9 years have passed

The morning was about as normal as it could have been.  I had the day off my civilian job and had a little grocery shopping to do.  I remember it so well because it was a beautiful morning that I was going to spend with my daughter.  At the time, she was just 2 years old.  As any 2 year old, she woke up early and I am no late sleeper, that's for sure.  I had already had my morning coffee and grabbed her up and went about our morning. 

Our first stop was, as it always was on my days off, the office.  I needed to do a real quick review of yesterdays numbers.  Just a quick in and out and we were back on the road headed to the grocery store.  We walked into the store just minutes after 8 A.M. . Seemed like a normal morning as I scooped up the groceries we needed and went through the checkout. 

As I pushed the cart through the door my cell phone began to explode with message after message.  In the course of a 30 minute shopping trip I had seven new voice mails.  I was just starting to dial in my code when the phone began to ring.  It was my training NCO at my National Guard unit.  At that point he began to give me the details of what had occurred.  The most shocking words from that conversation are ones I will never forget, "The world trade centers are gone!".

After rushing home, I walked in the door to find my wife and 4 month old son sleeping on the couch.  I woke her up and turned on the news.  In horror I watched the sheer acts of terror unfolding before my eyes.  Footage that will never leave my mind. 

My exact words to her were, "We are going to war.".

Because of my military background, I had a pretty good Idea who was responsible and when the name Osama Bin Laden were uttered on the news for the first time I was not shocked.  A terrorist that we had trained and funded had just used everything we taught him against us.

Due to the fact that I had friends that worked in both the trade centers and in the Pentagon, I had a responsibility to fulfill.  I got my wife and children set up and then them to stay with her sister for a few days.  Me, well I packed up a 3 days bag and headed for Washington D.C. 

For the next 3 days I assisted the Red Cross with families and rescue workers. 

http://www.fdnylodd.com/9-11-Never-Forget/Memorials/Blood-Of-Heroes.html

2,977 victims in the blink of and eye on 9/11.  All civilian.

2,402 military killed and 57 civilians killed on December 7, 1941.

D-Day invasion.  All military.
United States–6,603, of which 2,499 fatal.
United Kingdom–2,700.
Canada–1,074, of which 359 fatal
 
God Bless our troops and those that have given all to prevent this from happening again. 
 
People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.