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My buddies wife's brother was supposed to be on that first flight from Boston. Thank god he didn't make it.

I retired from the Army in May '01, was working for a contractor at Fort Stewart when we were told of an explosion at the Pentagon.

Like 500,000 others (I guess???) I called D A to return to Active Duty - nothing doing.

A few years later I got the call to return with a butt load of benefits but I'd gotten old and couldn't pass the flight physical.

Nashville airport kinda got 'beat up', controllers put so many there, they called a halt if memory serves, there were aircraft parked on one of the runways, not enough gates....

I heard it on the car radio on the way home from the gym. Walked into the house and turned the tube on. Watched as the second jet flew into the second tower. I stayed glued to the TV all day.
Terrible day for the USA. It changed us all forever.

I was at work that day. We noticed a single private plane overhead, leisurely touring the valley.

We all said, that must be our friend Bill. Bill enjoyed flying his 1946 Luscombe. It had no communications capabilities.

It is good thing we are in a remote and sparsely populated part of the country. We were half way surprised nobody flew over from Mountain Home AFB, or even Gowen Field to find out what the radar blip was. But nope, Bill had a nice quiet morning flight.

LOL, the next day, he did say that he noticed the sky was pretty empty that day.

Got off my normal job at 8am, drove over to my second.
Normally, that was hauling gas or diesel in a semi. That day,
I was just riding with a friend down to Mechanicsburg to see
how things were done at a new (to me) loading facility.

Jerry and I had the radios off as we went down the Turnpike, just
shooting the bull. When we got to the rack a worker came over
and mentioned it. We went inside and saw footage of the second
plane hitting the tower. Went out, loaded the truck. I told Jerry I'd
move his truck if he wanted to go in. Thats when i heard about the
plane "In Somerset". I went in and mentioned it. Ray Smith, a guy we
knew from loading here, went white and started wanting details.


We left, and I was scarred we wouldn't be allowed to go home.
7000 gallons of diesel in a truck might be problematic. If it had
been gasolene, we wouldn't have been allowed on that road in normal times. They left us on the Turnpike, and it was surreal.

Normally, trucks would park in wide spots along the road and sleep. Cops were everywhere, rousting the drivers and making them go. "I don't care about your damn logbook, get moving!"

About then Ray went past us like a rocket. His company had "Large Cars"
KWs, big engines, tall gears, and Ray was using it all. He told us he lives
in Jennerstown, about 10 miles from Somerset, and no one around his
house would answer a phone. He was heading there.

We had no problems, Ray's family was fine.

In the Pentagon, room 4C152.

I remember walking through the front door of our office building first thing in the morning and seeing it on a small TV in the front lobby.

I was at work, my oldest son at school and 6 month pregnant wife was at home. Our department admin emailed all us what was happening, i left work soon as i confirmed the situation picked up Anthony from 4th grade and stayed home to face whatever was coming next. One of the worst days i can remember

In a train the trainer course for the Javelin missle system.

HQ Army Materiel Command in Alexandria VA, just inside the beltway. Had gone down to FT Belvoir 1st thing in the morning to pick up a prescription, didn't have radio on on way back to office, drove into parking lot as all the civilian staff was leaving with no idea what was happening. Found out when I got inside to go thru security. Went up to my office to check in with the COL, was told to standby. Little while later was sent home to get a couple hours sleep and told to report to our operations center by 6pm. Spent a week in night shift at the HQAMC Ops Ctr, then was detailed over to the Army Operations Center in the Pentagon as a liaison. Spent next month in the basement of the Pentagon.

Yeah, I remember.

Upfront and personal….

Was feeding Horses and Cattle, one of our ranch hands heard on the radio coming back from taking his kids to the school bus, went home and watched it all unfold on t.v. not a good day. Rio7

Left lane, southbound on I81, after dropping a load of milk off in Frederick MD. CB traffic was strangely quiet that day.

In a Floating Logging Camp(barge). Hint.

I've never watched TV,let alone "News",but exited the galley and headed towards the Mud Room,to gather gear and boot up. It was prior to daylight(obviously) and Jerry yelled "what THE fhuqk!!?!!",so I peered in the TV Room. That was the first tower being struck,as footage brought all up to date. Hint.

As things unfolded,we(and EVERY one else) were grounded,less an opportunity/route to work. This lead to an EPIC Shoot,the likes of which will never be replicated. No planes,no boats,no "supervision" and I'm assuredly going to Hell for the Marksmanship and copious fodder. Rattled through 1000+ rounds of 308 in the first three days alone. Hint.(grin),but had multiple rifles in tow. Hint.

The stench wafted for weeks and the retelling is unrivaled entertainment,for them who were there. Only (3) of which I know to be Members here. Hint.

As an aside,we were the first and ONLY flight "OK'd" the day of,due a Medical Emergency,inflicted to one of the above. Hint...............

Me and four other guys with kippahs were dancing in lower Manhattan.

Replacing a fire hydrant in front of the Otesaga Hotel. Running a load of crusher run back to the job site while listening to Howard Stearn in dump truck. Will never forget

Yep, I read where they had so many planes coming in that they blocked the jet ways. So they rolled out the steps and were unloading people on the taxi way. I saw a pic and they had planes parked every where there was concrete or blacktop.

Good gawd of the holy moses what the hell are you talking about?

Getting ready to walk out the door to go to work. I never do but something told me to turn on the tube and I did just in time to the second plane strike the World Trade Center...