It’s been 15 long years since I awoke to a nation under attack. The longer it’s been, the closer I find myself to that day. I remember it all so vividly, events unfolding on the TV screen. I was on leave anticipating a PCS to SOCPAC in Hawaii at the end of the month and had slept in that day but once I realized what was happening, I made my way from my quarters on base, to the Squadron&/ headquarters building. Only a skeleton staff had assembled. Both Fort Bragg and Pope AFB had gone to THREATCON Delta, making entry extremely difficult for anyone, mission critical or not. Granted, we didn’t know much, but it was obvious we were at war and whatever did happen was going to involve us, so my mind was on the tasks at hand. At the time, were in crisis response mode, so there was no time for emotion, just action. That sustained me for many years.
Now, I can take it all in. Now, I can grieve, and I do. I often speak with my children about the significance of Septemeber 11th, 2001 on my own life, and our life as a family. It’s strange to consider that I have served in a war that one of my daughters has also served in.
Last year, I shared a story about my youngest, who wasn’t even born yet on 9/11. He had come home from school and told me his homework was to talk to me about September 11, 2001. I showed him the Towers. I ran him through the timeline and told him about the needless deaths that day and the heroes who saved so many. I told him of friends lost fighting this war. Then, I said to my son, “Now I’m going to show you the one thing you need to always remember about that day,” and we looked at pictures of the jumpers and I explained their choice. Then, after he went to play, I wept.
Please join me in remembering those we lost on September 11th, 2001 and over these ensuing 15 years as we have waged war against terror.
“OneWorldTradeCenter” by Joe Mabel – Flickr. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
We’ve rebuilt the structures they destroyed but we’ll never be able to replace the lives they took. America is a resilient, vibrant nation. But, we’re in danger of ignoring what a dangerous place this world is. The threat isn’t gone. We must remain vigilant. We must never allow another tragedy such as this to befall our people.
I continued serving for several years after that day, retiring, and eventually working in industry. Over time I began to process the tragedy. I’ve dealt with it little more each year as I grow further and further the events. And yet, something has remained.
I will Never Forget and I will Never Forgive.
Remember 9/11 Onward Christian Soldiers
And all the non-christian and non-religious soldiers that fought for and with the US in OEF and the GWOT.
In memoriam: World Trade Towers Manhattan, N.Y.C.
September 11 – 2001 – 2016 – R.I.P.
I live 1 mile from where the towers used to be…. I will never forget the strange sweet smell that used to come from down there into my bedroom for 5 months, even with the windows closed tightly.
Thats disturbing to read
Even more disturbing to experience.
Wtf
Decaying dead bodies of thousands of innocent persons killed by evil men. Not “wtf” but a realization of what a horror that day was, and how much we have ignored from that day, and decade and a half that followed. Never forget. Never forgive.
So it was a sweet smell ???
Apparently you haven’t smelled a decomposing body; it’s sometimes described as “sweet,” in nauseating way. But there was also a lot of smoke, dust and other atomized material in they air.
And that’s the description that should have been posted thanks
Pretty sure he’s allowed to describe it the way he remembers it, not the way you want him to.
Which is why he gets the wtf
Yes the odor was there for a long time driving on the Belt Pkwy near Knapp St. God Bless all of them.
Wtf ????
I can’t speak to where other readers are at, but at my place there is an identical crystal clear blue sky and early fall temperature today as there was in 2001. Toady there will be jet contrails, as there nearly constantly are, but one of my most vivid memories is the complete lack of them after they called the nationwide ground halt to all air traffic.
I was administering a police academy on this day, and while I’ve had to interrupt classes before for emergencies involving individual cadets, it was the first time I had to go into class several times, to ask if anyone had relatives in NYC or working at the Pentagon. My team and I discussed shutting down until we knew what was going on, but decided to stay on task, figuring now it was more important to prepare our trainees and keep focused.
My thanks to all who served that day, who continue to serve and for those who gave everything in that service.
It’s a bitter sweet day.
God Bless
It was a bitter day for us. All dreams of being a school boy cast aside, we took an oath to serve this land on that fateful and horrid day.
Very well said, SSD, thank you. Let us honor the brave and remember the fallen. I spent all day yesterday thinking about that day and the tremendous impact it had on my life in all of the years since. So much that many of us have gained and lost was put into motion by the events of that day. I think of this day often, of those who were lost then and in the time since, and of those who did and continue to serve our great nation. God bless them all. Never forget and never forgive.