story1092.xml
Title
story1092.xml
Source
born-digital
Media Type
story
Date Entered
2002-08-19
911DA Story: Story
(This is a personal journal entry from 9-11-01. There are some historical inaccuracies, but I wrote what I knew to be happening at the moment.)
9-11-01
10:15
The south tower of the world trade center just collapsed. About an hour ago, the United States was attacked in a horrific fashion.
I sit here now, as I have been for the last 1 1/2 hours, watching chaos and terror unfold in my country. I am so confused with emotion--I am scared, panicked. My parents are not far from the Pentagon attack and two of the planes that were said to be hijacked and used for these terrorist attacks left from Boston. This is too close, too close.
Thousands of people surely have perished thus far. President Bush, only a short while ago, said, ?Terrorism won?t stand.? I beg to differ with Mr. President. Terrorism stands tall and proud this day.
10:23
The north tower is now leaning. It may join its sister. I pray for those inside and those on the streets. Firefighters and civilians must be the majority in jeopardy.
The FAA has grounded every aircraft in the nation. There is more information about the planes: The first plane out of Boston was American flight #11 with 90 passengers and crew. The plane out of Dulles had 60 passengers and crew.
A car bomb has exploded outside of the state department. There is so much news flying around--it?s hard to keep up. I am trying to stay calm. I want to hug my kids, but they?re better being at school and away from the TV.
10:29
North just went down. Oh God. Silence on the news. Tears in so many eyes. What is there to say? God, please help us, please God.
Why? Why is this happening? Is this a message or punishment to us? That the symbolic architecture of a ?superior nation? has been annihilated with thousands inside...by who? Who? A ?less superior? entity? How insignificant the word ?superior? seems today.
Thousands of people must be dead. I am stunned--I?ve never seen anything like this.
My American flag that I normally would have taken down earlier this month waves majestically outside my kitchen window. How ironic.
The news is showing people covered with dust, holding cell phones to their ears. I imagine the family members everywhere that are concerned and frightened for their loved ones in New York.
10:36
Waiting. Waiting for more news. Where will they report is hit next? For such a strong country, whoever is responsible has brought us to our knees.
The anchors have compared the chaos and our vulnerability in this attack to Pearl Harbor.
10:40
There are reports that another hijacked plane could be headed for the Capital. One or more planes have been reported hijacked and are missing. The Pentagon has collapsed.
11:20
The smug attitude of those in the political arena who are being interviewed on the news amazes me. They are repeating what was said after Pearl Harbor, ?They?ve awakened the Sleeping Giant.? A lot of good the Giant did us this morning.
Somerset, PA: The site of another plane crash. It is not known at this time if it is related to the others.
It?s surreal to know that as I watch this calamity unfold, we will know much more about it later. I have a front row seat with the news, but I write this at a time when there is no information....Why? Who? What is the damage, the casualties? 10,000? More?
It strikes me that technology has not helped us in this tragedy. The ?professionals? with knowledge in terrorism anticipated biological and chemical warfare, bombings, ?sophisticated means of terrorism.? Planes? crashing into buildings was something that could have been done without all of the recent technological advances. Yet we still couldn?t stop this. Some very, very careful calculation and cooperation between terrorist groups must have made this a reality.
1:30
My heart is pounding. I heard a large roar from the sky--there are only 50 planes in the entire nation that are supposed to still be in the air!
The roar of a jet was coming from the east and seemed to be traveling southwest. Even though I couldn?t see it, it was so loud that it shook me. I thought for sure another jet was headed for the ground! When my brain finally kicked into gear I realized that it must have been a fighter jet coming from Pease Air Force Base. I?m sure that?s what it was. During the nations first NO FLY ALERT that anyone can remember, what else could it have been? God did that scare me!
I've just learned that President Bush is leaving Louisiana after a press conference. He has had military escort since he departed Florida this morning. I?m guessing that what I just heard could have been an air force escort making it?s may to meet Air Force One? They will not disclose where the president is headed.
There have been many references on the news to ?Lock Downs?....that many areas are in ?lock down.? I?m not sure what that means but it must have something to do with a high level of security. Battening down the hatches.
Shouldn?t Mike come home from work? It seems wrong to have my family members scattered around at a time like this.
Some reporters have hinted that we are at war. There is talk about closing our borders. I believe that my brother might still be on tour, abroad. I can?t get through to my mother--all the circuits are busy.
I?m feeling the need to learn where my family members are. I?m feeling very alone. I want my kids. Senator Joe Biden is insisting that folks should go about their business, to stop doing so would be giving in to terrorism. The Senator is begging everyone to calm down. ?Too strong, too powerful? he says we are to let this horrific ordeal break us apart. Would the family members of those dead agree with him? I feel anything but calm right now and I?m 250 miles away from any devastation. I just want to hold my kids.
The phone company has made a plea on television that people limit their calls to New York and DC. This must be why I can?t get through to Mom.
The way our state, so removed from the tragedy (in a logistical sense), is closing down is reminiscent of after the Challenger disaster. When I drove home from work the evening of the explosion, it seemed that New Hampshire was asleep. It was so quiet and the roads were deserted. Solemn. Everyone was at home waiting for more news, hoping against hope that by some miracle, there would be survivors of the explosion. People needed to be home to hold their kids and spouses. The same holds true today in NH, but perhaps not in such an intimate sense as when we lost Christa McAulliffe.
2:10
I am waiting at the bus stop for my children. It will be a relief to have them home. I hear woodcutters across the street in the forest running their monstrous, noisy machines. It?s the only hint of life around here. They go about their business as the nation is in a full-blown security alert. I wonder if they know what has happened today in our country? Do they know that the world has stopped spinning? It doesn?t seem right.
3:05
It?s just been reported that one of the pilots of Flight 11 was from Portsmouth, NH. Tom McGuiness. This act of terror is far-reaching.
It strikes me that no matter how often or to who the question is posed, ?What are the casualties??, no one can bear to even speculate an answer. The enormity of the destruction can?t even be imagined at this point. It?s too raw to presume the number of dead. Several thousand, no doubt. The dust has not even settled. It will probably be weeks before a number is confirmed. As people are expected home tonight, tomorrow, and the next day-- and they don?t come-- the death toll will steadily rise. Oh God, please watch over the children who wait for their parents to come home tonight. I can?t bear to think of their fear and pain.
The precision at which the 3 out of 4 planes hit their targets was too exact. I wonder if that means the terrorist pilots who may have taken over the controls were highly trained. They hit their targets with dead-on-balls-accuracy. What will we learn about these bastards who are so heartless and hate-ridden? Who could harbor so much spite and rage against this country to execute such a violent crime? Only time will tell. I?ll wait diligently with the rest of the country for the story to unfold.
9-11-01
10:15
The south tower of the world trade center just collapsed. About an hour ago, the United States was attacked in a horrific fashion.
I sit here now, as I have been for the last 1 1/2 hours, watching chaos and terror unfold in my country. I am so confused with emotion--I am scared, panicked. My parents are not far from the Pentagon attack and two of the planes that were said to be hijacked and used for these terrorist attacks left from Boston. This is too close, too close.
Thousands of people surely have perished thus far. President Bush, only a short while ago, said, ?Terrorism won?t stand.? I beg to differ with Mr. President. Terrorism stands tall and proud this day.
10:23
The north tower is now leaning. It may join its sister. I pray for those inside and those on the streets. Firefighters and civilians must be the majority in jeopardy.
The FAA has grounded every aircraft in the nation. There is more information about the planes: The first plane out of Boston was American flight #11 with 90 passengers and crew. The plane out of Dulles had 60 passengers and crew.
A car bomb has exploded outside of the state department. There is so much news flying around--it?s hard to keep up. I am trying to stay calm. I want to hug my kids, but they?re better being at school and away from the TV.
10:29
North just went down. Oh God. Silence on the news. Tears in so many eyes. What is there to say? God, please help us, please God.
Why? Why is this happening? Is this a message or punishment to us? That the symbolic architecture of a ?superior nation? has been annihilated with thousands inside...by who? Who? A ?less superior? entity? How insignificant the word ?superior? seems today.
Thousands of people must be dead. I am stunned--I?ve never seen anything like this.
My American flag that I normally would have taken down earlier this month waves majestically outside my kitchen window. How ironic.
The news is showing people covered with dust, holding cell phones to their ears. I imagine the family members everywhere that are concerned and frightened for their loved ones in New York.
10:36
Waiting. Waiting for more news. Where will they report is hit next? For such a strong country, whoever is responsible has brought us to our knees.
The anchors have compared the chaos and our vulnerability in this attack to Pearl Harbor.
10:40
There are reports that another hijacked plane could be headed for the Capital. One or more planes have been reported hijacked and are missing. The Pentagon has collapsed.
11:20
The smug attitude of those in the political arena who are being interviewed on the news amazes me. They are repeating what was said after Pearl Harbor, ?They?ve awakened the Sleeping Giant.? A lot of good the Giant did us this morning.
Somerset, PA: The site of another plane crash. It is not known at this time if it is related to the others.
It?s surreal to know that as I watch this calamity unfold, we will know much more about it later. I have a front row seat with the news, but I write this at a time when there is no information....Why? Who? What is the damage, the casualties? 10,000? More?
It strikes me that technology has not helped us in this tragedy. The ?professionals? with knowledge in terrorism anticipated biological and chemical warfare, bombings, ?sophisticated means of terrorism.? Planes? crashing into buildings was something that could have been done without all of the recent technological advances. Yet we still couldn?t stop this. Some very, very careful calculation and cooperation between terrorist groups must have made this a reality.
1:30
My heart is pounding. I heard a large roar from the sky--there are only 50 planes in the entire nation that are supposed to still be in the air!
The roar of a jet was coming from the east and seemed to be traveling southwest. Even though I couldn?t see it, it was so loud that it shook me. I thought for sure another jet was headed for the ground! When my brain finally kicked into gear I realized that it must have been a fighter jet coming from Pease Air Force Base. I?m sure that?s what it was. During the nations first NO FLY ALERT that anyone can remember, what else could it have been? God did that scare me!
I've just learned that President Bush is leaving Louisiana after a press conference. He has had military escort since he departed Florida this morning. I?m guessing that what I just heard could have been an air force escort making it?s may to meet Air Force One? They will not disclose where the president is headed.
There have been many references on the news to ?Lock Downs?....that many areas are in ?lock down.? I?m not sure what that means but it must have something to do with a high level of security. Battening down the hatches.
Shouldn?t Mike come home from work? It seems wrong to have my family members scattered around at a time like this.
Some reporters have hinted that we are at war. There is talk about closing our borders. I believe that my brother might still be on tour, abroad. I can?t get through to my mother--all the circuits are busy.
I?m feeling the need to learn where my family members are. I?m feeling very alone. I want my kids. Senator Joe Biden is insisting that folks should go about their business, to stop doing so would be giving in to terrorism. The Senator is begging everyone to calm down. ?Too strong, too powerful? he says we are to let this horrific ordeal break us apart. Would the family members of those dead agree with him? I feel anything but calm right now and I?m 250 miles away from any devastation. I just want to hold my kids.
The phone company has made a plea on television that people limit their calls to New York and DC. This must be why I can?t get through to Mom.
The way our state, so removed from the tragedy (in a logistical sense), is closing down is reminiscent of after the Challenger disaster. When I drove home from work the evening of the explosion, it seemed that New Hampshire was asleep. It was so quiet and the roads were deserted. Solemn. Everyone was at home waiting for more news, hoping against hope that by some miracle, there would be survivors of the explosion. People needed to be home to hold their kids and spouses. The same holds true today in NH, but perhaps not in such an intimate sense as when we lost Christa McAulliffe.
2:10
I am waiting at the bus stop for my children. It will be a relief to have them home. I hear woodcutters across the street in the forest running their monstrous, noisy machines. It?s the only hint of life around here. They go about their business as the nation is in a full-blown security alert. I wonder if they know what has happened today in our country? Do they know that the world has stopped spinning? It doesn?t seem right.
3:05
It?s just been reported that one of the pilots of Flight 11 was from Portsmouth, NH. Tom McGuiness. This act of terror is far-reaching.
It strikes me that no matter how often or to who the question is posed, ?What are the casualties??, no one can bear to even speculate an answer. The enormity of the destruction can?t even be imagined at this point. It?s too raw to presume the number of dead. Several thousand, no doubt. The dust has not even settled. It will probably be weeks before a number is confirmed. As people are expected home tonight, tomorrow, and the next day-- and they don?t come-- the death toll will steadily rise. Oh God, please watch over the children who wait for their parents to come home tonight. I can?t bear to think of their fear and pain.
The precision at which the 3 out of 4 planes hit their targets was too exact. I wonder if that means the terrorist pilots who may have taken over the controls were highly trained. They hit their targets with dead-on-balls-accuracy. What will we learn about these bastards who are so heartless and hate-ridden? Who could harbor so much spite and rage against this country to execute such a violent crime? Only time will tell. I?ll wait diligently with the rest of the country for the story to unfold.
Collection
Citation
“story1092.xml,” September 11 Digital Archive, accessed January 25, 2025, https://911digitalarchive.org/items/show/14376.