9/11 + 17...

I was driving a Warrior that day as part of a vehicle commanders course. We pulled into the sheds and as we were climbing down somone came up and told us what had happened. Just couldn't believe it. Even without seeing the images it seemed shocking. Of course by the time i got home it was all over the news. As  soliders, even British ones, we knew things were not going to be the same after this.

Thanks for the reminder Stik.

stikpusher

This morning I came across an online article marking today’s 17th anniversary of the attacks. Co incidentally it was around 0445 PDT, which translated out to 0745 EDT, around the time of the first impact. It gave me a moment to stop and think about that day, the attacks, their victims, and all that has transpired since then as a result to affect life for us, my family, and myself. 

Take a moment to remember.

 

This affected my whole family.  Since the airliners was in chaos, I lost my job at the Palm Springs Marriott Hotel.  We ended up here in North East Ohio.

Everything was sold, and we ended up arriving in Ohio on 10/23/01.  I drived a UHaul truck and we got to see portions the beautiful USA.  This memory I have cherished in my mind.  

Your friend, Toshi  

I was on vacation in San Francisco,by the time I woke up,it was all over.We were supposed to fly home on 9/12, that didnt happen,got stuck until friday,with the uncertainity we decided to drive home cross country to NJ,quite an adventure.47 hrs drive time

Here is another part to it,we flew out to San Francisco on United Flight #93 on Sept 5th,so that was a close call.

I was in Albany, NY at a training.  Many of the folks in that office had friends/relatives that worked in and around the towers.  I too got stuck for a few days. 

17 years. My goodness.

Never forget. 

I say a prayer frequently thinking about Fr. Mychal Judge. He went into the buildings to minister to the dead, the wounded and the terrified. Our Lord called him to His side.

Hi;

 Well , for me it was different . I heard it over my boat's emergency band radio , I  pulled to shore and grounded the bow ( it was one of my LCMs ) and watched it unfold on Television . I was shaken to say the least . Three friends Gone - Just like that ! 

 I resumed my trip which was supposed to be a training excercise . That got canceled . So , not thinking , I did what I could . Which was hope they would re-enlist , a long in the tooth warrier that served proudly under the greatest flag in existence . Flaws included . 

 They said they couldn't .My generation wasn't P.C. I pointed to the T.V. and asked  "Well , is that P.C. ? " I got no answer .

 I will NEVER forget those brave firemen and police and others who tried to help . May the ones who didn't go home , Rest Well , Knowing they showed what real courage is .  T.B.    P.S. I went to Washington a week later and was amazed at how fast they were clearing up the Pentagon Site

Tanker, your story reminds me a bit of a family friend. In late WWII he was a F6F pilot. He finished his stint after the war ended, got out and worked a career at the FAA as an air traffic controller. When 9/11 happened he went to the Navy asking to be re instated as a fighter jock at sea again for this war. They politely told him that carriers no longer had wooden decks and that his services would not be needed. 

He passed of natural causes a few years ago. 

Many of the men that I went overseas with during our Guard mobilization in late ‘04 were similar, but younger tales. They had served in the 70s, 80s, or 90s, some in the little or big wars and incidents of those times, finished their hitch (several were junior rank officers), and gotten out. In the aftermath of 9/11, they came back to go do it again.

I was in Houston, Texas, for some training for the next few days (I lived in Indianapolis at the time), and we had just started our first day of training (on some radiation treatment units for cardiac surgery) when someone came and told us what was going on. We were all simply flabbergasted by it all. The company that was providing our training immediately condensed our four days of training into two, and we were out of there just a little after noon the next day. All flights were grounded, so I couldn't fly back home, but, luckily, I had a rental car. So, I called the rental car company to make sure I could drive it back to Indy, they said, "Sure", and away I drove, wishing that there was something that I could do to get back in the Corps and go defend our country. Too many medical problems kept me from doing so. 

But that is one day that I'll never forget, nor will the men and women that were in attendance with me that day in Houston, many of whom are US military veterans. Probably the most helpless feeling that I've ever had, watching as it happened.

Gary Mason