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Holiday Open Thread

by thebesig••59

This is the 24th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the U.S. that took place on September 11, 2001. On that day, and on the days that followed, most of the country was awakened to a persistent threat to our existence as a nation. Along with other days such as the Pearl Harbor attacks that brought us into World War II, this day should never be forgotten.

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59 thoughts on “Holiday Open Thread”

      2. I wish we didn’t need to remember, but I swear I will Never Forget. I lost friends and acquaintances that day.

        Rest in Peace my Brothers!

    1. Every year, every time I see this…

      I go numb. I sit in silence and in shock just as if it was happening at this very moment.
      This year there is the added tragedy of the murder of Charlie Kirk, and the standard reactions of the left who are actually celebrating.
      I am disjointed…I can number my bones. My tears actually burn as they flow down my cheeks, and my anger and frustration boils like lava.
      “Eli, Eli…lama sabactani?”
      Where am I to go for comfort? Where am I to go for peace?
      Where am I to go to regain feeling?

      My friends…I’m glad to have you so I can mourn with you by my side, so I don’t have to be alone on this horrible day.

  3. The events of 24 years ago affected many of us. Unfortunately, it seems that most Americans have forgotten.

    1. Not all. In my ROTC program, we did a 9.11-mile foot march in remembrance last Saturday. We could not do it today because universities still have classes.
      It was planned and resourced by the cadets, and open to the public, so many young people not in our program showed up at 05:30 on a Saturday morning on their own to participate.
      There is still hope.

      1. The good kids are seldom attention seekers so they don’t get much attention, but they are out there. You train them right, please.

    2. Sadly, this is true and just like Pearl Harbor, in about 20 more years it will be an inconsequential event that might be a little more than “some people did something” IF our country keeps moving forward with the buildup of leftwing Commie types advancing in politics.

  4. I can remember the day like yesterday. I worked in NYC right near the World Financial District for ’89 to ’96, but I moved to Florida by then. I wondered how many people I might have saw regularly that didn’t make it home that day. It was our second day in brand new offices as the 12 of us watched the towers collapse. There were some gasps of horror echoing through out a nearly empty building. My friend looked at me and said “What do you think?”. I replied ‘We’re about to bomb the shit out of country full of brown people”.

  5. One thing we should learn from 9/11 & the years intervening: They are out to kill us. The commies are using the Muslims, the Muslims are out to destroy Western Civilization.

    The only sane response is to destroy the enemy’s ability to destroy us. I still think that Iraq should glow in the dark as a flat parking lot.

  6. I remember it and I am still angry. I doubt I will ever stop being angry about it.

    I was home starting to shave when the music on the radio stopped and the news about the first plane hit started. I watched the TV coverage until well after the second building went down.

    I had already retired form the Army Reserves in 2000. I called MILPERCEN the next day and asked if there was any way I could come back to duty. All I got was laughter and the comment that there were already more than enough O-5’s running around. If I were an E-5 they might consider it.

    A few years later they called me and asked if I would like to come back but by then two disks in my back had cratered and I wasn’t able to do any PT.

    1. Yes, they needed advisors and other senior leaders to run stuff. I ran into not one, but two former retired bosses on deployments. One met me on the airfield, I was his relief team leader for the year he had just done. He retired again right away.

    2. I was just coming off shift, walking out the back door of the station when my wife called and told me a plane had hit the Trade Center. I went back upstairs, and changed the channel to shouts from the on duty crew. they shut up when they saw the images.
      We watched in silence until the 2nd plane hit, at which point we all agreed that we were under attack. I drove home, ignoring speed limits, and spent the rest of the day and following days glued to the TV and holding my family.
      I had to opportunity to join the FDNY in 1997, but couldn’t due to family. Sometimes it’s hard to shake the thought that I would have been there..

    3. I waited a few days to call the local USAF recruiter to ask if there was any rumors of recalling retirees as Bush the elder had done for desert storm. She asked how long I had been retired and said I had been retired too long to worry about it. She did say I could sign a waiting list and hope for an opening for my rank and AFSC. We both knew there were never going to be any openings since most of my AFSC was being contracted out, . Oh, well.

  10. I hope you all don’t mind, as it’s kinda long, but I’d like to post the message I sent to my folks this morning.

    9/11… Few other days in our history evoke the memories and emotions just by their date. July 4th, December 7th, June 6th. They all stand out in our collective memories for their cultural significance.
    24 years ago today, 2983 Americans died in terrorist attacks on our nation. 343 members of the FDNY, 1 member of New York Fire Patrol 2, and 72 members of various law enforcement agencies are among the fallen from that day.
    Some of you were not even born on that fateful day, some were children in diapers, some kids in school, and others, like myself, will always remember exactly where we were, and what we were doing when we first heard the news. Many of us remember the hours and days we spent glued to the news, hoping against hope that survivors would be found in the rubble. People from all over NYC posted pictures of their loved ones, hoping that they were lost or hospitalized, and not among the fallen. Thousands of first responders from across the world worked “the pile”, clinging to an ever-decreasing hope that a miracle would happen and they would find someone alive. As the ever-present sound of PASS alarms slowly faded, so did those hopes, and those working became resigned to the fact that their mission was now to return the remains of the fallen with the utmost dignity they could.
    Since that day, we have lost even more first responders to illnesses related to their work on that hallowed ground. We often here the phrase “Never Forget”, and we sometimes look back to the unity we all felt on September 12th, when we came together as a nation. Sadly, both of those sentiments are far too often forgotten or hollow. In addition to being the greatest loss of life for our nation, it was also the single greatest loss of life the fire service ever has, and hopefully ever will suffer. Some of lost friends and acquaintances that day, but we all lost brothers.

    1. . As members of the fire service family, I would charge each and every one of you with making it a personal mission to hold true to that ideal, and NEVER FORGET. If you are too young to remember details from that day, work to learn more. As you learn and remember, pass it on to those who don’t. Among the fallen, there were many Heros who’s names stand out. Take the time to learn them, Keith Roma, Rick Rescorla, and Father Mychal Judge. These are but a few of the many names we should all remember.
      Someone far wiser than I once said that the fallen are not gone when they die, but rather, they live ion until their names are no longer spoken, and they are forgotten. Do not let those lost that day be forgotten. Continue to say their names and remember them in your own way. Make it your mission to live your lives in a way that honors their sacrifice.

      Thank you.

    2. FDNY just added 39 FDNY members to the wall that passed away from 9/11 illnesses which brings the number up to 400+
      Every year I bring my story up about how we were going over the Manhatten bridge and I looked out the lef window and saw tower 1 on fire and yelled WTF to Jose sitting on the right. His phone reings and his Mom tell him about the plane hitting the tower. We made it over the bridge and were going through China town and I jumped on Joses lap and that when we glimpsed the second plane hitting towere 2 with a huge glittering fireball emitting out the other side. We made it to DTC (depository trust company) on water street and while inside, tower 1 collapsed and we got signed off and left. Outside all you could see were paper and debris floating in the sky going over to Brooklyn. The streets were covered in grey ash. The driver jumped onto the elevated roadway going against no traffic. We got off and made it to the Queens tunnel and after showing ID’s we went through. Got back to the office in the Brooklyn Navy yard and people covered in dust passed the office. Long Beach Fire Dept (NY) had a plaque with 6 names on it that were 5 FDNY Members and also Vollies in our Dept. Capt Terry Hatten R 1 along with Kenny ‘Igor” Marino Didn’t make it out of tower 1 FDNY Lt.
      John Elges and FF Billy Quick passes on from From 9/11 illnesses along with NYPD Richie Wentz and The only non FDNY or NYPD that was a member of our dept was Mike Ornauer Ex Captain and retired Nassau County Fire Dispatcher. Mike brought our rig into the NYC a number of times for support, and due to my working hours, I was unable to make the rig. The only night I could have made it was at the same day as the incident. I called up our fire dispatcher and asked if any of our rigs were going and he says no so I stayed at work and when I left, I found out our tower ladder went and my rig went along with numerous Nassau and Suffolk county NY Vollies to the scene and stand by’s in NYFD fire houses,

      1. I got to meet Capt. Hatten and FFG Marino once.. rode a few calls on R1 back when I was testing for FDNY ( mid 90’s)..Good people gone too soon.

        1. I was typing the ended of my comment when I saw your comment pop up and I hope you don’t take my above comment personal about some of the things I said about the hard core union guys. Fire Engineering had an article about the 2 types of FF’s ..The ones that stay in just for their retirement among other things and the ones that go up the ranks, teach others with some that are members of paid and vollie depts. Some of these Fire Engineering writers are officers and members of paid and Vollie Depts. Today 9/11, I shouldn’t be commenting about fire service negative stuff these guys talked about but it pissed me off. I see you mentioned you went to the fire Academy for some kind of courses or training. I put 30 years in as a Volly and did Basic training on a company level at one time giving some of my knowledge to others.
          My brain just remembered to add in one of my Brinks co-workers who didn’t make it out of tower when the truck was in the parking area under the building RIP Brink’s co-worker Korean Conflict combat Vet.Joey Trombino . Again, I hope you didn’t get offended by the union comments I made in my above comments Fyrfighter and am glad you met Terry and “igor” . Terry was shopping for a ring for his girlfriend in the 45 st. diamond district and he looks into every brink’s window and I turn on the inside light and wave to him. Saw R-1 a couple of times on the road and if he was in the rig and I spotted him first, I would beep the horn And I would get an air horn blast.

          1. Jeff,

            Not at all brother, whatever it was that you thought might have offended me, apparently i missed it completely, because I never thought to be upset about anything you posted, I was actually glad to hear a story from someone else with ties to what happened that day, even though mine are much more tenuous than yours..

            Be safe my friend!

  11. As I write this, I am exactly where I was on that morning, a fire station in an inner ring suburb of Cleveland. In fact, the weather is exactly the same outside, “Clear and a Million”. When the attacks first started we watched in horror. We all knew what would come next, what the FDNY would have to do. For the rest of the day, in between calls we were glued to the tv. One scene I will never forget was a live feed after the first collapse. There was dust and debris floating everywhere and the only thing you heard was a bunch of familiar beeping noises. Then it hit us what those beeping noises were. They were PASS alarms. Each one was a firefighter.
    The city of Cleveland is blessed with an abundance of great hospitals. All the local FD’s brought in extra manning for their squads. The thought was, due to a mass casualty incident, there would be a need for transports from medevac flights landing at CLE Hopkins to those hospitals. None came.

    I will NEVER forget.

    Thanks for listening

    2. Neither will I NEVER forget Load4
      whenever 9/11 comes up I commented on what happened to us when we were in Manhatten and saw the 2nd plane hit and the names of FDNY members/vollies and a Brink’s co-worker who never made it out of the tower plus the members that were also Vollies in the Long Beach FD in Nassau County NY passed from 9/11 illness. This time I was going to make my comment very short since most of the TAH commentors have heard it before, but as usual, I had to make a short story long
      RIP Brothers, See you at the top of the stairs.

  12. I remember. I remember every detail of the day the world changed. I remember sobbing for the world my child would inherit. I also remember sobbing the next day, in awe and wonder and gratitude for how my country, my people came together and stood as one.

  13. So this is my first reply as retired and seems appropriate first time.

    I remember where and what I was doing that day as well. I also remember it being a driving force for me to enlist. Sadly, this generation is just “told about 9/11” and talking to my wife she equated it to Pearl Harbor for our grandfather’s. Hopefully the significance stays with our country to ensure we always remember.

  14. Bush the Younger was fond of saying something to the effect of “they hate us for our freedom”. I’m not sure he acted in concert with that observation but it’s out there.

    I agree. The enemies of We, the People will never relent their attacks on that ‘jewel of public liberty’. (H/t P. Henry)

    Never forget. Yes, but also Never FORGIVE. Eternal vigilance is the sword all must carry if we are to remain free.
    Isaiah 6:8

    [PS, if I was out of pocket last night my apologies. Maker’s got the best of my anger and my anger was thirsty for Maker’s. Vicious cycles be vicious.]

    1. Seeing how his response to that was the Patriot Act I can only assume that he left off “…that we once had”.

      1. Yeah. The Patriot Act sounded pretty good at the time. Didn’t work out that well. Same with the creation of DHS. Intent was to reduce “stovepiping” of critical information and increase availability. What it actually did was create more and bigger stovepipes.

        1. Dubyah lost me when he said; “Islam is a religion of peace”.

          Soon as that came out of his filthy sewer I knew we had lost the “War On Terrorism”.
          If you want to destroy the enemy, the last goddamn thing you want to say about them is that they believe in peace.

  15. I was 7 y/o when this happened. I remember being at the babysitter’s house and staying up kinda late the night before, wondering if my birthday that year was going to be better than the last. I woke up next morning seeing two tall buildings on fire and, at the time, I didn’t know why. My babysitter eventually turned the TV off. Mom picked me and my sister up early from school that day. She later told me she was scared they would hit my school next.

    May those who died rest in peace.

    Never Forget.

  16. I was taking my daughter to school. After I dropped her off, I turned the radio on (I kept it off when she was in the car so we could talk. She was 5 at the time). After the 2nd plane hit, I knew that this was no accident. 1 month later, I was deployed for my 1st of 5 deployments.

  17. My cousin was on the 66th floor of one of the towers. I forgot which. He made it out but some of his co-workers did not. He is still traumatized to this day.

    2. One of the things that happened was that the office speakers wanted everyone below the fire floors to stay in place. When the plane hit, the plane scraped open the ceilings exposing the sprayed on fire protection but the intense fire burned off the exterior protection weakening the light weight beams which were used for the building. FDNY Chief John O’Hagen was against this type of light weight steel construction because of the building height. The chief lost because the Port Authority of NY, NJ was running the show. If it was built like the Empire State building, there wouldn’t have been a major tower collapse.
      The Empire State BuildingPerhaps builders should take a second look at the Empire State Buildings construction. There might be something to learn when they rebuild on ground zero. The empire state building has exterior Indiana limestone exterior wall, 8 inches thick. The floors are also 8 inches thick consisting of one-inch cement over 7 inches of cinder and concrete. All columns, girders and floor beams are solid steel covered with 1  to 2 inches of  brick terracotta and concrete. There is virtually no opening in the floors. And there are no air ducts of a HVAC heating cooling and venting system penetrating fire partitions, floor, and ceilings. Each floor has its own HVAC unit. The elevators and utility shafts are masonry enclosed. And for life safety there is a 4-inch brick enclosed so-called “smoke proof stairway”. This stairway is designed to allow people to leave a floor without smoke following them and filing up the stairway. This is accomplished because this smoke proof stairway has an intermediate vestibule, which contains a vent shaft. Any smoke that seeps out the occupancy is sucked up a vent shaft.

      1. Jeff, you are awesome! It’s incredible that you are that educated! I hope that you’re passing that knowledge along. Very interesting and impressive!!

    3. Yes he is!! Wow!! I can even begin to imagine what he feels… May God bless him and keep him. That had to be terrifying.

    3. That is the guy I would have followed straight into hell and back out again, and back IN again just because he said; “Hey, I think it would be fun to kick Satan’s ass again!”

    1. Nevermind. Threats were made against the academy and it went into lockdown. A jumpy midshipman on watch mistook authorized LEOs as the threat and engaged them. He was wounded as a result.

      Information is from URL above.

      Still a developing story, but this is the info I have right now.

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