I remember sitting at my dining room table, making corsages and bouquets for Trish's wedding. (9/28/02) I was watching the morning news & they were reporting on the, "ACCIDENT", of the first plane. Then, as they were reporting, I saw the second plane. I thought it was a plane getting a closer look & thought to myself, "What Idiots!" Then it happened; I felt chills and shock, at what I was witnessing. OMG! I called my D.H. at work and told him of the events and was rambling. In a very matter-of-factly, calm voice, he said, "It has begun." I asked him, "WHAT!" He replied, "Terrorist attacks. It is the beginning of an attack on us." I remember thinking he was being smart butt, teasing me for being so upset. I put in tape after tape, into the VCR, to record for him and the kiddos. At the time, my friend, of 17 years, had 3 daughters in New York City. I knew they worked within a 10-block radius of the Twin Towers. Later I got word, Daughter #1, Had left the day before, for Japan, on business. Daughter #2, Was late for work, that day. Daughter #3, Was at Rodale Publishing & they were evacuated A.S.A.P. & she was also, safe. I did not have to deal with a soldier, at that time. My future Soldier was making plans to become a bride. Then when the marriage was ended, she joined up, at the end of January. I remember a flood of thoughts, a fear of her safety, for her life & what the possibility was, of her going, over there. I do believe that this will be a day, etched in our brains forever! In our hearts for an eternity! Our lives for generations, to come! To the families of those lost in New York, may God Bless and watch over you all! A special thanks to those that prevented Flight 93 From reaching it's destination. To the family of those that lost their lives, at the Pentagon, my prayers and sorrow.
B.Bee

On September 11, 2001 I was having a cup of coffee when my phone rang.. It was 7:25 am here, it was my little brother, and he told me to turn on the TV NOW.. I did... OMG!! Tears began running down my face uncontrollably.. I thought of Fred immediately.. I came to my puter and turned it on.. I knew there would be a message from him here telling me what I did not want to hear or read... OMG again... there it was a message from Fred titled.. "WE ARE GOING TO WAR.. NO JOKE!!!!!!" My poor Freddie was so scared.... He told me that on his base there were all sorts of things happening..sirens going off, people scrambling with fear.. Choppers and fighter jets all around, men and women gearing up for the unbelievable.. Unthinkable... unwanted task of going to war, and not understanding how this could happen. All I could think about was how to help him feel safe, loved and cared about. How could I help him being several thousand miles away from home?? He had only been in Germany for 18 days when this day happened.. I immediately sent him back a msg. pleading with him to use his waiver; I wanted him out of the Army!! I told him I loved him so much and was telling him to remember God's word, telling him to pray!.. As time grew on I sat glued to my television set, I became obsessed with CNN, and for months I was depressed and all I could do was watch and wait and take notes, and cling to the phone, the TV, the computer and all my pictures of Fred.. My family became concerned with the way I had been acting,... anyone who dared to changed the TV channel or try to get on the puter were going to be sorry! I took NO phone calls except from Fred.. And my immediate family.. I was frightened beyond words.. My son.. My hero.. Was without me and I was scared outta my witts.. Finally, my very good friend Faye came to me with a name of a group of Mom's who were in the same situation as I ..I had become so into the depths of 9-11 and my feelings about Fred being in the middle of things that I thought we were the only ones going through this. Faye joined Proud Army Mom's and begged me for a month to join, she said it would be good for me, I needed it. The group seemed to be so good for her and I watched her try and get through her hard times, she really loved her group. .. I really wanted to join but also was so afraid.. It was just a group I thought and what could I possibly do there? Could I learn something new.. And what could I possibly contribute except my fear for my son. I joined Proud Army Moms on November 5th, 2001 and to my total surprise.. This group became my lifeline! Proud Army Mom's became my son's lifeline. I am connected to most wonderful bunch of Army Mom's in the world. They brought me out of my depression, they picked me up when I couldn't get up myself, they held my son dear to their hearts and in their prayers, in their thoughts.. My son and I are now healing with great love from the Proud Army Mom's.
Sandy Alford

September 11, one year later. Reflections of one Proud Army Mom------hoohah.
On the morning of September 11, 2001, at about 6:30 a.m. Pacific Time I was driving my son Alex to school. I remembered hearing something on the radio about New York City but we were chatting. I dropped him off, and about half way home it finally sunk in on me what the DJ was saying! "A plane has hit one of the towers of the World Trade Center................" Like many others, at first I thought, oh my God, some plane has crashed (accidentally)......... Then the reports were coming faster and faster, a second tower had been hit, it was not an "accident"......terrorism was suspected.........a 3rd and yet a 4th plane were being discussed.........I was stunned. By then I had reached home, and dashed inside to turn on the television. It only took a few chilling seconds for me to realize what was happening. By the time I got home, my sons Jay and Todd had left for school, but my husband, and daughters Abby and Beth, and granddaughter Veronica were still upstairs asleep. I ran upstairs and burst into the bedroom where Bill was in bed. Shouting, "Turn on the TV" I grabbed the remote and turned it on myself. I quickly told him was happening and he jumped out of bed and grabbed some clothes. I ran into to Beth's room. She had just been home a few hours after working late at the airport. Shaking her awake, I said "Beth, planes are being hijacked and crashed into the trade center. The pentagon has been struck too. You better get up and call work......." She was confused at being startled out of a sound sleep. Then, nearly hysterical pretty soon after watching a few minutes of news downstairs with us. "Mom, this can't be happening.....It isn't real" I then woke up Abby and told her to come out of the bedroom so as not to disturb Veronica. We all were in the living room alternately sobbing and staring at the news. Beth managed to get thru to her manager at America West and they said to call back later, everything was chaotic at McCarran International Airport here in Las Vegas. Of course soon, the telephones started ringing. "Where is Vance, where is Travis" (my nephew who is in reserves)........Half my relatives and friends seemed to be calling. A lot of that day is a blur that I don't remember. I think Abby went on to school because she had a test or something in one class (college). She came home to say that our loving babysitter, a Mexican lady, was watching the Spanish channel news, also in tears when she picked Veronica up. Jay and Todd came home. Jay said, "where do you go to sign up?" This is a boy who is NOT militarily inclined in the least. I have to even stop from time to time, recounting this for you, because the emotions become fresh-----make that raw------once again. So many tears, no end of them. About 10 days after the attacks, I was able to go see my son Vance at Ft. Campbell. We had no idea if he would be deployed, and if he knew he wasn't telling. I got amazingly cheap tickets for myself, Abby and Veronica. While at the airport changing planes in Atlanta, I was interviewed for a few minutes by a local TV station. He asked me about traveling at this time, patriotism, was I afraid.........I said "No, I am not afraid. I'm still too damn mad and I plan on staying that way." He asked me if I thought the attacks had "increased patriotism in this country" I remember looking him right in the eye and saying, "This has not created any patriotism. It has simply revealed it. Someone has sadly underestimated us." The reporter seemed a little startled by that remark. We went out for just a few days, but had a very nice visit with Vance. While there he took us to the base for a little tour. It was somber and calm, without a trace of panic or fear in all the faces I saw that day. Determined, trained, and ready to serve. I was so very proud to have been there in person to see my son and his fellow soldiers at their best. On the way to taking Abby to school and Veronica to the babysitters, every morning for weeks we had passed the site of warehouse storage building that had mostly burned down. It hadn't been completely demolished yet. One morning, Veronica (age 4) asked "Did a plane crash into that building and make it burn?" We realized she should be watching more cartoons and less news. I, however, am addicted to the news. Still to this day I have CNN or Fox Cable News on all day and half the night. My husband complains, but even asks permission sometimes to change the channel. I am so afraid that something will happen and I won't hear it immediately. My son Alex is in the ROTC at high school. They were not allowed to wear their uniforms on Wednesdays for several months "Because we might be a target". For months and months not a day went by that I did not cry. My clients, and even the people that I have served a Summons to seem markedly changed.......we just looked at each other for awhile after that and tears would fill our eyes. So much for being "professional". None of us cared anymore about that. We cared about each other. There is not a part of me that has not been affected. Faith is stronger, patience is greater, and prayers are more fervent,. I changed the logo on my invoices to the little red/white/blue ribbon that says "in Memory of 9/11". My signature line for e-mail is a quote by Pres. Bush. I am not embarrassed to be a patriot and a flag waver. We have all lost so much, but at the same time gained many invaluable treasures. This country is as great as it has ever been. The citizens are as faithful and strong and as brave as at any time in history. Our soldiers are strong young persons willing to give the ultimate sacrifice to protect their loved ones "at home". Some of the ridiculous "politically correct" nonsense is being re-examined in light of immigration violations and outright murder in our midst.
"Allie"
PAM of Sgt. Vance Kruse

On that fall morning I was in my office at 8:00 working away on the computer. I was the only one in my area who was there and I was enjoying the peace and quiet. My daughter called; she was still at home getting ready for work and was watching TV. She said "Mom, do you have the news on? A plane has flown into the World Trade Center!" She and I both thought it was perhaps a small airplane that had veered off course and how awful it was. We chatted for few minutes and she suddenly screamed "Mom! HOLY ****&&&%%%%! I am sitting here watching the TV and I just saw a really big plane fly into the other tower!" I immediately knew---this was no accident; this was WAR. The phone lines went dead. I instantly began worrying about Barry because stationed in Germany with recent combat experience, I knew he would be packing his bags. As employees came into work, we simply sat around shell-shocked as people relayed the mounting horrible news. We didn't have a TV in our area but we all turned our radios on. I don't remember feeling anything but numb shock until I learned the Pentagon had been hit. Then, for the first time in my life, I felt about five minutes of ice-veined actual fear. I didn't try to call Barry as the phones were out for several hours, and I knew there was no way to reach him anyway. I kept busy at my desk while listening to the radio. About mid-afternoon, suddenly an instant message appeared on my computer screen. It was Barry from Germany and all he said was: UNBELIEVABLE. He was able to call and told me they were confined to base and were "sitting on go". Hearing his voice, so calm and focused and full of determination, was the only sane moment for me on that horrible day. The rest of the week we fretted that he would be deployed but thankfully, he wasn't. How has 9/11 changed me? I've always tried not to sweat the small stuff but I make even more a point of it now. I'm patriotic and feel more respectful and thankful for our country, good and bad. However, I am angry when I see 9/11 being used as a tool to force agendas on anyone. I am not more religious now and do not question why the terrorist acts occurred, I just try harder to take joy where I find it and work through life's situations. I know that sometimes, horrible things have no meaning. They just are. But most of all, I am grateful to our sons and daughters who were quietly serving their country on Sept. 10 and whom have been overlooked, I think.

On Sept 11, I was in the motorpool in Germany, and we were conducting after operations maintenance on our tanks and equipment. We started hearing rumors of a plane crashing into the World Trade Center, and at first we thought it was a terrible accident, and of course were saddened, but then went back to work. We quickly wrapped things up, and went to the barracks. They had a TV on, and we watched as the second plane crashed, and we at that point knew that this was no accident, and that our lives were about to change, and things were going to get very busy quite soon. We watched as the events unfolded, and there were two questions that kept being uttered...How could this happen? Who would do such a thing? We were placed on alert, and the entire post was placed on a very strict curfew. Over the next few days, as we saw things unfold in New York and at the Pentagon, we were saddened at the extreme and unnecessary loss of life, and we came together to help those in our unit that had family members in those areas, some of whom had not been able to contact them. Amidst all of the emotions that we were all feeling, we of course started feeling an overwhelming desire for justice, and as the rumors started flying of an upcoming deployment, we started getting ourselves and our families ready for the difficult road that lay ahead of us. Through all of the sadness, anger, and confusion, there came overwhelming support and love from all of the friends, families, loved ones, and even from unknown voices from across the nation for those of us in uniform. Being a veteran of a combat zone and having been involved in situations that most people would never want to be in, I can tell you all that these letters, phone calls, emails and silent prayers have made this difficult situation a little easier, knowing that the entire nation was behind us. We truly are one nation-undivided. Remember that we may be the best trained, best equipped and most lethal fighting force in the world, but the soldiers, airmen, sailors and marines that are still out on the front line continue to need our support. As we observe the moment of silence in remembrance of last years tragic events, take an extra moment to remember those who are still fighting to help keep America safe. We love and thank you all. You continue to remind us of exactly why we do this, and what it is that we fight for. In remembrance of those who have fallen, and in support of those who still carry on. To absent companions.
SGT Barrett Taylor

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