Remembering 9/11

Shlomart Ben Yisrael · Sun Sep 11, 2011 10:09 am

Even before the towers hit the ground, I knew the world was going to be a very different place from that day forward.

Y2K · Post by **Y2K** » Sun Sep 11, 2011 10:59 am

Planes flying into buildings was a hell of a good clue, sure enough things have changed.

Neely8 · Post by **Neely8** » Sun Sep 11, 2011 12:13 pm

I was listening to Howard Stern on my way into work. He mentioned a plane had hit the WTC. I figured it was a little commuter job and no big deal. As I arrived at work I heard reports of the second plane. That is when we all realized that this was no coincidence. I logged in at work and could not get on any news sites. CNN, Yahoo, ABC, ETC were all down due to traffic overload. The only thing I was able to do was log into a webcam on the Empire State Building. I watched the buildings collapse through this lens. Horrible....

Eventually our work rolled a TV onto the sales floor so we could watch. We were then told a little later that one of our co-workers and his girlfriend were on United 175. They were going to Hawaii for vacation and were going to be engaged. A really truly sad day. 2 days prior I was giving him a hard time for being a Yankee Fan. It really magnified the day when someone you know is involved.

RIP Shawn and Lynn. You are both very missed!!

Moby Dick · Post by **Moby Dick** » Sun Sep 11, 2011 12:40 pm

Was working in a grocery warehouse when i passed someone in the shitter that said someone bombed the WTC...i was calling bullshit so i went to the breakroom and checked it out..

i remember seeing someone waving a white peice of cloth signalling for help and i remember saying out loud that why wasnt there a firetruck ladder or some shit saving that guy?

then they panned the camera out and he was about 5 stories above the impact hole of the first tower. "geezus."

MadRussian · Post by **MadRussian** » Sun Sep 11, 2011 12:52 pm

I was doing a project for CENTCOM, and we were scheduled to go over there 3 weeks later.
2 days after 9/11 we were all on a Military flight to the ME.

smackaholic · Post by **smackaholic** » Sun Sep 11, 2011 1:24 pm

I was standing in my kitchen with the town building inspector who had just finished gazing at my masterful roof yob. The second plane had just hit when we looked up at the TV.

At that moment, I knew sadaam's days were numbered, along with whomever the fukk did it. And yes, I realize Sadaam didn't do it, but, it didn't matter. We got an attitude adjustment that day that said we weren't gonna fukk around anymore with middle eastern fukk faces. And he was MEFF numero uno at the time who had spent the last decade playing hide the weenie with us.

The Seer · Post by **The Seer** » Sun Sep 11, 2011 3:23 pm

Was in Puerto Vallarta vacationing when wifey said "you might want to see this" as I was surf watching from the balcony. I was 6 months off cigs, but after about 60 mins grabbed a pack along with a bottle of tequila.

Getting out of Mexico was another adventure.

Shoalzie · Post by **Shoalzie** » Sun Sep 11, 2011 4:26 pm

I was at the lowest point of my personal life in 2001. I dropped out of college, quit two jobs and was the most out of shape as I'd ever been. I was living with my grandparents at the time. My grandfather woke me up shortly after the second plane hit the towers and I immediately flipped on the TV to watch in disbelief. Watching the towers fall soon after, all my self pity disappeared and it was a wake up call of sorts... it was the most humbling moment of my life. I really wondered what value I had to this world after seeing people go through real tragedy after I had basically put myself in the spot I was in. What a difference 10 years makes...from the low point in my life to my life only getting better by the day. I never forget that day and how it indirectly kicked me in the ass to get my life together. Life is all about learning lessons and being better for it.

[/VogelesqueMonologue]

War Wagon · Post by **War Wagon** » Sun Sep 11, 2011 4:32 pm

I happened to walk into the break room at work soon after the first tower was hit. There was a TV on showing black smoke billowing out. Nobody really knew yet what had happened and there was speculation from reporters that it was a small plane or something.

So a few of us are standing there a while watching and wondering wtf and we see the 2nd plane come into view and ram the 2nd tower.

Of all the images of that day, the one's that are seared into my memory the most are seeing people who, when faced with the choice of being incinerated or jumping to their death, chose the latter.

NEVER FORGET!!!

Go Coogs' · Post by **Go Coogs'** » Sun Sep 11, 2011 5:19 pm

I was pulling checks out of pocket# 6 of a sorting machine at the Federal Reserve when my mother called me to tell me a plane had hit one of the World Trade Center buildings. I immediately stopped the sorter and ran upstairs to the cafeteria. As I was walking through the doors to look up at the TV, I saw a second plane crash into the other building. At first, I thought someone captured footage of the first plane and they were replaying it, but everyone's reaction suggested otherwise. It was a very eerie feeling.

USA!

Tom In VA · Post by **Tom In VA** » Sun Sep 11, 2011 6:36 pm

Shoalzie wrote:I was at the lowest point of my personal life in 2001. I dropped out of college, quit two jobs and was the most out of shape as I'd ever been. I was living with my grandparents at the time. My grandfather woke me up shortly after the second plane hit the towers and I immediately flipped on the TV to watch in disbelief. Watching the towers fall soon after, all my self pity disappeared and it was a wake up call of sorts... it was the most humbling moment of my life. I really wondered what value I had to this world after seeing people go through real tragedy after I had basically put myself in the spot I was in. What a difference 10 years makes...from the low point in my life to my life only getting better by the day. I never forget that day and how it indirectly kicked me in the ass to get my life together. Life is all about learning lessons and being better for it.

[/VogelesqueMonologue]

Same here. The day always made me think of that scene in Saving Private Ryan where Tom Hanks tells Matt Damon ... "Earn this". I don't know why. Somebody on Facebook posted this:

Never ever forget the victims of 9/11 but it is also a day you need to look at yourself. Are you living life right? Are you doing your very best to be a great person, parent, friend to all your loved ones. We have a gift that was robbed of all those poor people and their loved ones, Life. Honor them by being the best person you can be and appreciate life everyday.

Thankfully today I can I'm doing better, but there's a lot wrong with me about which a lot must be done. But I'm world's away from the less than human I was in 2001.

God bless all of you, for real. I admit, you're in my "Dome", but in a good way. In an inspiring way when it happens. Too many names to list.

jtr · Post by **jtr** » Sun Sep 11, 2011 6:44 pm

I was working on the movie The Rules of Attraction on the third day of a four day party scene in an area of Los Angeles near the Hollywood Forever cemetary and on the landing flight path for LAX. Which made it eerie when the planes stopped flying over the next day. Was driving to work when the first plane hit and the radio station changed from sports to news all of a sudden. I didnt understand what was going on, they were talking about the president being in florida and I dumbly thought there was another recount of the election results or something. We had to continue working because the production only had the location for those four days. The party scene is called "The End of The World Party" in the movie it felt like we were experiencing it that day. We were holding on the lawn next door of the house we were filming and the homeowner put a tv outside for us to watch the going ons. The repetitiveness of the images are stuck in my mind forever. But I am also glad to have kept working that day and the next. We stood united and returned to normal as much as we could.

Screw_Michigan · Post by **Screw_Michigan** » Sun Sep 11, 2011 6:52 pm

http://www.rotten.com/library/crime/ter ... tember_11/

MgoBlue-LightSpecial · Sun Sep 11, 2011 6:53 pm

I was taking a shit when someone yelled out a plane crashed into the WTC. I said don't bother me when I'm on the can.

Screw_Michigan · Post by **Screw_Michigan** » Sun Sep 11, 2011 6:58 pm

I was in my second year at Western Michigan and although on Tuesday, September 11, 2001, I normally had a 9:30 class, it was cancelled in advance. I was sleeping at the time and the phone kept ringing non-stop. Eventually I picked up the phone and it was my dad, telling me to "turn on the fucking TV." I turned it on. Like Rumps, at first, I thought the footage of the second plane was a replay. I watched the news footage until I had to go to office hours for my stats class at 11 am. No one was really talking much on campus, and if they were, it was more along the lines of "WTF is going on?" and "are we gonna cancel classes for the afternoon?" Which they did.

Atomic Punk · Post by **Atomic Punk** » Sun Sep 11, 2011 7:55 pm

Only my fellow asshats here could find what I think is a Time magazine cover that I haven't found. It's a pic of guys raising the Amercian flag on the WTC rubble and there is this rescue German Shepherd on the pile that is looking for dead bodies or potential survivors.

Her (the dog's) name is "Osa" and her owner brought her over one day when I lived in NJ and the pup liked retrieving the ball that I kept throwing out in the parking lot. Those dogs are smarter than 99% of you idiots.

Terry in Crapchester · Sun Sep 11, 2011 11:09 pm

9/11/01 was supposed to be a good day for me, as it was the day my son started preschool. I had already told my employer that I would be late to work that day as I was going to drop him off for his first day.

After I dropped him off, I turned on the car and settled in for the ride, as I had about a one hour commute into work at the time. I turned on the radio, and heard that the first plane had hit the WTC only moments earlier. I thought at the time that it was just a horrible accident. As I continued to drive I heard that a second plane had hit the other tower of the WTC, and at that point, as Neely said, I realized it wasn't an accident.

I really don't remember what I did at work that day, I guess I just sort of muddled through the day in stunned disbelief. When I got home, I immediately placed the American flag on our front porch at half staff, before I even went inside the house.

Mace · Post by **Mace** » Mon Sep 12, 2011 1:18 am

I was in my office when I someone called and told us about the first plane and, like many others, I thought it was likely a single engine plane accident, but I was driving to the courthouse and listening to the radio when the second one hit and I knew it was no accident. I turned around and headed back to the office to listen to the radio before taking the rest of the day off work and heading home to watch the events unfold.

I officiated a high school football game later that week and, following a ceremony prior to the National Anthem, I stood there wondering how many of the young men lined up on the football field would be serving in the military over the next few years and putting their lives on the line.

Bucmonkey · Post by **Bucmonkey** » Mon Sep 12, 2011 1:51 am

Was working from home that morning, had GMA on in the background, wife was a few minutes from leaving for a business meeting in Tampa. Charlie Gibson and Diane Sawyer cut away to the first tower, speculating on what had happen, As said before it was suspected to be a small prop plane.

I can vividly remember discussing with the OL that there was no way that was a small plane, had to be a bomb, etc... as the live feed is on the building and the ABC talking heads are pontificating, the second jet flys in , and in what seemed minutes, freaking bam...no doubt now.

One of the most surreal moments I have ever experienced...on TV no less.

Dr_Phibes · Post by **Dr_Phibes** » Mon Sep 12, 2011 4:08 am

Heard it on the radio and thought 'wow' so left work and watched it on television. Thought someone's going to get hit with a rocket and that was it.

I went to the US because of work a few months later and it was like visiting Mars. All you heard was 'Saddam, Saddam, Saddam' on the TV, radio, day and night and it was nothing specific, just allusions to how evil he was. I thought endless repetition was normal for American news - some mother killed her daughter and it was the same story every single night for weeks. Didn't really clue in till later what the policy was and the staggering effect a propaganda campaign can have on a population. It's one thing to read about in history books and another to see it first hand.

mvscal · Post by **mvscal** » Mon Sep 12, 2011 4:46 am

Dr_Phibes wrote:I went to the US because of work a few months later and it was like visiting Mars. All you heard was 'Saddam, Saddam, Saddam' on the TV, radio, day and night and it was nothing specific, just allusions to how evil he was.

Shut the fuck up, liar.

Tom In VA · Post by **Tom In VA** » Mon Sep 12, 2011 11:12 am

Maybe "liar" is a bit strong. Ill informed is probably more accurate. Phibes, we'd been getting brainwashed about Saddam for quite some time prior to 9-11. It started with Kuwait, fluctuated throughout 1992-2000 with 1997-2000 having some peak periods to the point that even Holllywood got involved at times.

Goober McTuber · Post by **Goober McTuber** » Mon Sep 12, 2011 1:01 pm

Tom In VA wrote:God bless all of you, for real. I admit, you're in my "Dome", but in a good way. In an inspiring way when it happens. Too many names to list.

Thanks for the warm wishes, Tom.

R-Jack · Post by **R-Jack** » Mon Sep 12, 2011 1:11 pm

Tom In VA wrote:Maybe "liar" is a bit strong. Ill informed is probably more accurate.

Actually "full of shit" is more accurate than ill informed. OBL, Taliban and Anthrax (not the band) were the dominant headlines in the months following 9/11.

Left Seater · Post by **Left Seater** » Mon Sep 12, 2011 3:48 pm

Second worst day of my life. I was flying for my own company on that day and taking a group from Dallas to SoCal for a meeting and then return. We left Dallas shortly after 7:00 am Central time. Initial routing was north towards Lewisville and then a turn to the west. After reaching our cruising altitude of 40,000 plus, our lead attendant came up and told us that the passengers were all discussing an accident in NYC, in which a plane hit the WTC. We discussed how that could have happened even if the weather was horrible in NYC, which of course it wasn't. Just a few minutes later the lead let us know that another plane had hit the WTC. At this point we knew it wasn't an accident.

We, all planes in the air, were told to land at the closest suitable field even if it was behind us. This was repeated a few times and that raised a few questions. What was the definition of suitable? Clearly suitable meant having a runway that was able to handle type and weight, but did it mean a terminal, jetways, etc for the commercial types? Did it mean the Air Force base we just passed ten minutes ago. I immediately made the decision that we weren't going back to Dallas as that was going to be a mess with the morning bank in full swing at DFW, and they didn't need anyone else in that mix. We tried for a few minutes for further instructions while continuing to head west. Finally after what seemed like an hour, but was more likely a 7-9 minutes we were told commercial flights would be given priority to land at commercial fields. So we just held our course and looked for spots out in front of us.

The airports in our area were all in NM. ABQ was our first choice as it was a large city, both of us up front had been there before, and nice facilities for our passengers. Of course at the time we thought we would be on our way later that morning once they figured everything out. We requested and were granted a turn to the Southwest to head to ABQ. A few minutes later we were told to head to something closer since ABQ might be busy with launching the Airforce reserves from Kirtland which shares the same facility.

We crossed Taos NM off of our list as it had less than 5500 ft in length and was over 7000 ft in altitude. Angel Fire was slightly closer and 1000 feet higher in elevation but an additional 2800 feet in length and 25 feet in width and we were pretty heavy due to the fact we were tankering fuel, but that is a tricky approach to an uncontrolled field. So that was out. (Tankering, flying with enough fuel for the entire trip so as to avoid purchasing fuel at a higher price in CA. There is a tradeoff in that you are heavier so you burn more fuel early, but it can often still be a savings.)

So on to Santa Fe with its 8000 foot runway at 4000 feet in elevation and controllers. We landed and were directed to park on an out of the way spot which we didn't understand why at first, but became clear when United, Southwest and America West were all right behind us. We spent 4 hours on the plane before we learned we weren't going anywhere for the rest of the day. The next day our passengers headed back to Dallas via car and we settled in with the other flight crews and watched the world change before our eyes.

We spent 2 weeks in Santa Fe and I made two life long friends. One of those things where you go thru something with people and you almost instantly feel like you have known them for such a long time. Our story is similar to those around North America. One of the best is from Gander in Canada. 38 planes in all landed in Gander on 9/11 and 32 of them were wide bodies. A total of 6,600 people were thrust upon this small community who took them in and cared for them like they were family. Here is a photo of the airport in mid afternoon on 9/11.

Notice the planes parked on the far end of the runway also.

Here is the story of their reunion yesterday.

http://www.canada.com/news/9-11-anniversary/index.html

War Wagon · Post by **War Wagon** » Mon Sep 12, 2011 4:06 pm

Cool story, Lefty.

Goober McTuber · Post by **Goober McTuber** » Mon Sep 12, 2011 4:22 pm

War Wagon wrote:Cool story, Lefty.

2nd.

Atomic Punk · Post by **Atomic Punk** » Mon Sep 12, 2011 4:29 pm

Goober McTuber wrote:
War Wagon wrote:Cool story, Lefty.
2nd.

3rd.

Left Seater · Post by **Left Seater** » Mon Sep 12, 2011 7:11 pm

I was flying in the Left Seat of a G500. Similar to the photo below. Honestly, we were not all that freaked out. We weren't getting the updates every three seconds like those of you who were connected to radio and TV. We were trying to find a suitable field and get the plane down and stay out of the way of the Air Force and National Guard units that were popping up all over the place. We figured we would be on the ground for a few hours then once everything was sorted out we would be on our way again. While we were in the air we had no idea of flt 93, the pentagon, other planes not responding to ATC, etc. We pretty much had our hands full with our own flying.

Once we were on the ground and could listen to FM radio and watch the TV in back with our pax did it all start to become more clear.

Atomic Punk · Post by **Atomic Punk** » Mon Sep 12, 2011 8:23 pm

Left Seater, my question (yeah everybody pile-on because I've done more than you, etc). Does your company allow you guys to dump fuel above 6000 feet to lighten the load? It's not like I hold a commercial multiengine license with experience on Navy C-9's or C-12's. (poopfart, feel free to chime in since you have slope issues).

Atomic Punk · Post by **Atomic Punk** » Mon Sep 12, 2011 9:04 pm

Asshat chiming in here as the ship is about to set sail and Brandy let the last whiskey down... Man it's time to get the bar rolling again!

I see November 501 Zulu Kilo has the buckets deployed. If you're flying those G-5's then you must be a shit hot pilot.

Cuda · Post by **Cuda** » Tue Sep 13, 2011 1:20 am

Left Seater wrote:Second worst day of my life. I was flying for my own company on that day and taking a group from Dallas to SoCal for a meeting and then return. We left Dallas shortly after 7:00 am Central time. Initial routing was north towards Lewisville and then a turn to the west. After reaching our cruising altitude of 40,000 plus, our lead attendant came up and told us that the passengers were all discussing an accident in NYC, in which a plane hit the WTC. We discussed how that could have happened even if the weather was horrible in NYC, which of course it wasn't. Just a few minutes later the lead let us know that another plane had hit the WTC. At this point we knew it wasn't an accident.

We, all planes in the air, were told to land at the closest suitable field even if it was behind us. This was repeated a few times and that raised a few questions. What was the definition of suitable? Clearly suitable meant having a runway that was able to handle type and weight, but did it mean a terminal, jetways, etc for the commercial types? Did it mean the Air Force base we just passed ten minutes ago. I immediately made the decision that we weren't going back to Dallas as that was going to be a mess with the morning bank in full swing at DFW, and they didn't need anyone else in that mix. We tried for a few minutes for further instructions while continuing to head west. Finally after what seemed like an hour, but was more likely a 7-9 minutes we were told commercial flights would be given priority to land at commercial fields. So we just held our course and looked for spots out in front of us.

The airports in our area were all in NM. ABQ was our first choice as it was a large city, both of us up front had been there before, and nice facilities for our passengers. Of course at the time we thought we would be on our way later that morning once they figured everything out. We requested and were granted a turn to the Southwest to head to ABQ. A few minutes later we were told to head to something closer since ABQ might be busy with launching the Airforce reserves from Kirtland which shares the same facility.

We crossed Taos NM off of our list as it had less than 5500 ft in length and was over 7000 ft in altitude. Angel Fire was slightly closer and 1000 feet higher in elevation but an additional 2800 feet in length and 25 feet in width and we were pretty heavy due to the fact we were tankering fuel, but that is a tricky approach to an uncontrolled field. So that was out. (Tankering, flying with enough fuel for the entire trip so as to avoid purchasing fuel at a higher price in CA. There is a tradeoff in that you are heavier so you burn more fuel early, but it can often still be a savings.)

So on to Santa Fe with its 8000 foot runway at 4000 feet in elevation and controllers. We landed and were directed to park on an out of the way spot which we didn't understand why at first, but became clear when United, Southwest and America West were all right behind us. We spent 4 hours on the plane before we learned we weren't going anywhere for the rest of the day. The next day our passengers headed back to Dallas via car and we settled in with the other flight crews and watched the world change before our eyes.

We spent 2 weeks in Santa Fe and I made two life long friends. One of those things where you go thru something with people and you almost instantly feel like you have known them for such a long time. Our story is similar to those around North America. One of the best is from Gander in Canada. 38 planes in all landed in Gander on 9/11 and 32 of them were wide bodies. A total of 6,600 people were thrust upon this small community who took them in and cared for them like they were family. Here is a photo of the airport in mid afternoon on 9/11.

Notice the planes parked on the far end of the runway also.

Here is the story of their reunion yesterday.

http://www.canada.com/news/9-11-anniversary/index.html

How many days did the freight dogs & commuter pilots mooch drinks off of you at the hotel bar?

Cuda · Post by **Cuda** » Tue Sep 13, 2011 1:25 am

Atomic Punk wrote: If you're flying those G-5's then you must be a shit hot pilot.

Lefty? He's been known to cancel IFR at the gate, deploy/retract flaps in the flare, and laugh at the words "shock-cooling"

Left Seater · Post by **Left Seater** » Tue Sep 13, 2011 2:38 am

First off the MTOW and MLW are less than 10,000lbs apart. So in very few situations are you even looking at this situation. Add to that you can land the plane at a higher weight and as long as the vertical acceleration isn't exceeded you don't need an inspection.

Further the maint manual directs an examination of the struts, and the grease marks associated with them. For the mains, if the travel was within a half inch of max available travel this is evidence of vertical load limits being exceeded.

Can't imagine this is any different than in the c-9, not sure about the 12.

Didn't have to buy to many rounds at the bar as there was an older gentleman who worked for the FBO who was also involved with beer and cig sales of some kind. We kept thinking it was going to be the next day, day after day, so we did what pilots do and went to the airport and then when we were told we weren't flying that day the old guy always had a stash of stuff he would bring out and sell us.

Dr_Phibes · Post by **Dr_Phibes** » Tue Sep 13, 2011 3:05 am

R-Jack wrote:
Actually "full of shit" is more accurate than ill informed. OBL, Taliban and Anthrax (not the band) were the dominant headlines in the months following 9/11.

That's sort of the point, I'm talking spring 2002. It was a total onslaught of information, you're immersed in it. When you come into it cold, it's completely bizarre. From every 9/11 coffee mug in every petrol station to every time you turn on the TV to everyone you talk to, to every radio show.

Atomic Punk · Post by **Atomic Punk** » Tue Sep 13, 2011 4:58 am

Left Seater, checking the Oleo struts was a big deal in the Navy. C-12's (Beech B200's) are scary because they burn 50 gallons/hour on each engine and aren't fast enough to get to a place to gas up if you screw up fuel management. The cool thing is they are under 12,500 lbs so you can get away with one pilot if need be.

My 1st flight in a C-9 (MD-80) the instructor let me sit in the left seat after dropping off our PAX and said "Hey, look at your EPR gauges!" I throttle up and this barber pole thing popped up on the left side of the yoke like a popped circuit breaker. I look at those two pilots and they were cracking up as I over sped the aircraft.

mvscal · Post by **mvscal** » Tue Sep 13, 2011 6:21 am

Atomic Punk wrote: It's not like I hold a commercial multiengine license with experience on Navy C-9's or C-12's.

So you have a commercial pilots license but you choose to work at home depot while you learn to change pedpans at the old folks' home?

Just asking.

Atomic Punk · Post by **Atomic Punk** » Tue Sep 13, 2011 6:35 am

Yes, Bill Clinton was in office and the military cutbacks were so bad that I chose to get out due to aviation maintenance safety issues. At the time our hours were cut back and signing for an aircraft was too much for me to keep a clear conscience.

A buddy that flies for United Airlines told me not to call him a fag, but he was accepted into Drexel University for the RN, BSN program. I asked him if males can become nurses since the medical field is interesting. He said yes but he keeps flying for United because the money he makes is about what he would get as a nurse. I worked at HD as a 2nd job to save up $$$ to come back to put me through school. I don't wish working retail on even the lowliest of the tards here.

ucantdoitdoggieSTyle2 · Tue Sep 13, 2011 1:24 pm

Atomic Punk wrote:Yes, Bill Clinton was in office and the military cutbacks were so bad that I chose to get out due to aviation maintenance safety issues.

Sure thing, Walter Mitty. Was that before or after you and Captain RamMyAss shot the cook and sank the Red ImNotSober? Wait a minute... didn't Viper didn't run you out of Top Gun for getting buzzed in the shower too many times? Or... did Sgt Barnes run you out of the Army for sticking up for Elias? You've had quite a distinguished career.

Here's what happened: After consuming 17 wobbly pops, you crashed some puddle jumper while attempting to get your pilot's license and the only place that'd hire you after that was the Home Depot. Get fucked, you despicable tranny.

poptart · Post by **poptart** » Tue Sep 13, 2011 1:37 pm

Not that I'd be the kind of person to break out the gas can for this current AP fire, but...

I'm going to ask... whoever wants to use Google - to look up Home Depot gay agenda.