11 September 2001

Thing that I remember most about September 11, 2001, is that I wasn't at work near the Navy Yards in Washington, DC that day.  My husband and I were in the Prince William County (Virginia) Courthouse in the town of Manassas on that morning.  As we were sitting on the benches, waiting to be called, a man said something about a plane being flown into the World Trade Center.  I cringe now, remembering that I shrugged that report off, saying that planes had flown into the Chrysler and Empire State Buildings in the past.  It was another thirty minutes before we heard that it was a airlines jet that hit the building, and another 15 minutes before we were told about the second plane.  Soon afterward, we were all dismissed from court.  When we arrived at our car, we heard about the crash into the Pentagon, and, from then on, the day was total chaos.
   As we were driving home to Lakebridge, the classical music station we normally listened to was switched over to a "sister station" that gave 24-hour news in the District.  We heard that all phone lines were tied up in the DC, northern Virginia, and southern Maryland areas.  We heard that the subway system and bus systems were closed down.  I was amazed that they aired "unconfirmed reports" that the Mall had been bombed and that part of the Smithsonian Institute had been "wiped away."  We stopped at the local grocery store on the way home and loaded up on items that we thought we might need.
  I think we spent the next 48 hours watching the Cable News Network.  CNN is the only logo that sticks in my mind when I think of those days.  It was a good thing I was not at work that day.  One of my co-workers commuted from Baltimore each day.  It took him 32 hours to return home, once our work force was dismissed at noon.  Two of the ladies I worked with had to walk across the District to get home - they left the office at 12 noon and arrived home at 8:30 that night.  I always took a combination of bus and subway into work, switching from one to the other at the Pentagon.  After 11 September, I could no longer travel that route.  I took a bus into L'Enfant Plaza and changed to the subway system there.
   Today I honor all those who passed away in the planes, and on the ground, and in buildings that day 14 years ago.  I also honor all the people who assisted strangers in the Twin Towers and the Pentagon, and all of the canines who worked with their handlers, trying to find survivors in the aftermath.  I honor all those who have passed from respiratory failure and cancers they received while simply helping others.  All of your lives were not in vain.  You are all American Heroes.