story4593.xml

story4593.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-11

My family and I had just finished a road trip from Salt Lake City, Utah to Maryland. We arrived, and were staying, at the home of family on September 10, 2001. On the morning of the 11th we had an appointment at 10:30 AM, through the office of Senator Hatch, to tour the US Capitol Building.

We left late that morning, and did not turn on the TV before leaving. Our drive to the Bethesda Metro station was peaceful and uneventful. We were visiting with each other and did not turn on the radio. Nor did we bring a cell phone with us. We planned on a nice, leisurely day in downtown DC, just being tourists.

We arrived at Union Station in downtown Washington, DC at about 10:30AM. Since we were obviously late for our tour appointment we tried to use the pay phone in the Metro station to call Senator Hatches office, to reschedule our tour appointment. All of the pay phones were out of service. We then took the escalator up into Union Station, with the intent of finding a working pay phone, and something to eat, since in our rush none of us had eaten anything before leaving.

In Union Station we were not able to use the pay phone either. When we started walking that direction, a guard stopped us and told us we needed to exit the station because there was a bomb threat. We exited Union Station, with the intent of walking to the Hart Senate Building, to reschedule our tour appointment. What we saw we have since named our Tour of Terror. Not that it was terrifying to us, since we were blissfully unaware of the events that had already happened in NY and just across the Potomac River at the Pentagon. What we saw was a city in panic. Backhoes placing Jersey barriers in front of Union Station was the first thing we saw upon exiting the building. We casually walked up towards the Capitol, where we saw police stationed about every 50 feet around the Capitol, with many more Capitol police putting yellow tape around the Capitol grounds.

We continued to walk, toward the Hart Senate building, where we saw even more Capitol police, lined shoulder to shoulder. They formed a human wall between the Capitol building on one side and the Supreme Court building on the other. It is one of the most amazing things I have seen. Even though I was still unaware of the events of that morning, it hit me that these men and women were lined together, protecting our nations Capitol, even to their own deaths if necessary.

I was video taping the entire time. At one point, a man stopped to make a comment that panic was an interesting thing to observe. I agreed, because I was not paniced. I thought everyone that was paniced was feeling so because of the bomb threat at Union Station, just a couple of blocks away.

We continued our walk, and of course realized that no one was getting into the Hart Senate building, let alone taking a tour of the Capitol Building. This is where another man told us that a plane had hit one of the World Trade Center
buildings. We thought he meant, as so many did, that a plane had accidently hit one of the tall towers.

We decided to head to the Smithsonian Metro station, and began walking that direction. We saw bomb squads heading for Union Station, military personnel escorting news media, Senators in the green park areas of DC, and heard more sirens and whistles than you could ever imagine. Everyone was exiting the city and the traffic was stopped completely. As we neared the Mall we could see smoke in the distance, above the tree lines. We would realize later that this was smoke from the Pentagon fires.

We left Washington, DC safely. Somewhat aware that something big and terrible had happened. In the Smithsonian Metro station a man told us that two passenger jets had hit both World Trade Center towers. It was hard to believe.

When we arrived at the Bethesda Naval Hospital, where we had parked and taken the Metro from, we found more security. The Navy base had been locked up tight. In our absence, Jersey barriers had been placed at every entrance and exit, but one.

As we exited the base and drove back to our family's home, we listened to the radio. And then like every other person on the planet we were glued to the TV for the next few days. Watching over and over with horrendous disbelief the two, tall, towers of the World Trade Center be hit, and then colapse.

We also listened to the story unfold of the bravery of the passengers and crew on Flight 93. Lot's of what if's linger in my mind. What if we had arrived in DC earlier? What if Flight 93 wasn't brought down by an incredibly brave group of people? It is overwhelming this sacrifice that was made. There is no way to thank someone for such an act. But I will always remember.

We were one of the thousands stranded. We had planned on flying out from Reagan Int'l aiport on the morning of the 12th. We weren't so excited to fly anywhere. We were also lucky, in that we had a place to stay. People that we knew. Thanks to them, for taking care of us for a few more days. We flew out from Baltimore, on the night of the 15th. Many people can attest to the nervousnous and anxiety in the aiports on that day. Each passenger suspicious of the other, but also each passenger being part of an alliance against a threat. And we had "Dave", a Flight Martial on our flight to Atlanta. Thank you Dave for being there.

And now, 1 year later, I am remembering quietly the events of that day. I am at work, and after work I will go home. Something that over 3,000 people had taken away from them, this life of working and going home to loved ones. It has been a difficult year, emotionally. I can't bear to watch the planes hit the World Trade Center, and watch the buildings collapse, again. I will not watch any TV coverage today, just for that reason.

I will say a quiet, respectul, grateful, and solemn thanks in my heart once again to those on Flight 93.