#1025 | Thursday, March 14th 2002
I haven't seen a perspective from the military yet, so here is mine's. I got up the morning of Sept. 11 like any other day. Woke up, ate breakfast with Mom, got dressed to go work. I usually don't turn watch TV or listen to the radio in the mornings.

I do not know what the mood of my fellow bus passengers were, the ride
is often quiet and uneventful. When I saw the traffic jam at the gate to the military installation I work in, it was unusual but nothing to trouble me. I walked in and noticed the base was on the highest state of alert, and soldiers from another base were brought in to check IDs (except me) and search cars.

When I reached the glass doors of the building where my desk is, they were locked. That WAS really strange, because this was the first time
they were. I knocked, and a co-worker who arrives first everyday let me in.

"Did you hear what happened?" "No."
"Two planes flew into the World Trade Center and brought them down. Both buildings are on the ground."

I was shocked, and turned on my computer. Went to the websites of Fox
News, CNN, and others. Only then did reality dawn on me as I saw the
nightmarish pictures and stories. But I am very glad my NY friend and
her family are safe. Her brother-in-law had a close call, if he wasn't
late he would be dead now.

Gary | 23 | Hawaii

#1008 | Wednesday, March 13th 2002
wen the 9/11 attacks happened i just woke up to get ready for school...then my friend called me up and told me,"turn on the T.V. and watch the news we being bombed" i thought he was playing because he always fool around. but when i turned on the T.V. it was on the news and i was shocked because i didn't know then this kind of thing would happen. and wen i was watching the it on T.V. it was really happening. they showed the airplanes slamming into the world trade center.
Blayne | 16 | Hawaii

#996 | Wednesday, March 13th 2002
Well, I live in Hawaii, so at about 4 am, my phone kept ringing, and I sort of heard someone saying on the machine that I should turn my tv on, we were getting attacked. By then, the first tower had fallen. I finally got up and turned the TV on and couldn't believe it. Then the phone rang, and it was my buddy in LA, who's Dad and many friends work at the WTC. He was freaking out. I just couldn't believe it. I started crying, and woke up my husband. He was mad that I woke him up so early, until he saw what was happening, and then the news said 50,000 people could be dying. Pretty insane. What is really weird is September 10th, I was talking to a coworker who's daughter was in Israel on vacation. We were talking about the violence there, and I said I couldn't believe that the US had never really been attacked. I said that I felt we were really vulnerable, and I know there are people out there that hate us for who knows what reasons. Then, boom, we were attacked. Scary. I still cannot believe it. It is hard to realize especially living way over here. I am bummed I have never been to NYC, and I never saw the WTC in person. God Bless America. We are the best country in the world. I love being an American!!!!!

Stephanie | 22 | Hawaii

#985 | Tuesday, March 12th 2002
Living in Hawaii the morning of September 11 unfolded while we on the islands were sound asleep. I like many others was awoken out of bed around 4 a.m. by the ringing of the phone. My husband answered and I knew by his voice something was wrong. When he hung up he said it was my sister who had called and that the World Trade Centers and the Pentagon had been "bombed." He then rolled over and when back to sleep. It took me a minute to register what he had said and just to be clear I asked again what happened. To my horror he repeated the same story. In the dark I searched for the remote and turned on the television thinking I would find CNN or Fox News for what was happening. But, I didn't have to look that far it was on every channel. Horrible images of a plane slamming into the World Trade Center and fire billowing from the other tower. At first I thought it was a small commuter plane, but as I listened to the news I realized that was a jet airliner I saw. Within minutes of turning the television on I saw the first tower collapse before my eyes. I didn't look real, I felt like I was watching a movie. All I could say was "Oh My God," over and over. My husband hugged me for comfort but it didn't help all I could think of were the lives lost and I was a witness to it all.

It wasn't long until our phone was ringing constantly, my husband serves in the United States Navy and almost immediatly the military began working toward a defensive movement. In the days following September 11, I didn't know if my husband would come home each night. And, if he did come home I always feared with him he would bring news of deployment.

I think what amazed me most about the day was that we lived 5,000 miles away from the nearest point of devestation yet family and friends called to see if we were okay. Somehow that day people forgot about themselves and only worried that the ones they held dear in their heart were safe and okay.

September 11 is a day I won't too soon forget. None of us will.

Jane | 26 | Hawaii

#981 | Tuesday, March 12th 2002
I was actually sleeping when this happened. I first heard of this when i was at school. All my classes had the televisions on and cued into the news. I was scared because i thought there was going to be another Pearl Harbor bombing because we're in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and we won't have help unless people from the mainland fly over here. I also felt that all the lives that were lost was just sad. Chilren now don't have parents. How will they ever understand about what had happened to their parents. But in a way I was relieved that it wasn't here in Hawaii.

I know that many lives were lost from this attack. But in a way i believe that we have learned things from this attack to prevent this from happening.

The whole day that this was happening, i was glued to the television to see what was happening. I just thought that this would be in history.

Erin | 15 | Hawaii

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