Where were you on 9/11/2001...

[dawgstudent]

I like to ask this every year. Someone new will recount their memory and it's always interesting to read.

I was in class and our professor left the room (his wife also taught in the business school - Dr. Rodney and Alison Pearson). He walked back in and said the United States is under attack. I took that as a country had bombed us on our own soil. I went back home and watched TV for the remainder of the morning and then hung out a friend's place that evening. I don't think I went to bed that night. It was surreal.

 

[Bowdawg]

Just finished Organic Chem 1 class at ECCC and had walked back into my dorm room on campus.

 

[ckDOG]

Was waiting on a shuttle to go to class. A friend who had interned at the NSA told me what happened but that he would drive me to class. He was an odd guy so I thought he was 17ing with me given the recent work experience. Walked up to a mostly empty McCool, realized he was telling the truth, and I turned around to a vastly different world.

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

Going to class my sophomore year. That morning when I got up I didn’t turn the tv on while getting ready and missed the first plane. The second plane hit while I was driving to the parking lot behind ballew hall because I could sit in that lot and pick up rock 103 in Memphis and the Wake Up Crew. They kept talking about a plane hitting the WTC so I called my mom to ask was it a prop plane and she replied “no……it was two passenger jet.” The hair stood up on my neck.

 

[DawgsGoneWild]

In Starkville at our house. Got drunk the night before and missed my classes. Roommate woke me up and told me to turn on the tv after the first plane hit. As soon as i turned on the tv, the second plane hit

 

[Wesson Bulldog]

Walked into the newspaper office in Hazlehurst. It was 'paper day', the day we put it all together to send to the press. The receptionist asked me if I had heard about the plane crashing into the WTC. I had not, so I pulled up Drudge on the Mac with dial up and browsed stories. Someone turned on a radio. Supertalk had a national show on talking about it. A few minutes later he described the second crash and Drudge lit up with fireball photos and the stories from all over.
We finished the paper around 11, then I went home and watched the news until about 3 when sections came back from the press. Spent the rest of the night glued to the TV.

 

[BigBully]

I was driving to work listening to Chuck and Doug's morning sports show. I thought it was a hoax until I got to work and everyone was watching the events unfold. Our lives forever changed at that moment.

BB

 

[CochiseCowbell]

Walked out of class on Augusta State University's commons and I could immediately tell something was going on. Students in small groups talking nervously and in hushed tones. Someone told me a plane crashed into the WTC. In my head I thought a biplane. Bumped into a friend as the real scope was dawning on us. I gave him a ride home. On the way, listening to the news on the radio, we watched a man on Berkman Rd (right next to the National) in his front yard lowering his American Flag to half-mast on his flagpole.

Turned on his TV. Wondered if we were going to enlist. Called a friend around the corner who didn't believe us and when back to sleep. We drove over and woke his a$$ up. Then went to work at Sam's in the afternoon.

 

[kired]

Going to class my sophomore year. That morning when I got up I didn’t turn the tv on while getting ready and missed the first plane. The second plane hit while I was driving to the parking lot behind ballew hall because I could sit in that lot and pick up rock 103 in Memphis and the Wake Up Crew. They kept talking about a plane hitting the WTC so I called my mom to ask was it a prop plane and she replied “no……it was two passenger jet.” The hair stood up on my neck.

We may have been listening to the same broadcast. I saw coverage of the first plane before I left my apartment, then they started talking about a second plane when I was sitting in the parking lot - but at the time they made it sound like it was a small prop plane. I didn’t realize it was another jet till I got to class and professor was talking about it

 

[paindonthurt]

I like to ask this every year. Someone new will recount their memory and it's always interesting to read.

I was in class and our professor left the room (his wife also taught in the business school - Dr. Rodney and Alison Pearson). He walked back in and said the United States is under attack. I took that as a country had bombed us on our own soil. I went back home and watched TV for the remainder of the morning and then hung out a friend's place that evening. I don't think I went to bed that night. It was surreal.

I was in class my freshman year at the US Naval Academy. Dont remember the class. Didn't have a cell phone as a freshman.

Only vaguely remember going back to Bancroft Hall to dorms and they brought all the freshman from my company into the lounge (where we were never allowed) on our floor. Told us what was going on and turned on TV. Told us we could get our cell phones from storage and call family.

We had extra watch for 24 hrs a day for several weeks. At one point i was outside in a basement alley late at night. Very eerie feeling.

 

[skip dog]

I had only been married, at the time, for a few months, and had a brand new business and a home office. I had a busy day, and was sitting down to get project files ready for meetings, and checked email and saw the headline that the WTC had been struck by an airplane. I thought it was just a situation that was serious, but also that it was probably a small aircraft. I was not in a hurry, so went into the den and turned on the news.......a few minutes later the second aircraft struck, and I saw it in the distance approaching the 2nd tower, and saw the impact on live TV, and I remember just sitting there in total disbelief at what I had just seen.........and then they then cut to the Pentagon smoking, and a huge section gone and first responders and all surrounding the area...... I sat there in total disbelief at what had just happened, and the cameras catching jumpers coming out of the WTC...........all images I thought I would never see. Had no idea what to do, what to tell my employees, just total disbelief that this could happen in the modern world............When the towers fell, I actually wondered if I would ever travel again, I wondered what the world would be living in a moment where all air traffic was grounded. I was scared

Today, I know my final home. I know I am just wandering on this earth until I'm called home. We have a great world, and country, and it is broken, and all I can do is my part to make it better in some way, shape, form, and capacity.......and I travel more than ever before....... but, always aware an with my head on a swivel

 

[TXDawg.sixpack]

I was sitting in my office on the 14th floor of the Chevron Tower in downtown Houston. Someone walked by and said a plant had hit the WTC. I assumed it was a small private plane like a Cessna. I opened Yahoo! News and saw immediately that it was not.

A group of us gathered in a large conference room and watched the news. We saw the second plane hit live, then continued watching and saw both towers fall and the plane hit the Pentagon. We got word around 10:30 - 11:00 that the high-rises in downtown were being evacuated for safety and we were released to go home. I spent the rest of the day watching the news in shock.

 

[$altyDawg]

I was working in Jackson at the time and had meetings out at Mississippi ETV that morning. When I got out of my meetings, I walked by a friends office and he had the news on and I remember asking him, "What movie are you watching?" I found out right quick it wasn't a movie.

 

[DogStuckAtUM]

Pulling up in the parking lot of Madison Central, listening to the Steve and DC Show on Y101. They talked about a plane hitting a tower but assumed it was smaller jet.

 

[DawgsOnTheWing]

On way to work, heard on news a plane had hit the WTC. At that time, thought it was accidental strike. Got to work and found out it was more, like TXDawg said. I worked in a federal government facility, which immediately began steps to secure our building perimeter.

 

[dawgman42]

Was sitting in my office seeing posts on the BOMB and other sites about a crash at the WTC-1. I was the first in my office of 30+ folks to sort of know about what was going on and acted as the "town crier." Helped the VP's secretary grab a TV and set up in a conference room to watch what was going on.

 

[bulldognation]

Just arrived at work and was headed up to my office. A colleague of mine said she heard on the radio that a 'small plane' hit a building. Had to commute to another campus for a staff meeting and got the reports on the radio. I immediately called my wife and told her to turn on the TV. We had a newborn at home and she was shaken by the events. We kept a small TV going throughout our staff meeting, which stopped every now and to just watch in disbelief of what was going on.
Later that night, we met at our church to pray for our country.
There wasn't an american flag that could be found in any store anywhere afterwards.
Thus began the cycle of news fatigue.... everyone stayed glued to CNN fearful they would miss whatever was 'coming next' in all of it.

 

[horshack.sixpack]

I like to ask this every year. Someone new will recount their memory and it's always interesting to read.

I was in class and our professor left the room (his wife also taught in the business school - Dr. Rodney and Alison Pearson). He walked back in and said the United States is under attack. I took that as a country had bombed us on our own soil. I went back home and watched TV for the remainder of the morning and then hung out a friend's place that evening. I don't think I went to bed that night. It was surreal.

Work. TVs mounted in the company gym were tuned into live news and most/all of the company packed into the room watching, wandering off in disbelief, trying to do something work related and inevitably wandering back in to watch. Once the second plane hit, there was no more work to be done that day except communicating with employees who were out on travel, trying to plan to get them back home. Had two groups away in different parts of the country who had to just drive their rental car back cross country (training was cancelled). My guys were worried because they had local rentals. I assured them that we would pay whatever fees they incurred for driving them back home and leaving them rather than return to where they got them. It still is emotional whenever I see video of Bush getting the new while reading to kids. I'd give an appendage to have that kind of leadership again in this country.

 

[Pars]

Heading to class junior year high school. Friend of mine said we’re under attack. Didn’t believe him went into classroom and saw the news on tv.
Next period teacher was a Mennonite and unconcerned with any attack and didn’t let us watch any news.
Remember most teachers not knowing what the 17 was going on and had no answers for all of us dumb kids asking questions.
Got home and my Dad laid it out for me pretty well.

Side note: same Mennonite fella taught my now wife a couple years later.
She lost her dad at 17 and first day she came back he told her she needed to take the test as scheduled that day because people die and we need to move on.
She lost it and didn’t have to go back to that class

 

[dawgstudent]

I like to ask this every year. Someone new will recount their memory and it's always interesting to read.

I was in class and our professor left the room (his wife also taught in the business school - Dr. Rodney and Alison Pearson). He walked back in and said the United States is under attack. I took that as a country had bombed us on our own soil. I went back home and watched TV for the remainder of the morning and then hung out a friend's place that evening. I don't think I went to bed that night. It was surreal.

By the way - if you are ever in Dallas and have some free time - go to the George Bush Presidential Library. I could have spent all day reading about 9/11 and I am not a museum type. I guess for me - it's really the first major event I lived. They even have a situation room run-through that discusses how they handled that day from there.

 

[horshack.sixpack]

By the way - if you are ever in Dallas and have some free time - go to the George Bush Presidential Library. I could have spent all day reading about 9/11 and I am not a museum type. I guess for me - it's really the first major event I lived. They even have a situation room run-through that discusses how they handled that day from there.

9/11 museum in New York is full of onions, so beware if you go there.

 

[msugrad2003]

I like to ask this every year. Someone new will recount their memory and it's always interesting to read.

I was in class and our professor left the room (his wife also taught in the business school - Dr. Rodney and Alison Pearson). He walked back in and said the United States is under attack. I took that as a country had bombed us on our own soil. I went back home and watched TV for the remainder of the morning and then hung out a friend's place that evening. I don't think I went to bed that night. It was surreal.

McCool hall.

 

[M R DAWGS]

I was in a Hardee’s drive through getting breakfast with 2 of my high school buddies. What was happening came on the radio and we drove to one of their houses to watch the coverage.

 

[Faustdog]

I like to ask this every year. Someone new will recount their memory and it's always interesting to read.

I was in class and our professor left the room (his wife also taught in the business school - Dr. Rodney and Alison Pearson). He walked back in and said the United States is under attack. I took that as a country had bombed us on our own soil. I went back home and watched TV for the remainder of the morning and then hung out a friend's place that evening. I don't think I went to bed that night. It was surreal.

I was driving to campus when the first plane hit but had no idea. I remember thinking on the way to class what a beautiful morning it was.

I had an Econ class in McCool. The teacher came in late and had to have known, but said nothing about it. She took the entire 1:30 class time for the Thursday class. By the time we got out, they had rolled TV's into the hallway in McCool.

I don't think anyone went to class for the rest of that day and a day or two after.

 

[dawgstudent]

I was driving to campus when the first plane hit but had no idea. I remember thinking on the way to class what a beautiful morning it was.

I had an Econ class in McCool. The teacher came in late and had to have known, but said nothing about it. She took the entire 1:30 class time for the Thursday class. By the time we got out, they had rolled TV's into the hallway in McCool.

I don't think anyone went to class for the rest of that day and a day or two after.

Class started back that Thursday night. I remember I had the option of taking a computer science test Thursday night or Friday afternoon.

 

[biodawg]

A&P, 10th grade. We watched coverage on tv in different classrooms throughout the day.

 

[AleutianIslandawg]

We all remember where we were, just like our parent's generation remember where they were when Kennedy was shot.
I was in my 10th grade English class, 1st period, Mrs Pavy. No lessons were taught that day. We rotated to different classrooms when the bell rang but watched everything unfold on TV

 

[sandwolf.sixpack]

I was in surgery for a knee injury suffered the previous Friday. Everyone was talking about it when I came to...it took quite a while before I understood the significance of what had happened.

 

[BulldogBlitz]

Work. Online gaming, being told a plane struck the tower. I thought it was another cesna like had happened a month or so before. Then someone says tower is leaning. I take a quick glance at online news, and I went home immediately. Walk in tge house, 2nd plane hits. Call my now ex wife. She's oblivious. I go to school to get the kids, they are letting them out early.

To help solidify the memory of that week, the wife and I have a date that weekend. She tells me that she thinks im acting all 'weird and depressed" this past week and she wants a separation.

 

[RebelRH]

In Tecumseh Products in Tupelo gathering information for a potential project. A line worker asked me if I had heard about planes hitting the WTCs. The Michigan engineers I was working with were starting to question how they were going to get home. Tecumseh had its own planes but they were grounded. I couldn't get out of there fast enough to get back home to a TV. Didn't go to the office until later that day.

 

[MSUDAWGFAN]

I was in my first semester of grad school. The class I was in, I was one of four students at 8:00AM. In my next clas, I was the only one that had a class prior to my second class. Someone asked me if I had seen the news and I said no. He told me something bad had happened. I thought he was meaning something aroud Starkville and kind of made a smart aleck remark back. One of the other classmates said a plane flew in (and I immediately thought it was a horrible accident) then said a second plane had hit the second tower. I said it sounded like we were at war. I was also thinking at this point it was prop planes. After class, I went to Perry to have breakfast for lunch and actually saw what happened. I usually went to the lab to work after I ate, but didn't feel like it so I went back to my apartment and got gas on the way back. I stayed at my apartment until the next morning.

 

[Maroon Pug]

I was on the playground in 4th grade... I remember the tornado sirens going off and looking around trying to figure out why kids and teachers were scattering and running back to the gym. Then they pulled us into the gym to explain what happened.

 

[RocketDawg]

I was at work, with another person in my office for a meeting. Got an interoffice text message that a plane had hit the World Trade Center building. We had the capability of watching a couple of TV channels on our computers, so I pulled up CNN, thinking it was just a small plane, and we watched. Not long after I turned it on, the second plane hit the building.

 

[MagnoliaHunter]

I was at work at Waterways Experiment Station now its call ERDC, in Vicksburg, We did building and explosive modeling. After the first plane, we watched the second live, and the one at the Pentagon. By that time we were on the phone discussing it with people in DC. Later they wanted us to design building layout that could survive plane impacts.

 

[aspendawg]

Was a senior in HS and I was in Chris McMinn's health class. He walked in and said 'were under attack'. My dad was the principal and I remember him sharing it on the 'Channel One' TV's in everyone's classroom... It was so surreal...

 

[ToxicTimberDawg]

In school at MSU. Left early class and went to the convenience store by Campus Bookmart for milk or something. Heard them talking about something on the radio but was unsure what was happening. Went back to the dorm room and spent the rest of the day watching tv regarding the situation.

 

[YesIAmAPirate]

Was driving to class at NEMCC. Heard it come over the radio and watched at a friend's dorm for a few minutes then headed to class. The teacher met us at the door and told us to go home and watch the news, that what was happening was way more important than an accounting class

 

[msstatelp1]

I was working as a staffing agent at a temp agency in Memphis. It was my day to come in early to answer the phones. One of the other agents called and said a plane had hit the WTC and she’d be late because she was watching the coverage. I turned on the radio to listen to the news about it shortly before the second plane hit. We turned on the one tv we had and spent the rest of the day watching the news.

The things that stick with me from that day are the cloudless blue sky, the eerie silence once all the planes were grounded, and the ultimate feeling of everyone being as one and wanting to help. I wish we could get back to that.

 

[Walkthedawg]

The first I heard anything I was on South Spring Street in Tupelo, crossing the railroad tracks next to the old mill while listening to John Boy and Billy. I was taking my freshly painted Honda CBR to a sign place on a trailer to get the new graphics applied. Billy broke in and said a small plane had collided with the tower. I went to the sign place, dropped off my bike, and went back home and turned on the TV and the 2nd plane had already hit the 2nd tower.

 

[Herbert Nenninger]

Freshman at State. I was in the dean’s office appealing a traffic ticket. Some guy, I guess it was the dean, kept coming out of his office to give a secretary updates. Walked back to my dorm; our hallway was normally pretty rowdy with music and such. But every room door was open with guys just staring quietly at the news.
That and Katrina are still my two big ‘life events’ experienced.