9/11/2001 What were you doing?

[phrogpilot73]

I was a young 1stLt, in my fleet squadron. Busy day of ODO, monitoring the test schedule (half the squadron's aircraft, and the bulk of personnel were in Dawson, WV for Mountain Area Training). Ops Chief came in and told me I needed to turn on the TV, when I asked what for - he just said "it's surreal" (he's from Brooklyn). Saw the first tower smoking, and right after I turned it on - we saw the second plane hit. A couple of minutes later I fielded a call from the Wing CG (not his aide, but the man himself), and responded to his question of "how many aircraft can you send to NYC or DC if needed" with "umm, Sir, I'm just a 1stLt - let me get you a Major."

My first (rather selfish thought) was "there goes my sweet Med float." I was right. We deployed just prior to OIF, and were gone for 8 months with 1 port call.

 

[HokiePilot]

I was a senior in high school. I was in study hall playing paper football. An aide had gone around to each classroom and told the teacher to turn on the TV but they missed us. I walked in to biology next and saw it on the TV. I first thoughabout the B-25 and the Empire State Building. We watched the coverage for the rest of the period. The first building collapsed on my way to the next class. My next teacher tried teaching like it was a normal day. About halfway through, someone turn the TV on. The rest of the day people just walked from class to class and watched TV.

There was a German exchange trip from my high school to NYC that day. They were scheduled to be on the observation deck of WTC Tower #2 at 9am. The phone lines were jammed and it took hours to find out that they got caught in traffic on the way up. They were waiting at a Denny's when they watched across the river the towers fall.

 

[Uncle Fester]

At my folks' house in Alabama, on leave en route from my frigate to Pensacola. Felt pretty worthless. As it happened, there was plenty of war left for everybody to get a turn.

Still, was pretty entertaining watching everyone panic. Yes, by all means, evacuate the Decatur, AL, Wal Mart. It's next on AQ's list after Washington and NYC.

 

[Harrier Dude]

I was supposed to fly an FCF that morning, and I listened to music CDs on my way into work (vice news, like I normally do). Evidently the first attacks happened on my way in, and I hadn't heard.

When I got to maintenance control for the morning meeting (I was a couple of minutes late) I heard the AMO tell everybody "A plane hit the world trade center and nobody is allowed to fly".

That seemed odd. When I found out about the other attacks, I understood.

All I remember about the next week was that we worked 18 hours a day on 24/7 maintenance operations, and that I was exhausted. The base went berserk and every squadron tried to get 100% of their aircraft FMC immediately. Of course, we had always tried to do that so I'm not sure what good all of that flailing actually did.

The other oddity (for me) that week was that one of my squadronmates was supposed to get married that Saturday. The ceremony was on base, and I was the best man. Both sets of parents lived in New Jersey.

Needless to say, a whole lot of jumping through our asses wound up pulling off the wedding on schedule. The grooms parents didn't make it in due to flight delays, and the base opened access to civilians the morning of the ceremony. That's when the bride's family made it into town.

That was the one bright spot of the week.

I feel like I've been jumping through my ass and deploying ever since.

 

[FrankTheTank]

I was peeking out the window in the VT-9 ready room to see how my student was doing. T-2 Fam complete students could start the jet and the IP jumped in and away you go. And somebody watching the news was WTF. Watched in disbelief as the second tower was hit; then had to run down and jump in the jet. Marshalled up and told we could not taxi by NMM ground. Form or gun flight can't remember. But will never forget that day!!!

 

[tomcatfan]

I was a sophmore in hs. It was about 6am california time when my mom came and woke me up. I had been in NY just 5 months prior and saw the WTC on 4-11-01. Went to school and no one did any lessons that day. I was in band at the time and didn't even practce that day. The school announced that all after school activities would be cancelled as well. The World Changed for me that day. I think had I been old enough then I would've enlisted.

 

[CommodoreMid]

I was a sophomore in high school, during my US history class, found out over announcement from my school's headmistress. Like Flylaxbro, being from Baltimore, we thought it was the WTC in the Inner Harbor, but then we turned on the TV and saw it was in NYC.

 

[SLB]

On deployment at Roosey Roads. We didn't fly for three days after. Everyone was on the ops ready, the base was closed to non-essential traffic. We sent a crew to fly the FEMA team to NY.

 

[sbeaTm08]

Sophomore in high school. They got on the intercom when I was in Spanish and told everyone to report to home room. Got in there, teacher turned on the TV and watched the 2nd plane hit. Craziness, I grew up around Cherry Point and the place went in to lock down.

 

[Homer J]

Working as a civilian Parachute Rigger at AIMD Pax River. Like alot of you have already said, when I heard a plane had hit the WTC, I thought it was a small private plane. We all gathered in front of the lunch room TV and saw the second plane hit. We all stood and watched in silence as first one tower collapsed and then the second. Wasn't too long after that when our supervisor came in and told us to go home.

 

[zipmartin]

Day two of upgrade training. Driving into the parking lot of the training center, heard that a plane had flown into the WTC. Like many others, assumed it was a small civilian. Walked into class, mentioned it to guy sitting next to me. WTF expression on his face. Short time later, somebody poked their head in our classroom and said to turn on all the computers and go to the CNN site on the net. Watched silently for about an hour before we went back to the task at hand. Rest of the week was troublesome, as we weren't sure of the future of the airline industry.

 

[NavAir42]

I was was woken up at 0610 on the west coast by my mom and sister going back and fourth about planes hitting the World Trade Centers. I remember the time because I woke up facing the red numbers of my alarm while my sister shook me awake. I was initially annoyed because I didn't have to be anywhere that day because my freshman year of college wasn't going to start until that Friday when I was to report for NROTC indoc week. We went down stairs and continued watching TV while we had breakfast. While we were sitting there the reports started coming in about the Pentagon being hit. After 20 minutes or so I drove my sister to school and my mom headed to work. While driving home, the first tower collapsed as I listened on the radio. I got home in time to see the second tower go and hear about United 93. Over the next few hours I pretty much sat in front of the TV stunned. Some time later that morning a pair of F-15s from the Air Guard Base in Portland came screaming over the house running west. I remember thinking that those were the loudest set of engines I had ever heard because it was so quiet outside.

The next few days were kind of a blur. That Friday, my dad drove me down to Oregon State to drop me off for Indoc Week. We got there early and watched the memorial service at the national cathedral in the MU. After the service was over, the flags came up from half mast and I reported for NROTC. Ten years ago doesn't seem all that long.

 

[AUtiger]

Seems like just yesterday I was sitting in sophomore Chemistry class when the principal came on the PA and announced the news and that all students parents who worked in Manhattan could find a phone and contact them from the office. Living in NJ over half the town worked in NYC including my own father. Luckily he worked on Broadway, my uncle was supposed to be in tower 2 that morning for a meeting, thank God he never made it on time. I remember half the school in the auditorium watching CNN on the pull down screen for the remainder of the day. Best phone call I ever got was from my mother that day telling me that my father and uncle were safe.

Next few months were not fun. Funerals and memorials for family friends and many from my hometown that never made it home that day. Still can't believe 10 years has passed already.

 

[Praying4OCS]

I was on my first boat, USS Jefferson City SSN 759, out of San Diego. We were in dry dock and I had duty. Basically the shit hit the fan, and everyone went to sea except us. So, it was port n' starboard duty for a month until we finally got out of dock. That time severely sucked but it is a time Ill never forget. Just like the 6 month deployment we left on two months later.

 

[Shpion1]

I was working in CNO-IP (Chief of Naval Operations Intelligence Plot) at the Pentagon and left early that morning after doing the night shift. Lost 7 friends in my office and if I remember 41 in the OPS Center next door. Of those in IP, Jonas was a former Grey Knight whom I first met doing the SLAM FIT for his squadron with the VP-30 VTU. Darren Pontell the Briefer in training, had a brother aviator who perished a couple years before him doing CQ on the Lexington. They're burried side by side in Baltimore. Darrin took over as CVW-7 SIAC WO after the 98 cruise. If you've walked through the Joint Intel Center in Tampa, the "Vince", it's named after LCDR Vince Tolbert, the AOIC of CNO-IP. Angela Houtz, the Senior Naval Analyst from ONI loved the Navy more than some sailors I know. All good people. More about them here, in this Wash Post article. http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A2845-2002Jan18