Got up later that afternoon and found out what had happened. Went to the Red Cross to donate blood; it seemed like half the city was there with the same idea in mind.

At that moment, I knew we were going to win.

For those who don’t know, I’m a Staff Seargent (E-5) in active duty Air Force. Back in 2001 I was an Airman First Class (E-3). I got orders, and was deployed to Kuwait.

It was actually pretty nice at the base I got stationed at. Our partic…

My dad had just retired in July, so I called him at home and asked him to turn on the news. Just as he did, they showed the second plane hit. I clearly remember my dad’s typical cursing, but with a tone in his voice I’ve never heard before or since. He grew up in New York, as did my mother.

I spent much of the morning upstairs in our cafeteria watching TV, or in one of the offices with a radio. I didn’t think about war until later in the day…my main concern that morning was whether the huge tank farms in Greensboro, NC were on the worry list. My son’s daycare was less than a mile from those huge gas tanks.

A couple of minutes afterwards, I saw the 2nd plane hit the WTC.

I started making phone calls to family. I called one sister and woke her up: “Turn on your TV. We are under attack.” At about that time another sister emailed: “Are you watching the news???”

Then the news says that the Pentagon has been hit and I’m immediately wondering which side and the phone is ringing and the cellphone is chirping…

Then my IM programs start lighting up — ICQ, AIM, Yahoo, MSN, mIRC — I ran a lot of them back then. I couldn’t remember whether one brother had told me he would be at WTC this month or whether he went last month, so I’m contacting him, while wondering who I know in which Ranger Batts and the 82nd and then I think of a friend who is USSS in NYC and all the while I’m watching those images …

and then the first tower collapses . . .

and as Alan Jackson sang later at the CMA show: the world stopped turning.

I think these words ring very true. It is hard to forgive but I think we need to at least pray that no more violence like 9-11 ever happens again. God bless America.

Yes, this is a few hours early but thank GOD I will have the freedom and privilege to go to Sunday School and to Mass on Sunday morning.