In a doctor's office. Our daughter had been born 5 days earlier and wasn't doing too well so we hurries there that morning. There was a TV in the waiting room... Scary times with the Naval Academy in our town and a friend who was a commercial pilot and was in the air at the time. Didn't hear from him until very late that day.
OK, since no one else has brought it up... Where were you?
- Thread starter Mrleft8
- Start date
Marty Gingras
Mid-range Anarchist
Working from home in California. My (crazy) mom in Arizona called freaking out to tell us that a tower had just been hit. Sceptical, I turned the TV on --- just as the 2nd plane hit. Both kids saw it live. No bueno. Went to an unrelated funeral the next day where the priest addressed the matter as well as handling uncertainty.
Willin'
Super Anarchist
I was supervising 2 environmental sampling teams doing a sample event in the weapons compound (high security) of the Naval Air Station, Brunswick Maine. It took a lot of work to get all the staff and gear in the compound early that AM and as I was the only one certified to be there all my crew had to be in my direct line of sight all day while sampling, so it was stressful just doing the work and keeping the team in sight when a jeepload of armed grunts and my client contact rolled up and gave us 15 minutes to pack up and get back to my office just outside of weapons.
No explanation and not a single word of friendly commiseration, just get out of weapons...now.
We get all our gear off loaded in my office and are just calling the home office when the client walks in and says we are off the base, immediately. Don't collect any personal items, no questions, hang up and just go...now.
We are escorted off the base, which by now has a huge defensive armored vehicle squad protecting the gate that an hour before was open to civvy traffic.
We went to the sports bar just across the street from the base to use a payphone (there was still almost no cell coverage in Southern Maine then) and saw the horror on the bar TV.
The sample team, mostly college kids or recent grads, were dispersed to other non military locations to continue working, but since my base of operations was there on NASB I was sent home and got a 2 week paid LOA to sit by the phone and wait for the call back.
Worst vacation ever.
No explanation and not a single word of friendly commiseration, just get out of weapons...now.
We get all our gear off loaded in my office and are just calling the home office when the client walks in and says we are off the base, immediately. Don't collect any personal items, no questions, hang up and just go...now.
We are escorted off the base, which by now has a huge defensive armored vehicle squad protecting the gate that an hour before was open to civvy traffic.
We went to the sports bar just across the street from the base to use a payphone (there was still almost no cell coverage in Southern Maine then) and saw the horror on the bar TV.
The sample team, mostly college kids or recent grads, were dispersed to other non military locations to continue working, but since my base of operations was there on NASB I was sent home and got a 2 week paid LOA to sit by the phone and wait for the call back.
Worst vacation ever.
Mrleft8
Super Anarchist
- Thread starter
- #24
My wife's pilot buddies were calling in nonstop to tell her that they were OK. I had to tell them all that she wasn't home, but assumed that she was OK and in London with her mother. They all gave a big sigh of relief, and then wished her luck, being stuck in London with her mother. (I'm guessing a lot of them had at least heard stories about my Murder-in-Law.)
mathystuff
Anarchist
- 971
- 572
I had just come home from school, when a friend wrote me that a plane had crashed into the WTC. Turned on the TV just in time for the second plane.
valis
Super Anarchist
I was in Los Angeles, working on and looking over shoulders, for the mixing of the soundtrack of the film Standing in the Shadows of Motown. I had spent all day on 9/10 in the studio, and the next morning my wife called my hotel room and told me to turn on the TV. I didn't want to believe it, but when the second jet hit the towers I called the studio crew and told them to all go home, then when I learned that air-traffic was grounded managed to get one of the last available rental cars. My biz partner and I drove from LAX to SFO (Los Angeles to San Francisco airports), dropped off the rental and drove our cars back home. Sad and scary times -- nobody knew what might be coming next, or where.
dyslexic dog
Super Anarchist
Me at home with a 4 yr old daughter. wife 's in Cancun with girlfriends and can't get home to perform surgeries for the next 4 days due to no air traffic. She sat in the airport for two days waiting to get out.
Marcjsmith
Super Anarchist
at work.... under the flight path of dulles runway 19r
it was surreal when the flights stopped. minimal traffic on the roads, the quiet...
it was surreal when the flights stopped. minimal traffic on the roads, the quiet...
Code 2
Anarchist
I was home in Socal on my way to work with my then 5 month old son in the car to drop him off at daycare along the way.
Heard it on the radio - saw the second one on tv at the daycare.
Turned around and took my son home with me and that was the end of my wife's career - life is too short for daycare. Best decision ever in the wake of tragedy.
Heard it on the radio - saw the second one on tv at the daycare.
Turned around and took my son home with me and that was the end of my wife's career - life is too short for daycare. Best decision ever in the wake of tragedy.
BoksNoRox
Member
I was driving to the loft and heard about the first plane on the radio. Called the home loft on city Island soon after, and Butch told me that they were watching from there. It was all so unbelievable at the time. My parents were travelling to Nova Scotia that day and the ferry was delayed several hours as everything on every car was completely searched.
More Cowbell2
Super Anarchist
At work having a meeting with my director when we heard. Turned on the news and watched what was happening. Everyone was silent. Could not believe this was real.
Found out later a friend I had worked with lost his brother. He was the pilot on Flight 11 that hit the North Tower.
Found out later a friend I had worked with lost his brother. He was the pilot on Flight 11 that hit the North Tower.
Point Break
Super Anarchist
Capt. Paddy Brown (FDNY 3 Truck/Ladder 3): “I’m on the 35th floor, okay, okay?. Just relay to the command post we’re trying to get up. There’s numerous civilians at all stairwells, numerous burn injuries are coming down. I’m trying to send them down first.
Apparently, it’s above the 75th floor.
I don’t know if they got there yet. Okay.
Three Truck and we are still heading up.
Okay? Thank you.”
Command Post to Ladder 3:
“Command Post to Ladder 3, get out
of the building!”
Capt. Paddy Brown responded:
“This is the officer of
Ladder Co. 3. I refuse the order!
I am on the 44th floor and we have
too many burned people with me.
I'm not leaving them!”
These are the last radio transmissions from Captain Patrick “Paddy” Brown, Commanding Officer of FDNY’s 3 Truck (Ladder 3).
Remember WE HONOR the BRAVE men and women like Captain Brown, who refused to quit; refused to retreat; and fought until the very end!!
Apparently, it’s above the 75th floor.
I don’t know if they got there yet. Okay.
Three Truck and we are still heading up.
Okay? Thank you.”
Command Post to Ladder 3:
“Command Post to Ladder 3, get out
of the building!”
Capt. Paddy Brown responded:
“This is the officer of
Ladder Co. 3. I refuse the order!
I am on the 44th floor and we have
too many burned people with me.
I'm not leaving them!”
These are the last radio transmissions from Captain Patrick “Paddy” Brown, Commanding Officer of FDNY’s 3 Truck (Ladder 3).
Remember WE HONOR the BRAVE men and women like Captain Brown, who refused to quit; refused to retreat; and fought until the very end!!
slap
Super Anarchist
Came down from my office on the third floor and was walking by the conference room on the first floor. The TV was on and a group of people watching it. Since it didn't seem like a meeting was going on, I peered in, moments before the second plane flew in.
When I heard about the Pentagon I left work. I had a 26 mile commute, most of it on the Washington Beltway, and I figured that traffic might get really bad. Schools were let out early so I needed to head homeward and pick up our kids.
The next day the security getting into work (Navy laboritory) was extremely tight. Where normally they would just check your ID and let you in, they were checking the insides of the car, the trunk, and under the car. Barricades were set up to control the flow and keep cars from evading security. It created an absolutely massive traffic jam getting in.
When I heard about the Pentagon I left work. I had a 26 mile commute, most of it on the Washington Beltway, and I figured that traffic might get really bad. Schools were let out early so I needed to head homeward and pick up our kids.
The next day the security getting into work (Navy laboritory) was extremely tight. Where normally they would just check your ID and let you in, they were checking the insides of the car, the trunk, and under the car. Barricades were set up to control the flow and keep cars from evading security. It created an absolutely massive traffic jam getting in.
Not for nothing
Super Anarchist
I was working for LILCO, was supposed to go Queens that day, but work cancelled,
One guy's daughter worked there, but they would let her off the subway, so the train went up town, she was fine.
My GF and I stocked the j-37 in Port Jefferson and slept on her, 2 weird things the smell being 60+ miles away and no planes flying
One guy's daughter worked there, but they would let her off the subway, so the train went up town, she was fine.
My GF and I stocked the j-37 in Port Jefferson and slept on her, 2 weird things the smell being 60+ miles away and no planes flying
Rasputin22
Rasputin22
- 14,094
- 3,631
I was in a four way conference call at work in the bosses office. We had the client for a motor catamaran build that was for a Navy liberty boat at Roosevelt Roads to run out to Fajardo for [email protected] at the fine beaches there. They had called to tell us their loan from the bank had been approved and the Navy guy in charge of the shoreboat contract was soon on the line. We were booked up at our St Croix shop for years so had entered into a joint venture to build the boat in Charleston Navy Yard so had that partner online as well. I was finishing up the design work for the build and was going to be project manager in Charleston. So everyone was happy with the loan and contracts and I was given the thumbs up and told to go into the receptionists office and get on the phone to make the very first available flight off the island.
When I used the other phone line and dialed the airline reservations, I noticed our receptionist/office manager had a disturbed look on her face that slowly turned to horror. I had just gotten an answer with the reservation desk at the airport and the friendly voice also went silent and I could hear her asking others in her office just WTF was going on. She told me to call back in a very shaky voice so I hung up and listened to the radio reporting that the first tower had been hit.
I ran back to the conference room and the Navy attendee was just getting confirmation of the attack on his end and then the bankers got the word and it took about 3 minutes for the Navy guy to say 'no way we need a party boat when we are now in a shooting war' and the bankers said they weren't going to fund the project and the whole deal came came crashing down faster than the Twin Towers.
Needless to say the Charleston project never happened but we did eventually built the fast cat on St Croix a year or so later. Our facility was very near the huge Hess Oil refinery and within hours there was a 24/7 fighter aircraft aircap orbiting over the refinery in fear of an attack.
When I used the other phone line and dialed the airline reservations, I noticed our receptionist/office manager had a disturbed look on her face that slowly turned to horror. I had just gotten an answer with the reservation desk at the airport and the friendly voice also went silent and I could hear her asking others in her office just WTF was going on. She told me to call back in a very shaky voice so I hung up and listened to the radio reporting that the first tower had been hit.
I ran back to the conference room and the Navy attendee was just getting confirmation of the attack on his end and then the bankers got the word and it took about 3 minutes for the Navy guy to say 'no way we need a party boat when we are now in a shooting war' and the bankers said they weren't going to fund the project and the whole deal came came crashing down faster than the Twin Towers.
Needless to say the Charleston project never happened but we did eventually built the fast cat on St Croix a year or so later. Our facility was very near the huge Hess Oil refinery and within hours there was a 24/7 fighter aircraft aircap orbiting over the refinery in fear of an attack.
Ventucky Red
Super Anarchist
- 11,578
- 1,307
At the gym on a Stairmaster when I noticed everyone stopping and looking at the TV... I asked what was up, and they told me a plane had crashed into the WTC. A few minutes later, as I was walking toward the door to go home, here came the second one.
Charlie Foxtrot
Super Anarchist
Lost three coworkers from our division in the plane that hit the Pentagon. Some very good friends lost a nephew in the 2nd Tower.
Lots of stories that day. Had another three coworkers stranded outside Macon, GA by the air travel stop. They kept their rental car and drove the shitbox all the way to Long Beach, CA nonstop to get back to Defense work; arriving in two and a half days surrounded by gas receipts and fast food wrappers. National was not happy, and our travel auditing group had kittens. The universally reviled auditors were later told to shut the eff up by a Director.
Lots of stories that day. Had another three coworkers stranded outside Macon, GA by the air travel stop. They kept their rental car and drove the shitbox all the way to Long Beach, CA nonstop to get back to Defense work; arriving in two and a half days surrounded by gas receipts and fast food wrappers. National was not happy, and our travel auditing group had kittens. The universally reviled auditors were later told to shut the eff up by a Director.
The Main Man
Super Anarchist
Was at work and got an e-mail from a friend saying the First plane had crashed. Thought it was just a small private plane and then we heard about the second one. Our Network Management Centre had a big wall screen and they had the news up in one corner. A lot of us went up and stood watching in quiet stunned shock.
Bus Driver
Bacon Quality Control Specialist
Teaching 1st Period Environmental Science. A colleague stepped in the back of the room and asked "Have you heard?" My puzzled look led him to say "Turn on the TV". I did, just in time to see the plane hit the second tower. The Principal asked us all to remain in place. By Noon, students were sent home.
Our son was almost 3 and daughter a few days from her birth. Couldn't connect with my wife for a few excruciating hours.
One neighbor, who hailed from northern NJ later told us a majority of his classmates from CBA lost their fathers, that morning.
I clearly remember standing on our porch, marveling at the silence.
Our son was almost 3 and daughter a few days from her birth. Couldn't connect with my wife for a few excruciating hours.
One neighbor, who hailed from northern NJ later told us a majority of his classmates from CBA lost their fathers, that morning.
I clearly remember standing on our porch, marveling at the silence.
Expatriated
Anarchist
- 619
- 120
In my office 42 floor of a building in lower Manhattan...
Came out of doing a client demo looking North up Manhattan and saw lots of papers white in the sunshine against a clear blue sky as I walked back to my desk. Someone had turned a radio on that was saying a light aircraft had hit the WTC and another colleague said it was a jet. I called my family in the UK to let them know I was OK. We were transfixed looking at the WTC when the second jet flew almost at eye level past the window and the office went completely silent until someone said "let's get the fuck out of here."
Was in Battery park as the towers came down as couldn't see anything in the dust cloud. Heard the roar of another jet and was wondering which building would be next but it later turned out to be fighter jet. After the dust cleared a bit walked back to the office and made a few phone calls to let our London office know who was OK.
I walked up to my apartment near Trinity Church and packed a change of clothes and my passport as a group of us headed to get out of Manhattan. I walked into Chinatown and it still almost life as normal there which after seeing the stream of dust covered people walking over the Brooklyn bridge was utterly surreal. Got a subway to Grand Central were there was an amazing organization loading one train after a another heading out of town. I was sitting in a colleagues garden with a large drink trying to understand what was happening by 1PM.
When I went back to the office I saw an invite to the FIX protocol meeting that was going on that morning in the Windows on the World restaurant that morning. No one got out alive including a former colleague. I was lucky to be kept really busy working in the following days getting client systems back running.
I still have to change channels whenever the TV shows pictures of that morning or I get flashbacks.
Came out of doing a client demo looking North up Manhattan and saw lots of papers white in the sunshine against a clear blue sky as I walked back to my desk. Someone had turned a radio on that was saying a light aircraft had hit the WTC and another colleague said it was a jet. I called my family in the UK to let them know I was OK. We were transfixed looking at the WTC when the second jet flew almost at eye level past the window and the office went completely silent until someone said "let's get the fuck out of here."
Was in Battery park as the towers came down as couldn't see anything in the dust cloud. Heard the roar of another jet and was wondering which building would be next but it later turned out to be fighter jet. After the dust cleared a bit walked back to the office and made a few phone calls to let our London office know who was OK.
I walked up to my apartment near Trinity Church and packed a change of clothes and my passport as a group of us headed to get out of Manhattan. I walked into Chinatown and it still almost life as normal there which after seeing the stream of dust covered people walking over the Brooklyn bridge was utterly surreal. Got a subway to Grand Central were there was an amazing organization loading one train after a another heading out of town. I was sitting in a colleagues garden with a large drink trying to understand what was happening by 1PM.
When I went back to the office I saw an invite to the FIX protocol meeting that was going on that morning in the Windows on the World restaurant that morning. No one got out alive including a former colleague. I was lucky to be kept really busy working in the following days getting client systems back running.
I still have to change channels whenever the TV shows pictures of that morning or I get flashbacks.
