70th Explorers Garrison: Forums

It was 6 years ago today this Tuesday. 6 years… doesn’t seem that long ago. I will never forget getting up that morning with my two little girls, one who was only 3 and the other 4 months old. Their mother had gone to work that morning as she did every morning to babysit one of our friend’s kids.
I worked during the day but this day I was off from work. I turned on the TV like I did every morning to see what was on. I remember every channel had the same picture of this tall skyscraper with smoke coming from it. The angle that I could see was just of one building. Mind you I was half way asleep trying to get up. So in my mind I thought it was some skyscraper in another country. When the angle of the camera changed I was horrified to see that it was one of the twin towers of the world trade center. When I realized what I was seeing I remember seeing the second plane hitting the second tower. All of this was live TV, not yet repeated. My phone started to ring and it was my mother in-law asking if I had heard the news or seen the TV. She said we were under attack. When you say we’re under attack I can’t help but think of the movie “Red Dawn”. Even though that movie came out when I was 4 years old, it stayed with me for years to come. That movie hit home for me on September 11, 2001.
I watched just like all you did in terror has another plane hit the Pentagon in Washington D.C.
I watched just like all you did in terror has another plane crashed in the country in Pennsylvania.
I watched and cried just like all you did in sadness as the twin towers of the World Trade Center collapsed to the ground.
Our lives from that day on were changed forever. This past May I finally got on an airplane because it was the only fast way to get to CIV in LA. I use to be afraid to fly because I’m scared of heights but now I was more afraid because of what happened on September 11, 2001. When TK8878 and I got to the airline security I wasn’t afraid anymore. I was grateful long with TK8878 to stand in line for at least an hour. We were grateful to take of our shoes and our belongings and have them checked out. Even having them look at my TD bucket inside and out, I was grateful. If it means the safety of me and others around the world, then I don’t mind going through all off that to board a plane the next time I fly.
When they attacked us they only made us stronger as US citizens but even more as human beings.
United we stand. One, nation under God.
So every 4th of July when you’re having your picnics or BBQs and you look up at the night sky and see fireworks… remember those that died for our freedom on September 11, 2001. Those that tried to attack us can NOT take that freedom away from us.
My love and prayers go out to the families and friends who lost their loved ones on September 11, 2001.

Saying that it hit home for me is beyond words. I was born there but raised out here in St. Louis. My family is from New York. My parents were born and raised there. My father was a firefighter in New York, and it never hit me until a few weeks later that all those firefighters that died, could have been acquaintences of my fathers. He grew up out there, and went through the ranks and was Chief for a while. He still fights fires in his own way, all he does now is drives and pumps the trucks. But he is amazing at what he does, and this year will be his 50th year doing so. I was a firefighter for 8-9 years myself, and when i visited ground zero, i never felt that much emotion hit me all at once, ever. It's just too indescribable.

I'll never forget where i was. I was at East Central College in one of my nursing classes. One of the professors walked in and said "classes are being sent home, all i can say is that this rivals Pearl Harbor." I was shocked and did not know what to think. Until i got in my truck and started to hear all the talk shows talking about it. But you are right, it didnt hit home until i turned on the TV and saw one of the towers lit up in a ball of smoke and fire. Then I too saw the 2nd tower hit LIVE on TV. I was up pacing the room, I couldnt sit still... I was trying to reach my parents, i did not know where they were.

Its hard to believe its already been 6 years since the attack. But everyone gets on with their lives, thats how we defeat that attack. We dont let it bother us and we get on.
We should all take a minute out of our day to remember all those fallen lives from that event. There were so many innocent lives lost, police officers, firefighters, building officers, janitors, office managers, employees, flight attendants, flight officers and pilots, government officials, and passengers on the flight. Especially on flight 93. If any of you have seen that movie. Its quite inspiring what an average american can do under duress. To save american lives. I would really recommend watching it, not only is it a movie, or based on true events, but its a part of american - world, history and a tribute to those that died on that flight.

I was in the Army Reserve at the time and I remember thinking "I wonder when we're going to be deployed." The only other thought that kept going through my head was "They're a bunch of cowards, using innocent people like that". It hit my grandmother hard because she lived through the Blitz in London, so this was like a flashback to her.

Although what happened that day angered me quite a bit, what also made me upset was that most people would only talk about New York, people seemed to forget the Pentagon and the crash in PA. I was also annoyed with the people who's mentality about enlisting in the military was "I'm gonna go kill me a towel-head" (sorry if this offends anyone). I heard that line so many times when my unit was getting ready to deploy.

So yes, remember and honor those that died needlessly, those that died to save strangers, but please don't stoop to the ignorance of bigotry and racisim.

I was woken up that morning by my mother banging on the door to the house my wife and had rented as our first home. I stumbled to the door and opened it to her horrified face. “We are under attack!” she said as she stepped in the house. I had to ask her several times before I understood what she was talking about. I turned on the news just in time to see the second plane hit and it all sunk in like a ton of bricks. I immediately went into the bed room and began putting on my police uniform. As I pinned on my badge, my sergeant called telling me they needed me to come in and work that day. It was my day off but I knew that there was no relaxing that day. I put on my vest for the first time in over a year, not knowing what was going to happen next, strapped on my duty belt, checked my Glock and headed out the door. I spent the rest of the day on foot patrol around the Missouri Capitol, making sure that we knew each person that entered and tried to get a grasp on what was happening.

My mother talks about events that she will always remember in her life time such as the assassination of JFK, or the death of Elvis. This and the Challenger disaster are the two that will stick with me for the rest of my life. I knew one of the police officers that was killed trying to help save lives that day. For the life of me I can’t think of his name now but I had met him when I was in New York a couple of years before. We had traded patches and I had to mail him one of mine so I had his name and address for a while.

We all need to think about that day and remember what this country is all about and thank the military, police and fire fighters we see for their service in the face of death so we don't have to.

Yes, this was one events that I will always remember what I was doing, along with when Reagan was shot, and both the Challenger and Columbia disasters. This one though can still bring a tear to my eye.

I was working at Weldon Spring Hazardous Waste clean up site, which was right next to a National Guard training facility. I was riding around the site in my truck with Andi, a female co-worker who I am still working with. Everyone had stopped working and we asked one of the operators what was going on and he said a plane had crashed into one of the towers. We went to the equipement shop which had a satelite TV. We got there right after the second plane hit and we saw the rerun of that. We went back to our work trailer and they let us all go home. Most everyone had left, but I had not left yet, my chest was tight from stress. I guess I didn't look to well, because another woman co-worker asked if I was alright. I told her I would be and left shortly there after.

While waiting on to get on the highway, an army Hummer flew past us on the shoulder. I said to myself "Go get them boys." When I got home I went to the basement and started watching the news on my big screen. At the same time I got the magazines for my guns out and started loading them. The "Red Dawn" / "Invasion USA" scenario was running through my head. Thank god, that never happened. I remember how quiet it was for that week or so when no planes were flying, except the Air NG F-15s. That made me feel safer when I heard those roaring overhead.

I have always been Patriotic, but since then I have been more thankful for those who are willing to sacrifice all, so that we have the freedom to make our own decisions.

We were just talking the other night when news of Iraq in general was going on... its amazing how it seems that everyone has forgotten about the war in Iraq. Because yes we are STILL at war. I think about it everyday, ever since my brother got deployed - i put a ribbon on my truck and the heart (inside of the ribbon) in my truck, so that i will not forget about it. Everytime i get in my truck to go anywhere, i am remembered about the war and everyone defending this country.