I think we all can tell you where we were, and what we were doing on that fateful day, five years ago.
September 11, 2001
It was a beautiful day here in New Hampshire. Sunny, bright, clear with blue skies. I was taking a shower getting ready for a dental appointment, while Hubby was working on shingling the house. It was a day like any other here.
Hubby had the TV in our bedroom pointed out the window so he could listen to the morning news.
Suddenly, I felt a hand on my arm and Hubby told me I had to get out of the shower now, something was happening. I was a little dazed and confused. I shut the water in the shower off and grabbed my towel.
Hubby and I sat in our family room watching Fox News, ABC, and CNN. A plane had hit one of the Twin Towers at the World Trade Center in downtown New York City.
While we watched, suddenly another plane came in and hit the other Tower!
We were both in shock. We listened to reports. No one was saying terrorism, not at first. But both Hubby and I knew.
We watched the Tower’s come down one and then the other. We knew people had died. We just didn’t know how many.
At 12:30 I drove to my dental appointment. There was not another car on the road. Not one. I got to my dental appointment and found that I was the only patient that hadn’t cancelled that day.
When I got home we watched the TV all day. I called my family and my close friends. Just to hear their voices.
It doesn’t matter your political affiliations, or how you feel about the war.
What matters is on September 11, 2001 innocent people died in New York City, In Washington, DC and in Shanksville, PA.
People like you and like me. Just because they were Americans.
That was the day I learned that we are no longer safe here at home.
I also learned that when our country is attacked in such a manner, we pull together and unify.
God Bless all who lost their lives that day, and all who serve this country each and every day to protect and defend us.
September 11, 2001: Basic Facts
Chronology
8:46 AM Plane crashes into the north tower of the World Trade Center.
9:03 AM Plane crashes into the south tower of the World Trade Center.
9:17 AM The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) shuts down all New York City area airports.
9:21 AM The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) halts all flights at U.S. airports. It is the first
time in history that air traffic has been halted nationwide.
9:38 AM Plane crashes into the Pentagon. Evacuation begins immediately.
9:45 AM The White House evacuates.
10:05 AM The south tower of the World Trade Center collapses.
10:10 AM A portion of the Pentagon collapses.
10:10 AM Plane crashes in Somerset County, Pennsylvania.
10:22 AM The State and Justice Departments, as well as the World Bank are evacuated.
10:28 AM The World Trade Center’s north tower collapses.
10:45 AM All federal office buildings in Washington, D.C. are evacuated.
1:44 PM Five warships and two aircraft carriers are ordered to leave the U.S. Naval Station
in Norfolk, Virginia to protect the East Coast.
4:10 PM Building 7 of the World Trade Center collapses.
The Flights
American Airlines Flight 11
From: Boston, Massachusetts (Logan Airport)
To: Los Angeles, California
Lives: 92 people on board
Crashed into North Tower of World Trade Center at 8:46 AM
United Airlines Flight 175
From: Boston, Massachusetts (Logan Airport)
To: Los Angeles, California
Lives: 65 people on board
Crashed into South Tower of World Trade Center at 9:03 AM
American Airlines Flight 77
From: Washington, D.C. (Dulles Airport)
To: Los Angeles, CA
Lives: 64 people on board
Crashed into the Pentagon at 9:38 AM
United Airlines Flight 93
From: Newark, New Jersey
To: San Francisco, California
Lives: 44 people on board
Crashed into rural Pennsylvania (southeast of Pittsburgh)
Victims
Victims came from more than 90 countries around the world.
The following are the number of people who died at each site:
World Trade Center 2,823 (includes airline passengers)
Pentagon 125 (not including plane victims)
Flight 11 – 92 people on board
Flight 175 – 64 people on board
Flight 77 – 64 people on board
Flight 93 – 44 people on board
The initial numbers are indelible: 8:46 a.m. and 9:02 a.m. Time the burning towers stood: 56 minutes and 102 minutes. Time they took to fall: 12 seconds. From there, they ripple out.
Fact Sheet
U.S. Department of State
Washington, DC
August 15, 2002
Well done Sis! No one could ever forget where they were or how they felt on that day. I have felt the tears coming all day, just remembering all those innocent people who died. One of them was a classmate of my son Mike’s. He graduated with him from high school.
It’s horrifying to see those pictures but we must remember the reality that was.
Thanks for your nice comments on my 2996 tribute. I have posted another one tonight. I was asked to pick up another one because they realized some people had not posted their tributes.
I was only too happy to do it. I hope I did him justice.
I always watch the documentary by the 2 French brother, show were filming about a fire fighter previous to 9/11. They filmed right through the whole thing. It’s in real time, down to earth. There isn’t anything political about it and I watch it to remember the day. People who were building their dream house down our street were on the plane that was headed to Los Angeles that day. We didn’t know them, but just the same, it was very very sad. Michele
This is a beautiful blog entry! I hope that people never forget what happened that day and how we all felt so unified and close together.
Seeing those pictures still gives me the chills.
What a powerful tribute MB. Tears seem to follow me everywhere I go this weekend.
It doesn’t matter how you feel about the war because the war has nothing to do with these people’s lives. These lives lost. Lost but not forgotten.
♥Pam
I had just rolled out of bed, and turned on the percolator and flipped on the tv. The first thing I see is a plane heading right for the towers, and suddenly there’s no plane anymore and only a crumpled side of the building. My immediate thought was, “why are they showing a movie so early in the morning?”
It was surreal. It still is. I know many people who walked out of those towers mere *minutes* before that happened.
I like that last photo the best as a way to remember. Many people will have posts today and remembering is so so important. It is all so long ago yet seems like yesterday.
Hi Mom,
Yes, this is a very nice tribute indeed. I, like everyone, has been thinking a lot on this morning. I think we should all try to do things on this day (as all) to help our neighbors and the people around us. Every day, but especially this one, is a good day for a good deed!
Hope you have a nice day today; I’ll give you a call on my way home!
Love,
Mandy
nicely done, Maribeth- it was an awful day.
This tragic incident will surely remain in our memories for quite a long long time.
My prayers for all the families and friends of the victims.