My respects for the families of the victims of 911

[Giulietta]

My respects and condolences to the families of the victims of this day 2001.

7 years ago, exactly on this day, at around 8 am I was working in Queens, New York.

I saw both towers come down, only 6 miles from them on the North shore in Astoria.

It was a day I will never forget, and a day that surely changed the world.

To all my American friends, we pay our respects and condolences.

may tragedies like this never happen again

Alex

[Boasun]

Thank You Giu.
This a day that should never be forgotten.
There are similar days in London and Spain and Bali that needs remembering also. And we all need to remember all of those whose lives were cut short.

And never remember or honor the names of those who cowardly direct fools to carry out such deeds.

[xtatico1404]

I will never forget.....I was on my way to a clients office for a bid when my wife called about the 1st airplane crashing. I remember exactly where I was at the time. Respects to those that lost someone that day.

[chucklesR]

I was working .5 miles away from the Pentagon, close enough to see and smell the smoke.
Respects to all who serve and have served, someday we'll make this day a national holiday like Memorial Day or Independence Day.

Maybe we'll call it Awakening Day.

[eherlihy]

All,

I wanted to share this first hand account of the 9/11 terrorist attack, that I recieved from a co-worker with all of you. The letter below is from David Frank, systems engineer from ATL, in it's entirety. I briefly met David, but knew Mike Hingson very well. Mike and David had recently moved their sales office from 1 Liberty Plaza to the WTC. Mike has been blind since birth, and with the help of David, his seeing eye dog Roselle, and the NYFD escaped from the 78th floor of WTC #1, and with the help of many other New Yorkers, survived that day.

I had recently started another job, with another company, and had planned to fly from Boston to LA on 9/11. I changed my plans the week before because my wife's uncle was gravely ill. Ironically, we were at his funeral on 9/11 when the cowardly attacks took place.

I apologize in advance if this is inappropriate for Sailnet, but Alex's post got me thinking about the good will that was extended to the US immediately after 9/11, and how america is percieved by the world today. It seems that many things have changed dramatically in the last 7 years.

I know that Sailnet is read outside of the US, and thought that this might provide some insight about Americans, in general, and New Yorkers, in particular.

- Ed

EDIT: David's story is long, and really not related to sailing... except for his last paragraph; "You know. It's short. Don't waste it." Also, I did not want to confuse anyone into thinking that these were my words.

I found a link to where David posted his story - with his pictures, so I have removed the letter from sailnet. David's story can be found here: Surviving WTC

[LittleMissMagic]

Wow! Never Forget!

[ughmo2000]

343. The number of firefighters who died that day. This doesn't count the police, medical personel, or civilians who also perished.

May we never forget.

[tweitz]

My memory of that day and the whole week following was that the weather was so spectacularly gorgeous, the sky an unbelievable clear blue, and the smoke that was rising from lower Manhattan for many many days and the incredible scar. I used to work right near the World Trade Center, parked in it for a time, took the train through it every day, banked in the lobby. If I close my eyes, I still see all of it in my mind, it is hard to accept it is not there after all this time. And the heartbreaking vision of all the cars in the parking lots at all of the train stations, with no one coming home to them ever again.

[MikeAR]

My stepson was in the Pentagon, and had left that side of the building only moments before. He and others were standing in a hallway, talking when the aircraft struck. They were knocked to the floor, landing upon their knees. They got out, and helped with rescue operations - and later with recovery operations.
Later, he and his wife, both did 15-month tours in Iraq.

[Melrna]

A very personnel "We will never forget"
As some of you know, I am a pilot of American Airlines. I am a Captain on the 757/767 aircraft of the type that struck - that tragic day 7 years ago. I was suppose to be in New York City that day flying and being interview for a movie about my life story. I never made it.
Five of my fellow American Airlines pilots were killed in the attacks: Captain John Ogonowski and First Officer Thomas McGuinness aboard Flight 11, and Captain Charles Burlingame, First Officer David Charlebois, and Retired Captain “Bud” Flagg aboard Flight 77. Thirteen American Airlines flight attendants also died, along with 15 United Airlines crew-members. For those of us in the business of flying for a living things have change drastically for the rest of our lives. Flying will never be the same. The assault from both the terrorist that did this and Homeland Security on our freedoms reminds me of the atrocities of World War 2.
I was fortunate to fly the aircraft through the "Twin Light Beams Memorial" light off a few years back in recognition of those lives lost. "We will Never Forget"! For the first time I weep uncontrollably while flying.
The small town I live lost over 100 people that day. It is a somber day here this time of the year. Two of our friends lost love ones that day. "We will Never Forget".
We sailors love freedom probably more than most people. We have a unique view of the world some of it contrary to mainstream thinking. The reality of it all, we want a simple life without the constraints of modern day living. We urn for days of bygone era, where humans commune with nature in it's simplest form. Forge ahead when things both good and bad happen. Making the best we can with what we have. We band together to help each other out in times of need or band together to celebrate the simplest of things like a sun setting closing out the day. We sail when we can from a simple day sail to world circumnavigation. For those moments when we can, with the wind in our face, the gentle movement of boat under our feet and the feeling of completeness in our minds,, "We will never forget" the sacrifices of those before us to honor those freedoms.