Some years, we let the anniversary of these tragic events pass with little notice, lest we imperil ourselves to wallow in self-pity.

Some markers along the way are worth noting: Tenth, twentieth and twenty-fifth anniversary allow us to place ourselves a known distance from the day.

I want to give everyone the opportunity to recount their memories of that day and subsequent events, and I want to note how we addressed the early anniversaries of 9/11 here in the forum.

It was a Tuesday, a work day for most of us. I was in my office and a little past 9 AM, I heard a co-worker coming onto the room, saying to someone else "She's upset. A plane crashed into one of the World Trade Center towers."

His wife was an airline stewardess, for Delta, I think. Shortly after that, we all saw the images, first on CNN online, and then on TV. Someone wheeled a TV into the break room and we passed in and out of the room all day, watching the tragedy unfold.

As with all major catastrophic events, unfounded rumors emerged; for example, there was word that a dam north of us had been dynamited. Some people left to be with their families. Keep in mind that twenty-five years ago, information did not move as quickly as today. Many people did not yet have cellphones. I was one of those people.

These days, I could just pick up the phone and call her (assuming cell communications were overloaded), no matter where she was. On that day, though, I was not able to speak with her immediately, and it concerned me.

That evening, sitting on the edge of my bed, I watched members of Congress- allies and enemies, Republican and Democrat- stand on the steps of the United States Capitol and sing God Bless America and choked up.

On that day and the days that followed, no one had the market for tears and grief cornered. It was everywhere, including on late-night talk shows like Letterman and Leno. The monologues of these shows were bereft of humor. I felt it would have been appropriate for these shows to be off the air for a time, but realize now why they aired, and it was for more than mere profit. People needed feedback, awkward at times though it may have been.

It's not possible for me to tell it all- my experience. A quarter of a century has passed and much has been forgotten, and if it were all remembered, there still would be no way to tell it. As trite as it may sound, you just had to be there.

For the forum, on the first anniversary of 9/11, I put together a small tribute, and from midnight on 9/10/2002 to midnight on 9/11/2002, if you came to the forum, you saw this:



...along with a message that the forum would be closed for 24 hours.

Y'know, it's the damnedest thing, and something I had not anticipated. In the days after the forum re-opened, I received criticism for this respectful closing, being told that when we do such things "The terrorists win."

As utterly stupid and illogical as that sounded to me at that time, looking back now, it seems ten times so. Honoring the dead and acknowledging a national tragedy does not in any way, concede defeat to those who seek to destroy us. It was not and still is not possible- nor appropriate- to ignore the events of that day.

If I could go back, I would do the same again.

For 9/11/2003, the forum remained open, and I created a new tribute logo, which many of you will remember. We used it each anniversary for several years after.



I invite you all to contribute whatever you wish.

Thanks Para. It's a moving tribute.

How soon they forgot

Gov. Kathy Hochul’s order to light One World Trade Center green for Muslim American Heritage Month sparks controversy
By Victor Nava
Published Jan. 2, 2026
Updated Jan. 3, 2026, 1:01 a.m. ET

Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul sparked outrage Friday after ordering that 16 state landmarks – including Manhattan’s One World Trade Center – be illuminated in green to celebrate “the heritage and culture of Muslim Americans.”

Hochul’s decision to light up the skyscraper erected on the site where the Twin Towers were knocked down by terrorists during the 9/11 attacks was decried as “tone deaf” and “disgusting” by several social media users.

“The twin towers were unable to be lit green tonight,” Queens Republican Councilwoman Vickie Paladino wrote on X. “It’s disgusting that the Freedom Tower – which stands at the World Trade Center site – is lit in green to celebrate Islam,” fumed Angela Morabito, a spokeswoman for the Defense of Freedom Institute, in a post on X.

“What ‘contributions of Muslim communities’ are you honoring here, Governor?” she continued. “The time the worst among them killed thousands of innocent Americans?”


The spire of the One World Trade Center in New York City is lit in green in “celebration of the heritage and culture of Muslim Americans,” on Jan. 2, 2026. X/GovKathyHochul



Rest of the story is at the link.

I grieve for my home state.

Driving to work when I got the news on my car radio. Though it was a tragic accident. Until news of the second building struck.

I hate those bastards operating under the guise of a religion.

quote:

Hochul’s decision to light up the skyscraper erected on the site where the Twin Towers were knocked down by terrorists during the 9/11 attacks was decried as “tone deaf” and “disgusting” by several social media users.

May as well spit in our face.
What a piece of shit.

I had just started a new job the day before and was still getting settled into the office I shared with another guy. When my alarm went off that morning there was a 'breaking news' story on the radio about a place crashing into the WTC. I figured it was some private pilot having a heart attack or something. I showered and dressed, then went out to the other room and flipped on the TV. By then they had video of an airliner flying into the first tower, but that was all. I sat down to watch it, knowing I was going to be a little late to work. I saw the 2nd strike and knew then that we were going to be at war.

I sat and watched it until after the second tower collapsed, then went into work. The other guy in my office was a former Marine. He and I spent most of the day talking about turning the Middle East into glass. I don't think anybody got any work done that day. We learned about the Pentagon and Flight 93 later in the day.

I was on my regular route, at a section of condominiums, phase 4. While we had cb radios in our work trucks, the office sent out a group message to everyone on our beepers, back when they were popular and could send messages.

The message said that a plane had flown into one of the towers. I didn't know what to think that meant at the time, like most.

I was on active duty, stationed at Great Lakes as an RDC. I had the division the night before for evening routine and put them to bed so I was at home asleep. My wife called from work and woke me up telling me to turn on the TV.

After watching for a few minutes, still on the phone with her, we watched the 2nd plane hit and I told her "i've got to go", hung up the phone, and started putting a uniform on. I knew with certainty, beyond a doubt what was had just happened.

Getting on base was already a challenge. Plane left NYC, crashes in PA, Pentagon has been hit maybe maybe not we don’t know much for sure, are we a legitimate target? The lack of any real info made things more chaotic.

Over the next few weeks, business as usual bib not exist. For a while, absolutely no vehicle traffic was allowed on base including delivery vehicles. Unload the food truck, inspect the contents, load it on carts and roll them to the galleys. Things got figured out over time but the scars never healed completely and the Navy has never returned to pre 9/11 business as usual.

One of my best friends worked in the building across the street from 1 WTC. It took me 3 days of trying to find out he was alive. That was only when hen answered the phone and spoke before the connection was lost.

One of the recruits I trained was killed on the USS Cole attack.

I, like many, will always have a personal connection to 9/11. I will never forget and 25 years is too soon to begin to forgive.

I was on duty with my ANG unit and we were just wrapping up the daily Stand-Up meeting with the Wing Commander. His secretary came in and told him a plane had just flown into one of the Towers. By the time I got back to my office, I turned on the TV and saw the the second Tower get hit.

My Boss (Support Group Commander) said we needed to activate the Group Battle Staff and lockdown the Gate. Civil Engineers were contacted to erect the Jersey barricades at all the Base gate entrances, and we begin a unit-wide recall knowing that we’d probably be getting call-ups.

I called my Wife who was working at Fort Knox, and she said they were watching the TV news and that Post-wide security actions were underway.

The next weekend was the previously scheduled regular “Drill Weekend”. The planned training activities were discarded and efforts put toward mobility operations of checking and preparing equipment, personnel matters, and reviewing military plans. It was confusion for the next few days, but we knew that the military was going to war.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: 2BobTanner,

I remember it, much like I remember November 22 from my childhood. I was walking my dog when a neighbor told me a plane had hit the WTC. They thought it was an accident at that point. By the time I got home the second had hit and it was more clear this wasn't an accident.
Once it became obvious who was responsible, the whole country seemed united for a short time.
Box cutters and some brute force was all it took.

I was working swingshift. Was home asleep when the first plane stuck WTC.

My wife was up and getting ready for work, it was all over the news. She woke me up a few moments after the “Breaking news” announcement. I was still half asleep, thinking must be weather related. Turned TV on to see shot of New York and clear sunny weather. About 20 seconds later, the 2nd plane hit.

I knew immediately it was an attack.


One of my Dispatchers was on a trans Atlantic flight returning from vacation in England. She was one of the planes diverted to Gander, Newfoundland. Where she spent the next several days. Even after flights resumed, it took a few days for coordination and to get everyone to their original destinations. She developed a connection with that town and has made several trips back since 9/11 to visit what she refers to as her “second family”.


The next few days were wild. I distinctly remember the first plane I saw once flights resumed, flying the approach into SeaTac as I was heading into work Thursday. Weird the significance that one flight had in my mind for something I had seen countless times before.



The thing that hits me most, and seriously saddens me at my core is just how soon we, as a nation, have seemed to forget what we said we would “Never Forget” just 25 years ago.

We were told this nation could only fall from the inside and people refuse to see how that is being orchestrated today.

I have friends who died that day.
Friends/family who died later from recovery related illnesses.
Friends who will eventually succumb to the same.

As a country, as a society, it's like it never happened and we learned nothing.

I was helping teach land navigation at the FBI regional sniper school. It was on a reserve base in North Georgia. The type of reserve base that had an elderly gentleman guarding the front gate. When you pulled up to the gate, he would look up from the TV and wave you through.

We got a call while we were on Sand Mountain when the first plane hit. We thought it was an accident. When we arrived back at the classroom, the second plane had just hit. The class came to a stop and we sat in front of the TV unsure what would happen next.

Me and another instructor ran back to the hotel, grabbed a sandwich, and pulled our unmarked Suburban back up to the gate. The elderly man was gone. The gate was blocked by large trucks. One particular truck had a .50 caliber M2 on top that was manned and tracked us as we pulled to the gate. A young Captain approached us and eventually let us back on base.

We finished the week out and graduated the class.

I was asleep at home in Coronado, CA. My sister called
from NY at 6am and told me. I tuned in just after the
second plane hit. I immediately thought Islamic terrorists
and they thought they could bring down those buildings? Fuckers.

Then the buildings came down and all thoughts were of the FDNY.
My BIL was on the job in Manhattan and I knew that from the moment the first plane hit that firefighters were streaming in and climbing stairs.
Such anguish I’ve never felt before and haven’t felt since.

My BIL was off that day and enroute to stage/standby.

It was my 2nd day of work at Naval Station San Diego as a
Police officer.
It was a job that I took so I could join my wife who had started a
PhD. I was previously a Deputy in Florida and Navy police was
supposed to be pretty low key. So began 6 day weeks and 12 hour days.
Lots of barricade and Jersey walls, first week was 100% vehicle searches.

By March I was a Federal Air Marshal in the LA field office. Seemed like a way to contribute.

I had just pulled into the parking lot at work and was listening to the radio. When the first plane hit, the weatherman on the radio show flippantly said oh by the way a plane just hit the World Trade Center. I didn’t think a whole lot of it because it seems like a small plane had hit a building a week or two before and did very little damage. By the time I got inside and got to my office and got settled, Somebody came by and said a second plane had hit the World Trade Center. Everyone got up and went to the break room and turned the TV on. As we were watching they announced the Pentagon had been hit. I remember specifically to this day a coworker blurted out We are under attack. My heart dropped out of my chest and my blood ran cold. I couldn’t say a word. The entire company stood there in a semicircle in the break room for at least an hour and watched with our mouths open. I called my Mom & Dad, brothers and my girlfriend.

The only silver lining was I remember the entire country came together. I went to several local events in the weeks following that paid tribute to America, The people in New York City, first responders and the military. People were praying, people were holding hands. People were speaking to each other and saying God bless America and it made me so proud that we all came together. I long for those days again, but it will never happen again, unfortunately. I just saw something that they raise the Islamic flag at some New Jersey City Hall or courthouse basically in the shadow of the World Trade Center. Disgusting. I will never forget, and I will never forgive.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: ruger357,

I stepped into the shower that morning. When I got back out, the world had changed. The TV news was on and reporting that an airliner had crashed into one of the towers. I watched the events with dread and suspicion.

A few minutes later another plane hit the other tower and I knew. I sat down on the bed and watched the horror unfold. I called my supervisors and told them to call everyone and tell them to stay home.

Later I drove my boys to school. They knew something was wrong. Something big was very wrong. They were young enough that I edited the news to protect their sensitivities. It was useless though since they would learn the details at school.

I have to say, I was furious. I wanted blood, horror and vengeance asap. I felt much the same after Oct 7 2023. I still have prejudice in my heart toward people who are of similar identity. I may never correct that in this life.

I think of those innocents whose lives were stolen so callously and I pray they are at peace. May they someday have justice.

I was on the N. Dallas tollroad driving to work listening to the radio when they said a plane hit the tower. I got parked at work and walked into the deli that had a TV to see if it was a little plane (could be an accident) or a big plane major fuckup. Just as I got to the TV the 2nd plane hit and I knew it was an attack.

I was a history major and pretty avid reader and knew Osama bin Laden by name, knew he was out of Afghanistan and knew he had tried to blow up the towers before.

When the plane went down outside the pentagon, I told my co-workers outloud, "we are at war." I knew Fort Bragg says they can take off in 24 hours, but knowing our history, I thought we would have troops on the ground in Afghanistan in about 30 days and I was right. I listened to the news and all the talking heads try to guess what was happening for 2 days, but I knew.

Bosses said we could go home, I fiddled around for a minute and when I looked up 60 people WERE GONE. The office was a ghost town, they didn't waste one second waiting around in the 8th floor of our building.

I emailed a friend that worked in NY to make sure he was okay and I still have his email from that day. He was pretty shook up as he watched the 2nd plane hit the towers out of his office window.

I had an office in the E- ring in the Pentagon on the day of the attack.  I wasn't in it.  I was with a group of GOs getting off a train in Dusseldorf when we saw the attack live televised.  All air traffic from the EU to the US stopped, including military with the exception of special missions, and com was compromised everywhere.  We spent the next 24 hours scrambling for any available flight, and ended up commandeering the last C-141 out of Europe, courtesy of AMC and the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) who had priority to clear their members out.  We were at Andrews AFB early the following day and back to the Pentagon, which was still smoldering and surrounded by Fire and Rescue and the Red Cross.

I spent the next year assigned to the Air Force Crisis Action Team (CAT), down the hall from Checkmate, verifying who attacked us and planning a response, ultimately delivered to several deserving souls, with extreme prejudice.  CSAF Gen John Jumper was the team leader, and September 11, 2001 was his first day on the job.  Helluva welcome.  For much of that year I walked over the dead bodies of 125 of my friends and comrades, buried in the rubble, every early evening going to work and every late morning coming home, on a 12+ hour cycle as the site was cleaned and restored.  I still smell the Jet  A and the smell of death, in my dreams sometimes.

Mission accomplished, we were relieved of duty eventually back to our former duties, and the OSD/PA presented each team member with a memento.  Which we really didn't need because none of us will ever forget.  Ever.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Doc H.,

I scheduled a big USPSA Tournament (Area 7 Championship) at Westhampton Beach on Long Island for September 2001.
Driving through NYC for getting to Long Island really sucks, the cross Bronx Expressway is downright nasty.
My Mother lived on the Connecticut coast back then, and we decided to take some extra time and visit Mom during that trip.
Friday, we drove from upstate NY to the Connecticut coast, and spent Friday night there visiting Mom.

Saturday, we took the ferry from New London, CT over to the North Fork of Long Island.
We spent the remainder of Saturday looking over the stages at the Area 7 match.

Saturday night, a fancy seafood restaurant and modest Motel in Riverhead, NY at the split between the North Fork and South Fork of Long Island.

Sunday was match day. It was 25 years ago, I don't remember much about the match, other than the pit floors and berms were all white beach sand.
After the match we took the ferry back to the Connecticut side of the Long Island sound, it goes past Plum Island, an infamous US Government Research Facility, and stopped at Moms again for Sunday night.

Monday was the return trip to upstate NY.

Tuesday, September 11th, 2001 and I returned to work, and when the 1st airliner hit the Tower, somebody was in the break room and then we all went and watched the morning unfold on the break room TV.
It was a gut punch in that break room, I knew many people had been killed in the Twin Towers, and suspected that the USA would soon be at war.
I read about people being stranded in NYC and on Long Island for days after September 11th, all choices for getting out of NYC and Long Island were closed.
I missed getting stuck in NYC/Long Island by about 36 hours.

Many years later while on a motorcycle touring vacation, we stopped at the Flight 93 Memorial in southwestern Pennsylvania and got to see the original building before it was destroyed in a fire.
It is a solemn and spiritual place.