WTC report from CJ/DC
Arlington

day 2. 12 september 2001

Sorry for the delay in writing, if'n you were worried about us. All is fine in my house. As you may know, I live about a mile from the Pentagon, and based on the impact site at the Pentagon the jet most likely passed directly over my house before impact. I was at work when everything went down. Actually once news hit we ran to the hotel bar next door to watch CNN. While watching tv, CNN reported that a plane could not be accounted for and could be heading to sites in DC. This was later unsubstantiated. Needless to say, I raced to my car and headed home. Traffic was terrible leaving the city and I had to make my way through neighborhood streets to finally get home. Many routes in were closed.

Caroline said that the house shook when the plane crashed and a second time although not sure why. She was not watching tv so she had no idea what was going on until I called her just before heading home. Our water pressure was quite low for most of the day as you could imagine. Lots of helicopters have been flying overhead as well as fighter jets patrolling the sky, particularly when Bush landed at the White House in the late afternoon. The roar of helicopters was intense at that moment. Our community/rec center is being used as a temporary shelter for rescue personnel working at the Pentagon. We went for a walk in the late afternoon and it was strange what a relative ghost town Arlington was. Not many cars on the street and only a handful of the regulars walking around.

I'm at work today and hope to get a glimpse of the Pentagon in person when I get home tonight. I don't anticipate getting very close though. day 3. 13 september 2001

Not much new to report in my neck of the woods. Still lots of helicopter and fighter planes flying overhead. Early last night I heard, what I believe to be, commercial airlines taking off from National Airport (I can't bring myself to call it Reagan National.) Surprised because the news was saying that no planes were in the air. It was quite strange hearing the roar of commercial jets last night.

In my conversations with people over the past few days, I am amazed at the ripple effect that this tragedy is having. Colleagues of my mom were on one of the planes. My mom's husband has officemates whose friends were on one of the planes. The husband of a women in my office had many of his workmates working in WTC. 700 of the 1200 people in that office are so far unaccounted for. All of the companies data and network was managed from the WTC and they can do no work whatsoever now. My friend Leslie took a train back from Pittsburgh on Tuesday evening with a women who was flying to Chicago that day and when they were over Western PA they passed by the plane that eventually went down. She said that her plane descended rapidly and watched the other plane fly overhead of them. They later landed in Pittsburgh. A women in my office had tickets for flight 77 out of Dulles that day, but changed plans a few weeks ago when someone she was supposed to travel with had to change her plans. She was disappointed at the time, but obviously thankful now.

I am not an overtly patriotic person. I love my country and recognize its shortcomings, but today I will be purchasing an American flag on my way home and flying it from the front of my house.

cj