Never Forget

The Pentagon, several days after 9/11.

Recollection of the day:

I was in my office getting ready for the day, checking some information online. Imus in the Morning was on the radio. A news report almost casually mentioned that a plane had hit the World Trade Center. My first thought was that it must have been a small plane accident, and I remembered that a plane had once hit the Empire State Building.

Then an announcement that a second plane had hit.

On the computer, Yahoo showed a ten second clip of the second plane crashing into the Tower. I played it several times; I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Then the server jammed.

As the events of the morning played out and the full-scale of the plan unfolded, I remember thinking what balls these guys must have, what an audacious plan! The WTC, the Pentagon, and the Capitol or White House hit simultaneously. Vicious, purposeful strikes against the most powerful nation in the world! Unbelievable!

I remember the anxiousness after the Pentagon was hit. Were more attacks coming. An uneasy wait.

In my mind, I was trying to minimize the damage all through the day. It wasn’t until I got home that night and watched the evening news did I realize the enormity of the tragedy.