story6881.xml
Title
story6881.xml
Source
born-digital
Media Type
story
Date Entered
2002-09-12
911DA Story: Story
This is an account of what I was doing and how I felt then and how I feel now.
I was at work getting ready to do my morning routine, morning pep talks, check supplies, go to the bank, etc. My wife called me to tell me that one of the World Trade Center towers had been hit by a plane or something or bombed. I said "wow!" I hung up after a few minutes and told everybody what happened. It didn't effect us at that time but I still turned on a radio just to see what was going on.
A little while later we heard about the second plane crashing into the second tower. We were all stunned and speachless. One of us asked what the hell was going on but no one had an answer. My wife called again and confirmed what we heard.
Shortly after the initial shock wore down I started feeling sad for all the lost lives and their families. I continued my routine. I was driveng to the bank while the radio spoke of possible terrorist attacks and then The Pentegon was struck by yet another plane. At that time I knew that terrorists had to be involved, possibly Saddam Hussein, and my sadness turned into hatred as I thought that this was going to turn into Round 2.
It was now time for me to mentally prepare myself for deployment. You see I am a member of the Alabama National Guard in an infantry unit. I am also a Desert Shield/ Storm Veteran.
When I heard that any plane that doesn't land will be shot down and about the actions of the heros of Flight 93 I felt so much pride, sadness, fear, and so many other emotions that I didn't know what to think.
After I listened to radio reports all day and closed up shop, I went home and watched as much coverage as I could. Again, I was saddened, to tears and sobs this time, and even more so when they talked about Flight 93. I backed The President in all of his decisions for "a war against terror" and was ready to do whatever he asked of me as a soldier.
On October 3rd I received the phone call I'd been expecting. Two days later I was rolling out, leaving my family behind, knowing only that I'd be gone for a year, possibly two. This was not my first deployment with my wife, but this time was differant, I have young children who don't quite understand what's going on. Even I didn't.
You grow up knowing that we are the World Superpower, and you see terrorism going on all over the world, except here. Then all of a sudden it has happened in your own back yard. How do you explain that?
We got our orders the next day. My company was going to be close to home providing homeland security, an equally important mission as the one overseas against terrorism.
Fortunatly, nothing has happened where I'm stationed, maybe we're doing a good job with our assignment.
On September 11, 2002 as I wathced some of the evening T.V. comemerations, news stories, and such, I sat on the couch and cried again as the hatred swelled up inside of me again. A car passed me on the road earlier in the afternoon. On it's rear window was written "'LET'S ROLL!' - FLIGHT 93." Tears swelled in my eyes.
I'll be deactivated soon, my mission complete and I'll be back with my family on a regular basis again. I wish I could have done more, but who knows what the future holds for me. May God forgive me for all of the hatred that I hold in my heart for all terrorists.
Thank you, for reading my story.
I was at work getting ready to do my morning routine, morning pep talks, check supplies, go to the bank, etc. My wife called me to tell me that one of the World Trade Center towers had been hit by a plane or something or bombed. I said "wow!" I hung up after a few minutes and told everybody what happened. It didn't effect us at that time but I still turned on a radio just to see what was going on.
A little while later we heard about the second plane crashing into the second tower. We were all stunned and speachless. One of us asked what the hell was going on but no one had an answer. My wife called again and confirmed what we heard.
Shortly after the initial shock wore down I started feeling sad for all the lost lives and their families. I continued my routine. I was driveng to the bank while the radio spoke of possible terrorist attacks and then The Pentegon was struck by yet another plane. At that time I knew that terrorists had to be involved, possibly Saddam Hussein, and my sadness turned into hatred as I thought that this was going to turn into Round 2.
It was now time for me to mentally prepare myself for deployment. You see I am a member of the Alabama National Guard in an infantry unit. I am also a Desert Shield/ Storm Veteran.
When I heard that any plane that doesn't land will be shot down and about the actions of the heros of Flight 93 I felt so much pride, sadness, fear, and so many other emotions that I didn't know what to think.
After I listened to radio reports all day and closed up shop, I went home and watched as much coverage as I could. Again, I was saddened, to tears and sobs this time, and even more so when they talked about Flight 93. I backed The President in all of his decisions for "a war against terror" and was ready to do whatever he asked of me as a soldier.
On October 3rd I received the phone call I'd been expecting. Two days later I was rolling out, leaving my family behind, knowing only that I'd be gone for a year, possibly two. This was not my first deployment with my wife, but this time was differant, I have young children who don't quite understand what's going on. Even I didn't.
You grow up knowing that we are the World Superpower, and you see terrorism going on all over the world, except here. Then all of a sudden it has happened in your own back yard. How do you explain that?
We got our orders the next day. My company was going to be close to home providing homeland security, an equally important mission as the one overseas against terrorism.
Fortunatly, nothing has happened where I'm stationed, maybe we're doing a good job with our assignment.
On September 11, 2002 as I wathced some of the evening T.V. comemerations, news stories, and such, I sat on the couch and cried again as the hatred swelled up inside of me again. A car passed me on the road earlier in the afternoon. On it's rear window was written "'LET'S ROLL!' - FLIGHT 93." Tears swelled in my eyes.
I'll be deactivated soon, my mission complete and I'll be back with my family on a regular basis again. I wish I could have done more, but who knows what the future holds for me. May God forgive me for all of the hatred that I hold in my heart for all terrorists.
Thank you, for reading my story.
Collection
Citation
“story6881.xml,” September 11 Digital Archive, accessed December 15, 2025, https://911digitalarchive.org/items/show/13855.