nmah6812.xml

nmah6812.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2004-09-15

I live in Long Beach,Ca and commute on the freeway to work, 45 min, to get to my office in Irvine,Ca. I had left home at 7 AM PST,that morning, and was listening to a sports talk show I always tune into. The 2 hosts have a comical show format. They were talking about some sporting event/person and laughing, as I was, when one of the hosts said that word was coming come in, that a plane or something had crashed into the WTC. I remember thinking to myself, "That's not funny! I wonder why they said that?"
Then they switched to the network coverage and the rest of the 45 minutes I listened in horror to what was being described. I couldn't believe what I was hearing!!! When I reached the office, all my coworkers were very sad and somber and we all agreed to close up shop and go home to be with our families.
My wife, my mom and I were planning to fly out of LAX on Fri Sept 14th to go on an Alaskan Cruise/ long story short, we were the first flight cleared to leave LAX, ALASKAN airlines, after the FAA lifted the ban. I remember Vancouver hotels and extra cruise ships were full with passengers from international flights that were not allowed to get to their destinations in the US. What a mess this was!!! It was interesting,during the cruise, the people we met, sat and dinner with, etc, all knew what had happened & did not really talk about the event per say. The subject manner of the conversations delt with how everyone made it to the ship in Vancouver from all over. Since all international flights to the US and domestic flights were grouded for that week, rental cars, Uhaul vehicles, etc were in high demand and in just a few days, thier inventories were depleted. A couple from Nova Scotia took 2 trains, rented cars just to get to the boat and not miss the sail/ A couple from Texas decided to drive their car all the way to Vancouver. There was a stong feeling amoung the passengers on this Alsakan cruise, the week of 9/11- "Damn those terriorists. "We aren't going to change our lives and live in fear." It was a wonderful, peaceful cruise on the inside passage in ALASKA!! After we got home, thank GOD we had a great WORLD SERIES w/the Yankees and Diamondbacks!!. Only baseball, as a sport, could carry the US through the tearful months that follwed 9/11. GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!

I'M VERY AWARE THAT WE ARE AT WAR AND WILL BE FOR A WHILE. ONE OF THE MAIN FINDINGS OF THE 9/11 COMMISSION WAS A FAILURE BY VARIOUS GOVT AGENCIES OF "IMAGINATION"
WE NOW KNOW THE TERRIORISTS ARE OUT TO KILL ALL NON BELIEVERS OF THEIR CAUSE, ESPECIALLY AMERICANS. I'M STILL ANGRY. I VISITED THE WTC AND WAS UP ON THE OBSERVATION DECK OF THE SOUTH TOWER.
I'M A VETERN NAVY "SEABEE" AND I'M NOT ONE TO NEGOTIATE.

I THINK THAT THE EVENT ITSELF, NEEDS TO BE REMEMBERED. LIKE THE ALAMO, LIKE PEARL HARBOR.
NOT A HOLIDAY THOUGH.

I HAVE ALWAYS FLOWN THE AMERICAN FLAG/ THIS ATTACK, I FEEL, SHOULD NOT HAVE MADE FLAG WAIVING MORE OR LESS POPULAR. IF YOU'RE NOT PROUD TO WAIVE THE FALG AND BE AN AMERICAN, THEN LEAVE THE COUNTRY!!