9/11

This is a day that I too, will never forget. At the time I was working as a firefighter here in Idaho. That day was to be one of my days off; however, as soon as news came of the first plane hitting the building, several of us who were scheduled off, returned to the fire house. After the second plane hit the tower and reports of other planes, it became evident, rather quickly that things werent "normal".

My brother firefighters and I spent the rest of the day and into the evening at the fire house talking about "what-if" scenarios and talking with the Chief about sending us to NYC to help. By the next morning over half our our department was on a wait-list to be sent to NYC. I was scheduled to head out by the morning of Sept. 17th. Eventually, they stood down our response as the outpooring of support and help was beginning to overwhelm the city and we never got to send personnel to assist.

I did finally make it to NYC in March of '02 and spent 3 days at Ground Zero. Even 5 months after this tragedy, the recovery efforts were still continuing 24/7. It was an emotional time as well as a rewarding experience. These are days that I often reflect on and I will never get the sights, sounds and smells out of my head.

To this day, I have many aquaintences and friends at FDNY who served that day and I have heard their stories first hand. Even though I no longer work as a firefighter, I do work in the emergency response arena. I support all of my brother and sister firefighters Worldwide and have a very high respect for all of those in emergency services.

Email sent Patrick. Hope it got thru. I have never experienced problems with PM delivery as with this new and "improved" site.

I look at it bottom up. There's just too much evidence to suggest it was other than a Bin Laden operation, conducted by people who have been identified.

After that I don't really know or sense I ever will.

My take aways are that we highrise architects really learned from that.

We cannot and never will be able to design a truly highrise airliner proof building, but we know a lot more now about how to get people out of them and first responders into them.

I'm on the design teams for new airports. Get away from the TSA model at the gate wings, create safe airports. It's been done for years with drugs, weapons are easier.

I frankly don't much care about the politics, all I know is that there hasn't been one since.

the doog

I flat-out don't believe the narrative that's been sold to us about 911 and I feel it's almost profane to honor the day until the truth is told. Maybe in 50 years when the records--if they haven't been destroyed already-are de-classified, if I'm alive, I'll honor the day. But not yet.

I won't answer any questions or engage in debate about this post. It's just my contribution to the thread and I know that many also feel as I do.

 

Not much of a contribution Karl... 

I flat-out don't believe the narrative that's been sold to us about 911 and I feel it's almost profane to honor the day until the truth is told. Maybe in 50 years when the records--if they haven't been destroyed already-are de-classified, if I'm alive, I'll honor the day. But not yet.

I won't answer any questions or engage in debate about this post. It's just my contribution to the thread and I know that many also feel as I do.

Will do later Patrick. 

Hi Ernie -

Sorry I can't reply to your msg, the window space that comes up now is way too tiny to work with, maybe the forums site will get it working.

My e-mail: 206_62w@centurylink.net, give it a shot and I can chat that way.

Patrick

Funny how you say that you went to the recruiters afterwards TB. A family friend of ours, who just happened to walk my wife down the aisle at our wedding, did the same thing. He was a F6F pilot in WWII, and long since retired, but he also volunteered to go back to being an aged fighter jock in the new war. Of course the recruiters chuckled that carriers no longer had wooden decks and his services were not required due to his seniority and they sent him on his way. That sort of sense of duty in a man always moves me.

Hi Mick ;

   I will answer now as to what I was doing that day and how I remember it .I was in my House - boat wheelhouse polishing wood when I heard the first report .

 Before the towers collapsed I was at my recruiting office , Reporting for duty . I was told I was too old , just as the first tower went down .

  I sat there in dis-belief . For you see I know the buildings very well having studied the drawings over time to figure out how this horrible thing happened .

       The end Was inevitible as the building was not built to withstand the heat of such a conflagration . I ask all , how do you come from where - ever and train on American Aircraft for the express purpose Of doing this despicable thing .

 My feelings still stand . A lot of people of all walks of life and all the known religions died that day , Both in the towers and among the emergency responders . . May they rest in peace . It was indeed a dark day for freedoms here in the U.S.A.  

      T.B.

You're very welcome guys.

Cheers

Mick

Mick

Thank you for your thoughtful post and sentiments. I have old friends in many foreign countries, Asia, Europe and South America, they express the same feelings. That infamous day was felt 'round the World, so much heartbreak and pain, I doubt that the civilized population of Earth will ever lose their vivid recollections of the day, or of those that caused it.

I surely will fly the flag proudly, you do the same.

Best to you and your fellow Australians.

Patrick

Hi there Mick

Thank  you for your thoughtful post.

My thoughts go out to each and every person that was touched by the horrible events of that day. The loss was tremendous and senseless. 

It was about 10:30pm and i was watching TV when the whole thing started to unfold and I sat riveted to my television until about 4:00am the next morning in disbelief. I will never forget what I was doing when it happened until the day I die! I have an uncle in Texas who is US Navy retired and one of his friends was in the Pentagon when it happened. Unhurt luckily. I guess that is my six degrees of separation. 

They have been showing documentaries on different aspects of that day over here for the last few days and I've tried to watch as many as I can. My respects to all the emergency services that were there that day and lost members too.

So raise your flags in respect and be proud guys. Thanks. 

Cheers

Mick.

My six degrees of separation from 9/11. A good friend that grew up from me two doors down and ended up going to Annapolis then becoming a Naval Officer was assigned to Pentagon duty that day. Thankfully his office was not near wheree that hit took place. My step mother in law was a stewardess for American Airlines at that time and had many friends & co workers on board the two AA flights. As for me, I had recently returned home from summer training with my Guard unit prepping a unit about to deploy to Kuwait for six months if duty. Being in one of only four LRS units in the Guard we were alerted that afternoon to be ready to mobilize and deploy overseas. My full time job as a Deputy Sheriff had sent me not too long before to an incident commanders course for weapons of mass destruction incidents. The two learning events were the 1993 WTC bombing and the OKC federal building bombing. We were trained to handle that incident differently than was done that morning, based off experience from those events by folks who were there. It was very frustrating as both a cop and soldier to watch that day unfold and not be able to do any of the things you are trained to do. 

My wife was in the bathroom prepping for a flight to LA to meet with some clients from Houston. I was in the kitchen watching the news. My youngest sister who lives here in CA was in North Carolina. my parents, retired, were in Nepal. Dad was 48 years seniority retired from United. He knew the 93 crew, as they were San Francisco based.

I'm an architect with a background in structural engineering. My wife came into the kitchen and said to watch the news, which I was. She had been listening to the radio. At that moment the second plane hit the south tower.

I knew right then that the south tower would collapse. I got on the phone with 911 but it was hopeless to get through to the FBI.

A horrible day, and yet to be really understood.

Edited for content.

My cousin's son died in one of the towers.  I saw his name on the list of all the victims that Fox News ran across the screen this morning.  I never met him, but wish I had.

Never forget.

Our flag went up very early this morning. I was quite aware of the difference between the peaceful quiet, sweet cool air and birds singing, compared with the explosions, fire, hellish smoke and dust, from the collapse of the towers. Unspeakable horrors, death and life changing injuries, family members losing loved ones forever.

I also remembered quite acutely who was responsible, not just the sub-human scum that flew the airplanes into their targets, but also the ones that fronted this evil act. They were not named Smith, Brown, O'Reilly or Nelson, they received all or most of their flight training on our soil. They paid in cash, did not want to learn to takeoff or land those Boeing jets, only wanted to learn how to use the guidance systems and get them to targets. Who could ever be suspicious of that?

How difficult might it be for the terrorist groups to slip a few of their radicalized dealers of death, into the massive import of refugees we are about to absorb from Syria and other explosive parts of the region?

We have not seen the last attack against us yet, next round is lurking out there. But my flag will be out again next year, that's also guaranteed.

Patrick  

Still as angry today as that day, I will NEVER forget though I do ask for the ability to forgive and move on, unfortunately it's a battle I'm losing. Such a waste. To those who lost their lives that tragic day.

For some reason, this year it is on my mind more so than in recent years. Perhaps because there seems to be less associated "hype" in the media.

I remember.

I'll never forget 9/11. Although I did forget to wear my 9/11 t-shirt - a first in 14 years. I guess I had other personal matters on my mind. No - I will not ever forget 9/11 for as long as I live.

I was thinking this morning driving to work, that most of the kids I see going to school were born after 9/11 and have no idea of what it was like before.

You are quite welcome Steve. Its unfortunate to see how quick people forget.

Thank you PJ, I did the same. Thank you for the thread, I was going to start one but I saw you did.

Steve