HAWAII
"Where were you on 9/11?" as remembered by those in Hawaii that day.
A Honolulu resident remembers how difficult it was for a child so far away from the mainland to understand what had happened.
1. "I was in 2nd grade and didn't fully understand what was going on when my parents woke me up. It was around 5 in the morning, I remember watching the TV and seeing the tower get struck.
I thought it was a movie because things like that didn't happen in real life.
When I got to school classmates were talking about the Pentagon also being attacked. This added to the confusion because I hadn't learned shapes yet so I didn't know what a pentagon was. After I learned it was a shape, I was even more confused on how and why someone attacked a shape.
I was a bit too young and too innocent. My teacher explained to us that terrorists attacked us which made me scared because I confused terrorists with tourists and thought since I was so close to Waikiki I would be attacked.
I was too young and the chaos confused me."
- S.
I thought it was a movie because things like that didn't happen in real life.
When I got to school classmates were talking about the Pentagon also being attacked. This added to the confusion because I hadn't learned shapes yet so I didn't know what a pentagon was. After I learned it was a shape, I was even more confused on how and why someone attacked a shape.
I was a bit too young and too innocent. My teacher explained to us that terrorists attacked us which made me scared because I confused terrorists with tourists and thought since I was so close to Waikiki I would be attacked.
I was too young and the chaos confused me."
- S.
Written Stories:
2. "I woke up to go to high school, and my Mom was crying as she left the house. When I glanced at the TV it didn't seem real. I was in color-guard for JROTC and had the honor of holding the American flag after that, it was something else.
The amount of patriotism and everyone singing at the top of their lungs the national anthem."
- V. S.
The amount of patriotism and everyone singing at the top of their lungs the national anthem."
- V. S.
3. "I was in the Army, stationed at Schofield Barracks. At the time I was in PLDC (Primary Leadership Development Course). We were awakened for an unexpected formation around 0300 hours... everyone kind of assumed it was just part of the training (which isn't uncommon in the military) until the commandant addressed the formation; told us what had happened. For a day or so, there were rumors that our class was going to be canceled and we were to be returned to our respective units, but that didn't happen. Training continued with a few modifications.
When I got back to my unit, Schofield was locked down tight. Barracks are arranged in sets of four, shaped like a square, surrounding a field, with entry points at each corner, called a "quad".
When I got back to my unit, Schofield was locked down tight. Barracks are arranged in sets of four, shaped like a square, surrounding a field, with entry points at each corner, called a "quad".
Each quad had a guard detail with barricades and armed guards at each entry point. Just about every building was eventually surrounded with concrete barricades and most had a guard detail.
Then came the proselytizing and political radicalism. End-times rhetoric, talk of a "Crusade", etc. -- it was surreal to say the least."
- M. S.
Then came the proselytizing and political radicalism. End-times rhetoric, talk of a "Crusade", etc. -- it was surreal to say the least."
- M. S.
4. "I slept through the attacks because they happened five hours ahead. My clock radio goes off and instead of music, Tom Brokaw was talking. I hit the snooze button. As I slowly woke up, I wondered why Tom Brokaw was talking instead of the regular music format.
Nine minutes later, I found out why."
- G. B.
Nine minutes later, I found out why."
- G. B.
5. "I was on my way to work as a project manager on a construction project at Pearl Harbor wondering why the traffic on the H-1 was so backed up. Turned on the radio and came in on in the middle of the DJs talking, I had to infer a lot before I heard the entire story.
The Harbor was obviously on lock down so I just drove to my office in town. Didn’t see the footage of the towers (not TV at work) till I got home that night though everyone was talking about what had happened in NYC and at the Pentagon.
It blew my mind once I finally saw it."
- Linda K.
The Harbor was obviously on lock down so I just drove to my office in town. Didn’t see the footage of the towers (not TV at work) till I got home that night though everyone was talking about what had happened in NYC and at the Pentagon.
It blew my mind once I finally saw it."
- Linda K.
6. "I was in the 9th Grade at the time. Being so far away from the East Coast, the attack didn't affect me the way it probably did people on the Mainland. I was shocked and scared, but not sad. Everyone I knew lived in Hawaii; I had no personal ties to the Mainland.
My high school marching band had been chosen to march in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade in New York that November. Several of my classmates dropped out of the trip as their parents were worried of possible dangers in New York. While there, the band visited Ground Zero. A few weeks leading up to the trip, three of my classmates and I tried to fold 1,000 origami cranes to leave at the site for good luck. In the end, we were only able to fold about 850 cranes but I believe that the fact that we tried to get to 1000 counted for something."
- H. T.
My high school marching band had been chosen to march in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade in New York that November. Several of my classmates dropped out of the trip as their parents were worried of possible dangers in New York. While there, the band visited Ground Zero. A few weeks leading up to the trip, three of my classmates and I tried to fold 1,000 origami cranes to leave at the site for good luck. In the end, we were only able to fold about 850 cranes but I believe that the fact that we tried to get to 1000 counted for something."
- H. T.
7. "My husband was stationed at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and we lived at the military housing on Iroquois Point. I'll never forget my best friend calling and telling me to turn on the TV. It felt like I was watching a movie or something, it seemed so unreal almost as if we were paralyzed. We didn't know what was happening or what to expect next and going outside to see the blue skies and beautiful Hawaiian scenery made it even more unreal--how could this be happening in the world yet it was still beautiful here?
Everything went into lock-down. My oldest daughter was in elementary school and they didn't have school for a few weeks as everyone tried to figure out security. My husband wasn't at a seagoing command, but he worked pretty much constantly as there was a real feeling that we were going to be at war. Everyone was on high alert and there was this undercurrent of anxiety that Hawaii would be the next in line for an attack as we were so removed from the mainland. Seemingly overnight there were barriers up everywhere and base access was no longer just a casual wave through; you had to negotiate through jersey barriers and have your vehicle examined for explosives."
- K. H.
Everything went into lock-down. My oldest daughter was in elementary school and they didn't have school for a few weeks as everyone tried to figure out security. My husband wasn't at a seagoing command, but he worked pretty much constantly as there was a real feeling that we were going to be at war. Everyone was on high alert and there was this undercurrent of anxiety that Hawaii would be the next in line for an attack as we were so removed from the mainland. Seemingly overnight there were barriers up everywhere and base access was no longer just a casual wave through; you had to negotiate through jersey barriers and have your vehicle examined for explosives."
- K. H.
8. "I was in 5th grade and woke up on my own that morning. I saw my parents they were visibly shook, but wouldn't say why. Eventually they decided that I should go to school, way late, and that's how I learned about what we call today '9/11'. I was still young enough that I didn't feel much about it. I had to sit down with my mom and dad to finally understand the scope of what that attack was. I was born in Hawaii, and even years later I haven't left the state. Today it doesn't mean much to me other than the wars it created.
- V. S.
- V. S.
9. "My family was living in Hilo, rather close to the Hilo International Airport. Every day we'd hear loud planes flying overhead, wake up to it, hear them at night. It drove my mom nuts.
On the morning of September 11 there were no planes flying, they were all grounded. If you heard anything at all it was military jets. There was an absolute quiet in the air. My mom was thrilled that we weren't going deaf with the noise.
Mayor Harry Kim shut the Big Island down, declared a holiday for all schools and state work. The other mayors and the governor criticized Harry for it, said it was damaging to the economy or some nonsense. He replied that he'd rather be wrong and have everyone be safe. People loved him for it."
- S. K.
On the morning of September 11 there were no planes flying, they were all grounded. If you heard anything at all it was military jets. There was an absolute quiet in the air. My mom was thrilled that we weren't going deaf with the noise.
Mayor Harry Kim shut the Big Island down, declared a holiday for all schools and state work. The other mayors and the governor criticized Harry for it, said it was damaging to the economy or some nonsense. He replied that he'd rather be wrong and have everyone be safe. People loved him for it."
- S. K.
10. "I was transferring to a new middle school for 7th grade. My dad was checking me in while several parents were trying to pull their kids out. Dad was just blank-faced and sad looking. I'm never going to forget that day ever as long as I live."
- D. F.
- D. F.
11. "I was working as a flight attendant during 9/11, my trip was to Lihue, Kauai on September 10. I had a 25-hour layover there, which turned into a one week layover. In the early morning hours of 9/11, everyone was awake and in a frenzy. People were talking in the halls and shouting, ‘Turn on the TV! Turn on the TV!’
Everyone thought the pilots had made a mistake when the first plane hit, but by the second one we knew that we were being attacked.
My crew and I tried to contact Crew Scheduling, but no one would talk to us. The captain and I tried to get a hold of my husband, who is a pilot, but to no avail. I was very upset, I wanted to know if he was okay, but there was nothing I could do.
One of our flight attendants was very young, on reserve. She was supposed to be on another flight, but ended up being put on our flight because we were one person short. At some point, she pulled out her schedule, and said,
‘Flight 93. I was supposed to be on that flight!’
She broke down crying. The whole crew all broke down crying. We all hugged her and cried.
My crew and I all stayed together during the week we were on the island. It was eerily quiet: there were no luaus, no parties, no planes in the sky. They weren't even letting boats in. I was always packed, ready to go home the instant they said we could leave."
- Anonymous
Everyone thought the pilots had made a mistake when the first plane hit, but by the second one we knew that we were being attacked.
My crew and I tried to contact Crew Scheduling, but no one would talk to us. The captain and I tried to get a hold of my husband, who is a pilot, but to no avail. I was very upset, I wanted to know if he was okay, but there was nothing I could do.
One of our flight attendants was very young, on reserve. She was supposed to be on another flight, but ended up being put on our flight because we were one person short. At some point, she pulled out her schedule, and said,
‘Flight 93. I was supposed to be on that flight!’
She broke down crying. The whole crew all broke down crying. We all hugged her and cried.
My crew and I all stayed together during the week we were on the island. It was eerily quiet: there were no luaus, no parties, no planes in the sky. They weren't even letting boats in. I was always packed, ready to go home the instant they said we could leave."
- Anonymous
12. "I was in 3rd grade, living on Hickam AFB. My dad was stationed there while he attended college at UH to go from being enlisted to being an officer.
My parents woke us up really early and told us school was cancelled for the day. The attacks had already happened but I remember they played over and over again on TV - that’s all we watched.
My school was on base so it ended up being cancelled for a couple of weeks. As a result, my parents had to take me and my sister with them to their college classes. I got to go to history, religion, math... it is really wild thinking back on what it must have been like for their professors and classmates to have a 8 and 9 year old sitting next to them in a desk drawing on a Hello Kitty notepad while everyone discussed the intricacies of electrical engineering."
- Anonymous
My parents woke us up really early and told us school was cancelled for the day. The attacks had already happened but I remember they played over and over again on TV - that’s all we watched.
My school was on base so it ended up being cancelled for a couple of weeks. As a result, my parents had to take me and my sister with them to their college classes. I got to go to history, religion, math... it is really wild thinking back on what it must have been like for their professors and classmates to have a 8 and 9 year old sitting next to them in a desk drawing on a Hello Kitty notepad while everyone discussed the intricacies of electrical engineering."
- Anonymous
13. "I was in 4th grade putting at the golfing range before school. We went to my grandparents house after and watched some news there. Still remember watching the planes crash and while being surprised, not truly comprehending the effects it would have."
- Daniel Yang
- Daniel Yang
15. "I had a big spelling test that day and remember studying so hard all of the night before. Next thing I knew, I woke up the morning of 9/11 and my mom was gone. I found my sister watching TV and she told me,
'Someone had flown airplanes into buildings in the mainland.'
I was scared they would come to Hilo next. We watched the news, I was only 7 years old, a little too young to understand what it meant.
What I did know was that it was scary."
- C. N.
'Someone had flown airplanes into buildings in the mainland.'
I was scared they would come to Hilo next. We watched the news, I was only 7 years old, a little too young to understand what it meant.
What I did know was that it was scary."
- C. N.
16. "From Kauai and was supposed to fly to the mainland that morning, but mom woke me up in tears."
- T. K.
- T. K.
17. "We were on a family celebration trip to Hawaii. We visited Pearl Harbor and the Arizona on Monday, the 10th and our teen kids weren’t as impacted as we thought they should be. My husband turned to me and said,
'They’ll never know anything as horrific as this in their lifetime.'
Little did we know the horror we’d wake to the next morning! We had to play catch up with the news as being on a 6 hour delay. The towers had fallen before we knew it. Then to hear about the Pentagon! We cried and cried all day.
We had visited New York City and went up on top of the Twin Towers so my children knew exactly how massive they were. It was really hard to imagine they were gone. We spent the next few days in a stupor, glued to the TV, hearing about the heroism and nightmares going on everywhere. We were so worried about flying back home to Georgia. Our flight on Saturday was a nightmare with layovers but I remember a sweet young National Guardsman at the airport that told me not to worry, they were in control! I’ve never been so happy to finally land at Atlanta airport and drive back into our neighborhood. We saw the flags hanging everywhere and just felt the oneness of our country. Still such an emotional memory."
- Wanda Vinson
'They’ll never know anything as horrific as this in their lifetime.'
Little did we know the horror we’d wake to the next morning! We had to play catch up with the news as being on a 6 hour delay. The towers had fallen before we knew it. Then to hear about the Pentagon! We cried and cried all day.
We had visited New York City and went up on top of the Twin Towers so my children knew exactly how massive they were. It was really hard to imagine they were gone. We spent the next few days in a stupor, glued to the TV, hearing about the heroism and nightmares going on everywhere. We were so worried about flying back home to Georgia. Our flight on Saturday was a nightmare with layovers but I remember a sweet young National Guardsman at the airport that told me not to worry, they were in control! I’ve never been so happy to finally land at Atlanta airport and drive back into our neighborhood. We saw the flags hanging everywhere and just felt the oneness of our country. Still such an emotional memory."
- Wanda Vinson