May We Never Forget

[FtW Mike]

Twenty years ago today dawn broke on a beautiful day in the East coast of these United States. In a few few short hours to all but a very few we would be thrust into war. The front line not in some distant land but the streets of Downtown Manhattan New York, The Pentagon in Arlington Virginia, and a Farmers field in Shanksville Pennsylvania.
In those early hours, while we marshalled our Military Forces the men and women of our Police, Fire, Emergency Medical services, joined by Ordinary citizens with specialized skills we rose up to defend and protect our fellow citizens.
In honor of those we lost that day. Those killed in the attacks and those who sacrificed themselves to save others. I ask all of us to take an extra minute or two reawaken that feeling you had when the initial shock wore off. Love and hold your families a little more. Say an extra prayer for all those who picked up the battle since.

 

[DeeBee3]

Thank you for your remembrance. This is a very emotional day for me and so many others. I can't believe 20 years has gone by.

 

[bama_ed]

 

[FtW Mike]

DeeBee3, 9/11/01 is a day I remember everyday. Knowing that my Brother and Sister Police officers were rushing headlong into a situation were were unprepared and ill equipped for' Learning that a high school classmate was among those that would never go home again. That a grade school classmate was initially supposed to make the formal notification to the wife of another classmate we had not only known since 1st grade but Cub And Boy Scouts with who was also a class mate of ours. Taking and posting the picture of coworkers wife of 6 months who was missing in the garage where we recorded the property of those recovered . Getting home 3days later and sitting down at our kithen table and having my first cry and a few hours later when I walked our dog before going back to work having a neighbor come over to beg me to find her grandson. Picking up 3 brothers in the PAPD and giving them a lift back to their temporary HQ and hearing how some other friends were faring
Yes I have not nor will ever forget that day or the days that followed. Friends we lost and lives forever changed

 

[Sjm9911]

 

[Sjm9911]

 

[FtW Mike]

Not all my memories evoke sadness . Like one very quiet night where we rigged up an over the top BIOHAZARD Suit and I was transformed into the Internationally Renowned Proctologist Dr A, Ness who had been called into to consult on the worlds largest hemorrhoid better known as my friend J.T who was extra cranky that night.
Being on post as part of the security detail another night and my partner taking off 20 minutes after we arrived and coming back 2 hours later with his cousin Jane Krakowski in tow.
Going for lunch one day at the Red Cross tent and having some volunteers from Ireland ask to sit with us. During our discussions on woman reveals she is from County Mayo same as my family. She is from the same town as my Grandmother. I tell her my my Grandmothers maiden name and she asks my last name and wants to know if I am Mary's son. She has been looking in every phone book she can get her hands on looking for my mother as she is her cousin. When I was released that evening I took her to my parents before going back to work for my regular tour.

 

[friendofeeyore]

We will never forget that 9/11/2001

 

[jbrostek]

I am one that will not forget. People from my own HS where some of those lost that day. Just 5 days prior I was interviewing for a job based out of tower 2 and contemplating moving back to LI where I grew up. Monday the 10th I had my follow up interview and finished my day with lunch in battery park before driving home for an interview and appointment back in Maryland.

I recall waking up that morning and seeing the first tower had been struck by a plane, at first glance I knew it was more than a personal plane (there had been this style in the past.). As the story unfolded I just sat there in disbelief and spent many weeks afterwards doing what I do best, getting comms back up and running after a large centra voice switch was lost in the collapse.

 

[FtW Mike]

Jbrostek I m a South shore of Nassau County boy. When 2nd Plane hit I told DW to put on WPIX Channel 11 as they swore after 93 bombing they would never move their antenna off the Empire State Building. They lied. Got rid of free tv and subscribed to DISH soon after.
Our phone service was spotty at best for several days afterwards as a Major VERIZON facility was adjacent to WTC and sustained significant damage. The kid that worked for us in our side gig started calling us at 10 am and reached Lucille at 1130. She was so happy it had occurred on a Tuesday, my day off. When Lucille told her guess where every Cop in NYC was she freaked out. Told Lucille to call up and fid out where I was and what was I doing and make me come home. She decided I was Crazy and would end up getting killed

 

[jbrostek]

I think a lot of television moved off the empire state as they started the migration to digital. Think by 2000 only 1-2 stations remained on their tower, but most radio stations remained. WTC just had a better overall location and height to transmit digital through the area. I am pretty sure the biggest lesson learned that day is to always have an alternative transmission site plus an alternative voice routing center.

 

[Sjm9911]

All that stuff went back to the first bombing of the tower in 93? All stations but channel 9 or 7 went out in the metropolitan area. They lost power.

 

[FtW Mike]

SJM it was WPIX Channel 11 that stayed on the air, They had not moved from Empire State Bldg. they swore they wouldn't leave.

 

[jbrostek]

Pretty sure when they moved their broadcasting studio to WTC is when they moved the broadcast. It kind of made sense, at the time Empire state transmission room was out of space and the WTC tower was taller and had a better line of site for staten Island, brooklyn, bronx and queens.

I still remember setting up 30GHZ line of site from 111 8th ave to toward battery park because of how much damaged fiber was under the rubble.