FReeper Canteen ~ Remembering 9.11.2001 ~ We Must Never Forget ~ 11 September 2016

Howdy, LUV!

Lucky y’all with those 70s! We won’t cool off that much but should be in the low 80s tomorrow. Raining now but we had a lot of lightning right after I posted so I shut the computer off.

Share away. I “borrowed” the graphic years ago and don’t remember where. Most likely at FR. :-)

I guess so, guess I'm getting old.

Our music in Vietnam that we got pumped up with was In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida and a lot of Jimmy Hendrix!

The Simpsons: "In-a-Gadda-da-Vida"

ROTFL!! Too funny! That’s one trick our kittehs haven’t learned yet.

We get one cool day tomorrow, then summer’s back for at least another week. *sigh* Y’all wanna share some of your cool temps?
At least were getting a little rain tonight but I just know Hubby’s going to come through the room before the night’s over grumbling about having to mow again. LOL!

Hmmmm, could it be Dad knows to keep better snacks around so son-boy will hang around often? ;-)

Low key day here. Did make a run to the store this afternoon so I don’t have to do it after visiting Aunt Clara tomorrow. It was too hot to do much else.

It's been said that those who forget history are condemned to repeat it. But I also believe that those who celebrate history are, in a sense, condemned to repeat it every anniversary.

I'm grateful to God for all the heroic and self-sacrificing victims, responders and warriors on that day and ever since. The fight goes on and on. God bless them and their families all!

I also recognize that America and the world suffer and have suffered a massive and mostly unnecessary erosion of liberty, privacy, wellbeing, independence and economic opportunity that day and ever since. I hate 9/11 and it perpetrators, living and dead, with a passion. It was truly a day of infamy! May God spare us from such satanic malice and It's anaphalactic aftermaths like it or worse in the future.

Isaiah 46:4
And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver

Howdy do, Conor. *Hugz*

Beautiful tribute. We’ll never forget!

Hope you’ve had a good weekend.

Heh, I preferred Iron Butterfly's version.

https://youtu.be/-kHYdhw-HyY

9-11 Story

From a flight attendant on Delta Flight 15, written following 9-11:
Kind of long but worth the read...

On the morning of Tuesday, September 11, we were about 5 hours out of Frankfurt, flying over the North Atlantic. All of a sudden the curtains parted and I was told to go to the cockpit, immediately, to see the captain.

As soon as I got there I noticed that the crew had that “All Business” look on their faces. The captain handed me a printed message. It was from Delta’s main office in Atlanta and simply read, “All airways over the Continental United States are closed to commercial air traffic. Land ASAP at the nearest airport. Advise your destination.”

No one said a word about what this could mean. We knew it was a serious situation and we needed to find terra firma quickly. The captain determined that the nearest airport was 400 miles behind us in Gander, Newfoundland.

He requested approval for a route change from the Canadian traffic controller and approval was granted immediately — no questions asked. We found out later, of course, why there was no hesitation in approving our request.

While the flight crew prepared the airplane for landing, another message arrived from Atlanta telling us about some terrorist activity in the New York area. A few minutes later word came in about the hijackings.

We decided to LIE to the passengers while we were still in the air. We told them the plane had a simple instrument problem and that we needed to land at the nearest airport in Gander, Newfoundland, to have it checked out.

We promised to give more information after landing in Gander. There was much grumbling among the passengers, but that’s nothing new! Forty minutes later, we landed in Gander. Local time at Gander was 12:30 PM …. that’s 11:00 AM EST. There were already about 20 other airplanes on the ground from all over the world that had taken this detour on their way to the US.

After we parked on the ramp, the captain made the following announcement: “Ladies and gentlemen, you must be wondering if all these airplanes around us have the same instrument problem as we have. The reality is that we are here for another reason.”

Then he went on to explain the little bit we knew about the situation in the US. There were loud gasps and stares of disbelief. The captain informed passengers that Ground control in Gander told us to stay put.

The Canadian Government was in charge of our situation and no one was allowed to get off the aircraft. No one on the ground was allowed to come near any of the air crafts. Only airport police would come around periodically, look us over and go on to the next airplane.

In the next hour or so more planes landed and Gander ended up with 53 airplanes from all over the world, 27 of which were US commercial jets.

Meanwhile, bits of news started to come in over the aircraft radio and for the first time we learned that airplanes were flown into the World Trade Center in New York and into the Pentagon in DC.

People were trying to use their cell phones, but were unable to connect due to a different cell system in Canada . Some did get through, but were only able to get to the Canadian operator who would tell them that the lines to the U.S. were either blocked or jammed.

Sometime in the evening the news filtered to us that the World Trade Center buildings had collapsed and that a fourth hijacking had resulted in a crash. By now the passengers were emotionally and physically exhausted, not to mention frightened, but everyone stayed amazingly calm. We had only to look out the window at the 52 other stranded aircraft to realize that we were not the only ones in this predicament.

We had been told earlier that they would be allowing people off the planes one plane at a time. At 6 PM, Gander airport told us that our turn to deplane would be 11 am the next morning. Passengers were not happy, but they simply resigned themselves to this news without much noise and started to prepare themselves to spend the night on the airplane. Gander had promised us medical attention, if needed, water, and lavatory servicing.

And they were true to their word.
Fortunately we had no medical situations to worry about. We did have a young lady who was 33 weeks into her pregnancy. We took REALLY good care of her. The night passed without incident despite the uncomfortable sleeping arrangements. About 10:30 on the morning of the 12th a convoy of school buses showed up. We got off the plane and were taken to the terminal where we went through Immigration and Customs and then had to register with the Red Cross.

After that we (the crew) were separated from the passengers and were taken in vans to a small hotel. We had no idea where our passengers were going. We learned from the Red Cross that the town of Gander has a population of 10,400 people and they had about 10,500 passengers to take care of from all the airplanes that were forced into Gander!

We were told to just relax at the hotel and we would be contacted when the US airports opened again, but not to expect that call for a while.

We found out the total scope of the terror back home only after getting to our hotel and turning on the TV, 24 hours after it all started.

Meanwhile, we had lots of time on our hands and found that the people of Gander were extremely friendly. They started calling us the “plane people.” We enjoyed their hospitality, explored the town of Gander and ended up having a pretty good time.

Two days later, we got that call and were taken back to the Gander airport. Back on the plane, we were reunited with the passengers and found out what they had been doing for the past two days.

What we found out was incredible…..

Gander and all the surrounding communities (within about a 75 Kilometer radius) had closed all high schools, meeting halls, lodges, and any other large gathering places. They converted all these facilities to mass lodging areas for all the stranded travelers.

Some had cots set up, some had mats with sleeping bags and pillows set up. ALL the high school students were required to volunteer their time to take care of the “guests.”

Our 218 passengers ended up in a town called Lewisporte, about 45 kilometers from Gander where they were put up in a high school. If any women wanted to be in a women-only facility, that was arranged. Families were kept together. All the elderly passengers were taken to private homes.

Remember that young pregnant lady? She was put up in a private home right across the street from a 24-hour Urgent Care facility. There was a dentist on call and both male and female nurses remained with the crowd for the duration. Phone calls and e-mails to the U.S. and around the world were available to everyone once a day.

During the day, passengers were offered “Excursion” trips. Some people went on boat cruises of the lakes and harbors. Some went for hikes in the local forests.

Local bakeries stayed open to make fresh bread for the guests. Food was prepared by all the residents and brought to the schools. People were driven to restaurants of their choice and offered wonderful meals. Everyone was given tokens for local laundry mats to wash their clothes, since luggage was still on the aircraft.

In other words, every single need was met for those stranded travelers.

Passengers were crying while telling us these stories. Finally, when they were told that U.S. airports had reopened, they were delivered to the airport right on time and without a single passenger missing or late. The local Red Cross had all the information about the whereabouts of each and every passenger and knew which plane they needed to be on and when all the planes were leaving. They coordinated everything beautifully.

It was absolutely incredible.

When passengers came on board, it was like they had been on a cruise. Everyone knew each other by name. They were swapping stories of their stay, impressing each other with who had the better time.

Our flight back to Atlanta looked like a chartered party flight. The crew just stayed out of their way. It was mind-boggling. Passengers had totally bonded and were calling each other by their first names, exchanging phone numbers, addresses, and email addresses.

And then a very unusual thing happened.

One of our passengers approached me and asked if he could make an announcement over the PA system. We never, ever allow that. But this time was different. I said “of course” and handed him the mike. He picked up the PA and reminded everyone about what they had just gone through in the last few days.

He reminded them of the hospitality they had received at the hands of total strangers.

He continued by saying that he would like to do something in return for the good folks of Lewisporte.

“He said he was going to set up a Trust Fund under the name of DELTA 15 (our flight number). The purpose of the trust fund is to provide college scholarships for the high school students of Lewisporte.

He asked for donations of any amount from his fellow travelers. When the paper with donations got back to us with the amounts, names, phone numbers and addresses, the total was for more than $14,000!

“The gentleman, a MD from Virginia , promised to match the donations and to start the administrative work on the scholarship. He also said that he would forward this proposal to Delta Corporate and ask them to donate as well.

As I write this account, the trust fund is at more than $1.5 million and has assisted 134 students in college education. “I just wanted to share this story because we need good stories right now. It gives me a little bit of hope to know that some people in a faraway place were kind to some strangers who literally dropped in on them.

It reminds me how much good there is in the world.” “In spite of all the rotten things we see going on in today’s world this story confirms that there are still a lot of good people in the world and when things get bad, they will come forward.

?

I think we all borrow from each other. LOL!

Tomorrow it’s supposed to be 86. Go figure. Sigh! I’m hoping they’re wrong and it’s lower than that!

Woo-Hoo, LUV #50!

Now go back to posting FRiday tunes :-)

Roger that. :)

I think you’re correct. LOL!

Don’t complain too much about 86. That’s still better than y’all have been dealing with.

We’ll be back in the 90s Monday through most of next week.
Won’t be all that long before we’ll be whining about being cold, though. LOL!

Great story about Delta flight 15, people helping people in times of crisis.

But I still don't trust those Canadians, we need to invade Canada and take all their beer :-)

Yep, it’s yours. WOOHOO!

I got distracted by Lord of the Rings on tv.
What’s your excuse for missing it, PRO? LOL

What’s your excuse for missing it, PRO?

Aw, you have to let LUV win once in awhile or she gets cranky.

LOL! They’d probably share. :)

Glad you enjoyed the story. I had never heard it before and thought it was very uplifting.

This presentation is from txradioguy.

Mix by txradioguy ~ Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning

Timeline of Events of Sept. 11th 2001

7:58 am - United Airlines Flight 175 departs Boston for Los Angeles,

7:58 am - United Airlines Flight 175 departs Boston for Los Angeles carrying 56 passengers, two pilots,
and seven flight attendants. The Boeing 767 is hijacked after takeoff and diverted to New York.

7:59 am - American Airlines Flight 11 departs Boston for Los Angeles, carrying 81passengers, two pilots,
and nine flight attendants. This Boeing 767 is also hijacked and diverted to New York.

8:01 am - United Airlines Flight 93, a Boeing 757 carrying 38 passengers, two pilots,
and five flight attendants, leaves Newark, N.J., for San Francisco.

8:10 am - American Airlines Flight 77 departs Washington's Dulles International Airport for Los Angeles,
carrying 58 passengers,
two pilots, and four flight attendants. The Boeing 757 is hijacked after takeoff.

8:46 am - American Flight 11 from Boston crashes into the North Tower at the World Trade Center.

9 am - President Bush arrives at Sarasota, Fla., school for speech. White House chief of staff Andrew Card tells him
a plane has crashed into the World Trade Center.

9:03 am - United Flight 175 from Boston crashes into the South Tower at the World Trade Center.

- U.S. Federal Aviation Administration shuts down all New York area airports.

9:05 am - President Bush is visiting a second-grade class when Card whispers to him that a second plane
has struck the towers. President delays plans to address the tragedy, deciding to get more information first.

9:21 am - Bridges and tunnels leading into New York City are closed.

9:25 am - All domestic flights are grounded by U.S. Federal Aviation Administration.

9:30 am - President Bush meets privately with National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, who briefs him.
He delivers first remarks on the tragedy and asks for a moment of silence for the victims and their families.

9:45 am - American Flight 77 crashes into The Pentagon.

10 am - Aboard Air Force One en route to Louisiana, President Bush calls Vice President Dick Cheney
and puts America's military on a high alert status. Sifts through reports
from staff, including an erroneous report that a car bomb had struck the State Department.
Gets news that a plane has crashed near Pittsburgh.

10:05 am - The South Tower at the World Trade Center collapses.

10:05 am - The White House is evacuated.

10:10 am - A large section of one side of The Pentagon collapses.

10:10 am - United Flight 93 crashes in a wooded area in Pennsylvania, after passengers confront hijackers.
One passenger, Todd Beamer, calls his wife on a cell phone and tells her of the plan to overpower the hijackers.
The connection remains open after Beamer puts the phone down.
Lisa Beamer hears her husband tell the other passengers “Let’s roll” signaling the start of the attack.

10:28 am - The North Tower at the World Trade Center collapses.

11:40 am - President Bush arrives at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., where he makes a series
of telephone calls from a general's conference room. Tells Cheney in telephone call, "It's the faceless coward that attacks."
He also talks to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and New York Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.

1 pm - President Bush speaks to the country from a briefing room at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. (text below)

“I want to reassure the American people that the full resources of the federal government are working to assist
local authorities to save lives and to help the victims of these attacks. Make no mistake: The United States
will hunt down and punish those responsible for these cowardly acts.

I've been in regular contact with the Vice President, the Secretary of Defense, the national security team
and my Cabinet. We have taken all appropriate security precautions to protect the American people.
Our military at home and around the world is on high alert status, and we have taken
the necessary security precautions to continue the functions of your government.

We have been in touch with the leaders of Congress and with world leaders to assure them
that we will do whatever is necessary to protect America and Americans.

I ask the American people to join me in saying a thanks for all the folks who have been fighting hard to rescue our fellow citizens
and to join me in saying a prayer for the victims and their families.

The resolve of our great nation is being tested. But make no mistake: We will show the world that we will pass this test. God Bless.”

1:15 pm - President Bush departs conference room for Air Force One in a camouflaged Humvee.
Talks to Cheney again en route to Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska and
schedules a 4 p.m. meeting of his national security staff. Also talks to New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani
and Gov. George Pataki. "I know your heart is broken and your city is strained
and anything we can do, let me know," Bush says.

3:07 pm - President Bush arrives at U.S. Strategic Command at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska.

4:36 pm - President Bush departs for Washington. En route, he calls first lady Laura Bush and
says, "I'm coming home, see you at the White House." Works with aides on his prime-time speech.

6 pm (approx) - Leaders and members from both sides of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate make a joint statement
on the attacks and end the press conference with the singing of “God Bless America”.

7 pm - President Bush arrives at White House to prepare for address.

8:30 pm - President Bush speaks to nation from The Oval Office (text below).

“Good evening. Today our fellow citizens, our way of life, our very freedom came under attack in a series of deliberate
and deadly terrorist acts. The victims were in airplanes or in their offices:
secretaries, businessmen and women, military and federal workers, moms and dads, friends and neighbors.

Thousands of lives were suddenly ended by evil, despicable acts of terror.

The pictures of airplanes flying into buildings, fires burning, huge structures collapsing
have filled us with disbelief, terrible sadness and a quiet, unyielding anger.

These acts of mass murder were intended to frighten our nation into chaos and retreat. But they have failed.
Our country is strong. A great people has been moved to defend a great nation.

Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America.
These acts shatter steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve.

America was targeted for attack because we're the brightest beacon for freedom and
opportunity in the world. And no one will keep that light from shining.

Today, our nation saw evil, the very worst of human nature, and we responded with the best of America,
with the daring of our rescue workers, with the caring for strangers and neighbors
who came to give blood and help in any way they could.

Immediately following the first attack, I implemented our government's emergency response plans.
Our military is powerful, and it's prepared. Our emergency teams are working in
New York City and Washington, D.C., to help with local rescue efforts.

Our first priority is to get help to those who have been injured and to take every
precaution to protect our citizens at home and around the world from further attacks.

The functions of our government continue without interruption. Federal agencies in Washington
which had to be evacuated today are reopening for essential personnel tonight
and will be open for business tomorrow.

Our financial institutions remain strong, and the American economy will be open for business as well.

The search is underway for those who are behind these evil acts.

I've directed the full resources for our intelligence and law enforcement communities
to find those responsible and bring them to justice.

We will make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbor them.

I appreciate so very much the members of Congress who have joined me in strongly condemning these attacks.
And on behalf of the American people, I thank the many world leaders who have called to offer their condolences and assistance.

America and our friends and allies join with all those who want peace
and security in the world and we stand together to win the war against terrorism.

Tonight I ask for your prayers for all those who grieve, for the children whose worlds have been shattered,
for all whose sense of safety and security has been threatened. And I pray they will be comforted by a
power greater than any of us spoken through the ages in
Psalm 23: "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil for you are with me."

This is a day when all Americans from every walk of life unite in our resolve for justice
and peace. America has stood down enemies before, and we will do so this time.

None of us will ever forget this day, yet we go forward to defend freedom and all that is good and just in our world.

Thank you. Good night and God Bless America.”

8:35 pm - Bush attends national security meeting.

10:21 pm - Meeting has ended. Secret Service radio squawks with news
that Bush has gone home to bed: "Trailblazer…Second floor of the residence."

The Pentagon &Flight 93 Washington & Shanksville The World Trade Center New York City Total Deaths All 9/11 Attacks3,030*Total Deaths WTC 9/11 Attack2,801TotalInjured All 9/11 Attacks2,337Total Injured WTC 9/11 Attack2,261Total Deaths9/11 Attack The Pentagon (Ground)124Firefighter Deaths WTC 9/11 Attack343TotalInjured 9/11 Attack The Pentagon76Police Deaths WTC 9/11 Attack75AmericanAirlines Flight 77 The Pentagon64American Airlines Flight 11 WTC NorthTower92United Airlines Flight 93 Shanksville, PA40United Airlines Flight 175WTC South Tower65*In December 2002 the Total Deaths from the WTC Attack was revised to 2,792.

Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)

Where were you when the world stopped turning
On that September day
Were you in the yard with your wife and children
Or working on some stage in L.A.
Did you stand there in shock
At the sight of that black smoke
Rising against that blue sky?
Did you shout out in anger and fear for your neighbor
Or did you just sit down and cry?

Did you weep for the children
Who lost their dear loved ones
And pray for the ones who don't know
Did you rejoice for the people who walked from the rubble
And sob for the ones left below

Did you burst out with pride
For the red, white, and blue
And the heroes who died just doing what they do
Did you look up to heaven for some kind of answer
And look at yourself and what really matters

I'm just a singer of simple songs
I'm not a real political man
I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you
The difference in Iraq and Iran
But I know Jesus and I talk to God
And I remember this from when I was young
Faith, hope, and love are some good things he gave us
And the greatest is love

Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day
Teaching a class full of innocent children
Driving down some cold interstate
Did you feel guilty cause you're a survivor
In a crowded room did you feel alone
Did you call up your mother and tell her you loved her
Did you dust off that Bible at home

Did you open your eyes and hope it never happened
Close your eyes and not go to sleep
Did you notice the sunset the first time in ages
Speak with some stranger on the street
Did you lay down at night and think of tomorrow
Go out and buy you a gun
Did you turn off that violent old movie you're watching
And turn on "I Love Lucy" reruns

Did you go to a church and hold hands with some stranger
Stand in line and give your own blood
Did you just stay home and cling tight to your family..
and thank God you had somebody to love

I'm just a singer of simple songs
I'm not a real political man
I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you
The difference in Iraq and Iran
But I know Jesus and I talk to God
And I remember this from when I was young
Faith, hope, and love are some good things he gave us
And the greatest is love

And the greatest is love
And the greatest is love

Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day?

Psalm 23

The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want
He makes me lie down in green pastures
He leads me beside still waters
He restores my soul
He guides me in the path of righteousness
For His namesake
Yea though I walk through the valley in the shadow of death
I will fear no evil
For you are with me
Your rod and Your staff they comfort me
You prepare a table before me
In the presence of my enemies
You anoint my head with oil
My cup overflows
Surely goodness and love will follow me
All the days of my life
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever