighter on the job to show how it is and so happened to be that day. Its unreal.

 

[v8erman]

Yeah New York has to be one of the most filmed cities ever. Growing up mid 80s to mid 90s it was like every city backdrop in any american movie was NY. Growing up being a big Reeves superman fan, NY was Metropolis to me.

 

[ninjahood]

YouTube got full broadcasts from 8:30 -11:30am

from all da major Networks at da time, ABC, CBS, NBC, etc.

 

[Fozz]

I remember yhe ignorance i saw days after.

People trying to beat up anyone who looked middle eastern, calling them names

Yea

I remember the ignorance vividly, as well.

 

[krazy88s]

 

Good find. I went inside the Twin Towers once in the late 90s. Elevators went crazy fast up to the observation deck lol. Great experience. Looking at the new WTC, it just doesn't have that same feeling the originals did.

 

[Bend_The_Knee]

At what age is it ok to talk to a child about what happened that day? Nephew is 7.

 

[getback]

anyway, in the 15 years since, I find the event, its implications and its ripple effects to be one of the most fascinating topics ever...I read about it on a regular to this day. 2 hour conversation minimum IRL.

My sentiments exactly. Absolutely fascinating.

I was a senior in high school. Another teacher came into my communications class and said "a plane just crashed into the world trade center." Having just been on a field trip to Boston's world trade center, I thought that was the building that was struck

Spoiler

Obviously that was cleared up immediately. But yeah that's one of the days that resonated pretty clearly to this day. A lot of the baby boomers describe it as our generation's JFK assasination. Everyone knew where they were and what they were doing.

I still have a hard time coming to grips with the magnitude of the loss. 3,000 people, followed by the several thousands killed in the following conflicts. Many of them civilian. Devastating.

 

[icysoles718]

Hearts goes out to the people that lost their lives that day. The BS behind it all still infuriates me tho

 

[furiousstylezz]

At what age is it ok to talk to a child about what happened that day? Nephew is 7.

My stepson asked about it when he was 7. Asked again on Sunday when we something about it on NY1.

Have alot of memories of that day, from using AOL IM with one of my friends who saw the 2nd plane hit from his office view in Jersey City, my Aunt who was SUPPOSED to have been there at the time of the 2nd plane since she worked for AON, and the walk from Midtown Manhattan to Chinatown, to getting a bus to 34th St and walking from there to Astoria. Cell lines were down and was able to contact my fam on pay phones. Only text messages were able to be sent and received at the time.

 

[6 Rings G.O.A.T.]

Rest in peace to the victims.