Remembering 9-11

Do you remember where you were Sept. 11, 2001?
Most of us will never forget those awful moments.

I had been at our newspaper office early that morning.
I had gone home to write for the week's edition
At 8:47 a.m. our editor Mark Bellune called me.
“Turn on the TV,” he commanded. I did - just in time.
American Airlines Flight 11 hit the World Trade Center.
The North Tower was in flames.

Thousands were trapped.
Like millions of Americans I watched in horror.

At 9:09 a.m. United Airlines Flight 175 hit the South Tower.
Hijackers had picked long West Coat flights.

They were heavily loaded with fuel.
At 9:37, American Airlines Flight 77 hit the Pentagon.
None of us knew what was happening on a fourth jet.
United Airlines Flight 93 passengers suspected something.
Many had received frantic calls from loved ones.
These brave Americans fought for control of the flight.
Their plane went down in Pennsylvania. None survived.

That’s the Cliff Notes account of what happened first.
The rest of the story played out over the ensuing years.
The story is not finished yet. Historians will deal with it.

We are 10 years into our greatest test as free people.
We invite you to share your 9-11 memories with us.
We will publish them in a special commemorative edition.
Share your memories with us in 250 words or less.
You can email them to me at JerryBellune@yahoo.com
We need them no later than Friday, August 26.
If you have photos to share, please email them, too.

Want an autographed copy of one of my books?
I’ll send copies to the first three to submit memories.
I’ll also email you our Sept. 8 commemorative edition.