story5915.xml
Title
story5915.xml
Source
born-digital
Media Type
story
Date Entered
2002-09-12
911DA Story: Story
Like many others around the world my day started out like any other. It was just an ordinary day of basic training for the United States Army.
My company was to be bussed out to a site were we would set up our tents and practice shooting our weapons.
That morning we marched out to the bus stop and were waiting for the bus.
I remember the First Sergeant walking out to our group and telling the drill sergeants that they all were needed in a meeting. I didn't know then that what was about to be said would forever change the nation, the way my company was trained, and how I would feel about wearing the Army uniform.
It didn't seem like the meeeting lasted that long. Our drill sergeant came back and said "The pentagon is on fire, and a plane has just crashed into the World Trade Center. Thousands of people work at the Trade Center at any given day."
That was all he said. At first everyone didn't beleive him. We all looked at each other and there were whispers of the question that was on everyone's mind: Was he kidding?
When the buses pulled up shortly we all knew he wasn't kidding. THe bus drivers' faces were all somber and there was just a general atmosphere of saddness surrounding them.
That was the first bus ride were everyone was quiet. No one said a word; we all were straining to hear the radio.
All day we had little updates. We all listened intensly.
Because of that day's events the sleepign out was canceled. We were taken back to the barricks, and for the forst time we soldiers-in-training were called upon to do some real guarding of a perimeter. Our company area was closed off and no one was allowed in unless they worked in the area.
From that day on the training for us soldiers got more intense. The general concensus was that the traing was for real. At any given moment after traingn, any one of us could be called to fight for our nation.
Since that day, I wear my uniform with more pride than I ever imagined. This IS MY NATION, for this nation I would give my life.
America, I am proud to serve you.
To the people of America, I just want to say thank you. Thank you for all the support you have given to me, other service members, and to each other.
Terrorist what you tried to defeat has just grown bigger and stronger. America will not be defeated.
My company was to be bussed out to a site were we would set up our tents and practice shooting our weapons.
That morning we marched out to the bus stop and were waiting for the bus.
I remember the First Sergeant walking out to our group and telling the drill sergeants that they all were needed in a meeting. I didn't know then that what was about to be said would forever change the nation, the way my company was trained, and how I would feel about wearing the Army uniform.
It didn't seem like the meeeting lasted that long. Our drill sergeant came back and said "The pentagon is on fire, and a plane has just crashed into the World Trade Center. Thousands of people work at the Trade Center at any given day."
That was all he said. At first everyone didn't beleive him. We all looked at each other and there were whispers of the question that was on everyone's mind: Was he kidding?
When the buses pulled up shortly we all knew he wasn't kidding. THe bus drivers' faces were all somber and there was just a general atmosphere of saddness surrounding them.
That was the first bus ride were everyone was quiet. No one said a word; we all were straining to hear the radio.
All day we had little updates. We all listened intensly.
Because of that day's events the sleepign out was canceled. We were taken back to the barricks, and for the forst time we soldiers-in-training were called upon to do some real guarding of a perimeter. Our company area was closed off and no one was allowed in unless they worked in the area.
From that day on the training for us soldiers got more intense. The general concensus was that the traing was for real. At any given moment after traingn, any one of us could be called to fight for our nation.
Since that day, I wear my uniform with more pride than I ever imagined. This IS MY NATION, for this nation I would give my life.
America, I am proud to serve you.
To the people of America, I just want to say thank you. Thank you for all the support you have given to me, other service members, and to each other.
Terrorist what you tried to defeat has just grown bigger and stronger. America will not be defeated.
Collection
Citation
“story5915.xml,” September 11 Digital Archive, accessed December 27, 2025, https://911digitalarchive.org/items/show/18401.