The Beagle Log, 11 September 2007 - 9/11

Subject: The Beagle Log, 11 September 2007 - 9/11 Tue 11 Sep 2007 - 0:58

Where were you on 9/11?

I was at the Navy Yard; engrossed in a budget spreadsheet when co-workers started talking about a plane that had just hit one of the Twin Towers in New York. My first thought was a repeat of the bomber that flew into the Empire State Building in the 40’s.

The group down the hall had a TV with a dozen or so folks gathered around. I joined them and within minutes the second plane flew into the other tower. It was no longer an accident. Then the third plan hit the Pentagon. Local news was reporting rumors of explosions going off at federal buildings in the city as well as other planes diverted from their flight plan. The rumors of explosions proved false but there was one other hijacked plane; the one that passengers forced down in Pennsylvania.

The world had become surreal that morning. The Navy Yard was locked down. Marines had secured the gates. No one could come on the base and we could not leave.

About 11 AM, I went outside for fresh air. One of the higher buildings in the Yard is a parking structure. I went to the top level. From there I could see the US Capital building about a mile to the west. Down river (the Anacostia) and across the Potomac was National Airport, 2-miles to the south. Between these two pints was the Pentagon. The building was not visible due to the cityscape, but a column of dense smoke marked its location.

In mid afternoon, the gates were opened for employees to leave. Travel into the city center was restricted so I ended up going out Pennsylvania Ave. to the beltway. My trip home took me into the Twilight Zone – there was virtually no traffic on roads normally heavily congested. My home is about 10 miles south of Dulles airport. Air traffic at Dulles is normally heavy. That day there were no planes in the sky. I take that back. There were two air force fighters circling the city, roughly following the beltway, providing air cover to prevent any other hijacked planes from crashing into targets in the city.

The world had changed.

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Don

Subject: Re: The Beagle Log, 11 September 2007 - 9/11 Tue 11 Sep 2007 - 15:39

Hello Don,

Thank you for writing that, it was good to read an American's account of their experiences that day.

At that time I was living and working in Heysham, Morecambe, Lancashire, and my work was at Heysham High School. Its difficult to remember exactly where I was - but fuzzily - I think that I'd just walked home from school, went into the kitchen to put on the kettle & switched on TV, to then witness those horrific scenes of the towers exploding & crashing down.

The scene that most vividly stands out in my mind, from the news coverage of the actual event, was a person shouting for help as they waved a handkerchief through a window, very high up in the building - as the building below exploded, collapsed & crumbled. That was heart-rending. But so was everything else about the whole thing.

To echo your words Don - the world had become surreal.

Now on our Tributes/Memorials Board.....
>> Tribute to the Heroes of 9-11 2001 >>

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Carole, Smith Project/Smith Chat Admin
Nothing is too small to know, and nothing too big to attempt (William Van Horne)

Subject: Re: The Beagle Log, 11 September 2007 - 9/11 Tue 11 Sep 2007 - 16:09

I remember the day the Two Towers were hit.

I came home from work and turned the tely on, and went into the kitchen to make a cup of tea. When I returned there were the Two Towers on the screen with a plane on fire hanging out of one of them, and I thought they were showing a scene from a film. But as I was watching another crashed into the second tower and I knew it was for real. The phone rang and it was my daughter and I told her what was happening, she told her collegues and they didn't believe her. I said I'll phone you back later, when I phoned there was still disbelief in what was happening and someone said you be telling us next that a plane has gone into the Pentagon and as they said it a plane was reported as having crashed into the Pentagon. Then one of her collegues had a phone call and then everyone knew it was for real.

JFS

Subject: Re: The Beagle Log, 11 September 2007 - 9/11 Tue 11 Sep 2007 - 18:58

Hola everyone!

I remember too. We had tried to record something on a video the night before and havjng eaten our lunch decided to check whether or not we had the right program (!!!). I switched on the TV and said 'what is this ridiculous fim they are showing?' Within seconds as the second plane crashed into the tower we realised the awful truth... it was a news program.

We knew then the world would never be the same again.

Adios Gillian

Subject: Re: The Beagle Log, 11 September 2007 - 9/11 Tue 11 Sep 2007 - 23:41

I came home from work and turned on the TV and saw the rerun of the first plane hit the first tower. I was on the phone to Ivor when the second one hit. It was disbelief what was going on that day. My thoughts went out to everyone that was there and those that never saw loved ones again.

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Maxine
Friendship~
Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down. - Oprah Winfrey