Reflections of 9/11
Clear as a bell. I get up, eat a cerial breakfast, grab my fishing tackle and hed for the strem next to my house. Same thing I have done morning after morning for years. Daybreak, sky is clear and so is the water. Very still ,not even a ripple. The fish spook easily when the water is this clear and still. Fish for a while trying different techniques to get a bite, but no takers.
Boaring when there are no fish biting.
Head home, put up the tackle, walk in the house, Sue says Oh My God Doug someone just crashed a plane into one of the twin towers in New York City.
She is watching it on Fox News.
They show the pictures over and over. At first we and everyone else seems to think this is an awfull accident. and just as I am setteling down to watch another plane crashes into the other tower.
Horror is the only way to discribe the feelings. Unbelief, sudden awareness that this isn’t an accident: But what then if not an accident?
Intentionally crashing what now appears to have been airliners into the world trade center!
Oh God! The people in those floors must be dead. The fire now raging from several floors in each tower.How dear God can this be? This is New York City! How? Why would someone do this? Confusion, fear grip Both Sue and I as we watch the images over and over. I must not let Sue see my fear. Why, dear Gods Why! People now appear to be falling or jumping from the towers. Could they be jumping to a certain death to be spared burning to death? Horror! They report another plane inbound for Washington DC. Oh MY God! The White House or the Capital. Now the reports of other planes. WE ARE UNDER ATTACK!!! Oh God how can this be? Reports are poring in fast and confusing. How many planes? Where are they? Could they be coming here? to Our town? What should I do? Should I get the Guns out? No, they will not help from this kind of attack.
Who the Hell are these people? Chineese? Russians? TERRORISTS?
That is it! Terrorists! They hit the towers before.
More reports of more planes. Our son and His fiance come in from school. Wendy is crying. I’m fighting back tears and fear at the same time. My fight or flight response is going off the chart. How do I defend my family from this? Will they come here? Matt, Get the Guns, We will, defend ourselves if needed. Wendy now is near hysterical. Comfort the family, Fighting back tears myself.
The Pentagon is hit! Now terror becomes even more real as the attacks become more widespread. News of more planes one over Ohio. Oh MY God they are coming here!
We are away from Columbus, away from any strategic targets. OK, We will be OK!
People being pulled from the pentagon terrably burned, the Pentagon is being evacuated. People running everywhere not knowing where it is safe. Now word that there may be another plane headed tyo the Pentagon, The people are running now, near panic from the Building.
The tower is colapsing !The tower is colapsing! Oh MY Dear God!! Those people! How many escaped? People running everywhere coverd with dust. paper blowing everywhere.
OH MY GOD! Thousands of people in that building! How many got out? I cannot discribe my feelings. Everyone watching must be feeling them as well.
The second tower is colapsing! OH NO! Oh how? Why? What kind of people would intentionally attack a non military totally civilian building? The news reports say 50,000 people work in those buildings. As fear, confudsion, terror, sorrow wash over me and my family a new emotion is raising up in me. ANGER, RAGE, REVENGE. WE ARE AT WAR! The realization is overwhelming.
OK we can do this! We must avenge this atrosity! We will hunt these Bastards down to the ends of the earth! This will not stand unavenged!
My daughter in California calls, she just got up and saw it on TV. She is crying Sue and Wendy are Crying. Have never experianced such Rage, sorrow, fear, anger, all at once. Even in the War I didn’t feel all these things together a so strong. How do I controll my emotions and stear this family through the next days and weeks that are enevitable. Must be strong.
GOD HELP THE FAMILIES OF THE VICTOMS!
GOD GIVE US STRENGTH AND RESOLVE TO AVENGE THIS——————————-!
GOD BLESS AMERICA AT WAR!
September 11th, 2008 at 8:49 am
I’ll always remember this, along with the COLUMBIA disaster (the shock waves from the sonic booms of all the pieces going overhead shook our house, and there were contrails galore crossing the sky), the Reagan assassination attempt (my 16th birthday, we were in history class and the math teacher was pacing outside until the bell rang, then he came in and broke the news), CHALLENGER (I was on my bed when Mom burst into the house screaming for me to turn on the TV), and the beginning of Desert Storm (in the barracks at NAS Millington).
Great post, Doug. My eyes have been turning into faucets all day as I read these and think back.
September 12th, 2008 at 9:08 am
I will always have vivid images in my and vivid recall of my senses that day. Thank you for sharing Doug. It is very important that we all tell our stories of where we were and what it felt like.