It's hard to believe 13 years ago commercial airplanes carrying hundreds of passengers were intentionally flown into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and crashing outside of Washington, D.C.
Significant life changing events are painful to remember, but often remind us of what we were doing when we first learned of these tragedies.
Fresh out of the Navy, I was bowling with a friend in Hollywood, California. After our game we walked outside to a different world.
There were absolutely no sounds. People were walking as if they were in shock and indeed some were. Stores that sold TVs with displays in storefront windows were lined up with pedestrians watching the events unfold about President Kennedy.
Early reports indicated he had been wounded, some said he hadn't been shot, then later, the news that he had died was broadcast.
No one around us could believe such a thing had happened. After all, this is America. That doesn't happen here.
On 9-11 I was fishing for perch on a calm Lake St. Clair near the area known as the dumping grounds. The sky was sunny and blue.
All of a sudden it felt like the world stood still. There were no planes flying overhead nor were there any other boats near us. A couple of helicopters probably from Selfridge flew over then it was quiet again.
We headed into shore, tied the boat up and left for home. My car radio was tuned to WOMC. When it came on, I was already nearly out of the parking lot when I heard an unfamiliar voice say "America is under attack. Two commercial airliners have intentionally been flown into the twin towers of the World Trade Center.
The news about the remaining two aircraft wasn't broadcast at that time. The streets were quiet during the drive home. People driving looked stunned.
Today, reading and watching the news, those events come back as if they happened yesterday. The slogan, "Never Forget" applies to all of these tragic events.
9-11 has changed life in America forever.
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