Memories from Japan
1. "I was 26, living in Japan, when my brother woke me up with a call around 6:30 am Japan time.
'Things aren’t very good in the States right now...'
I was half asleep, alarmed that he was calling so early, and didn’t really get what he was saying, but I gathered it was something big. I had no internet in my apartment so I hurried to the internet cafe and spent the morning reading the news online."
- K.C.
'Things aren’t very good in the States right now...'
I was half asleep, alarmed that he was calling so early, and didn’t really get what he was saying, but I gathered it was something big. I had no internet in my apartment so I hurried to the internet cafe and spent the morning reading the news online."
- K.C.
2. "Even though Michigan is home, I happened to be on a business trip in Japan along with three others of the company I worked for. We arrived in Nagoya on September 9th and then took the train the following day to meet with our Japanese partner located in Okazaki.
On Tuesday the 11th, we began our long and exhausting meetings. By the time I went to bed at 11 pm Japan time, the attacks had already begun back home. Due to the jet lag, I only slept until 4 am and knew that I probably wouldn’t get back under. I turned on the TV out of boredom and came across a station showing planes flying into buildings, then those buildings falling down.
As I slowly woke up, I could see that these buildings were the World Trade Center towers. None of the TV channels available were in English and I didn’t know a lick of Japanese, except for how to order a beer so my first impression was that this was some Japanese made disaster movie... But why was it on a loop? The towers were being slammed into and falling down over and over... That's when I realized,
'This is real!'
I immediately went through the long process of dialing an international call home and; fortunately, was able to get a hold of my wife. She was very distraught with everything going on, and of course my not being there. I was easily on the phone close to 2 hours getting information and trying to calm her down. With all airline travel in the U.S. had been shutdown, she was naturally concerned about when I could get back home.
I met my coworkers for breakfast in the hotel and could tell that they had made similar calls back home. We exchanged what each of us had heard, but not much else was said. We were basically numb.
The Japanese national from our office joined us and offered his condolences. We agreed to continue on with our meeting plan as nothing else could be done. We couldn’t cancel our itinerary and immediately fly back home since all U.S. air travel was shutdown anyways. When we met with our Japanese business partners that morning, they all offered the same condolences, all conveying how sorry they were for what had happened to our country. All the Japanese we had met were very gracious to us. We talked about how helpless we felt being so far away, and how we couldn’t wait to get back home.
On Tuesday the 11th, we began our long and exhausting meetings. By the time I went to bed at 11 pm Japan time, the attacks had already begun back home. Due to the jet lag, I only slept until 4 am and knew that I probably wouldn’t get back under. I turned on the TV out of boredom and came across a station showing planes flying into buildings, then those buildings falling down.
As I slowly woke up, I could see that these buildings were the World Trade Center towers. None of the TV channels available were in English and I didn’t know a lick of Japanese, except for how to order a beer so my first impression was that this was some Japanese made disaster movie... But why was it on a loop? The towers were being slammed into and falling down over and over... That's when I realized,
'This is real!'
I immediately went through the long process of dialing an international call home and; fortunately, was able to get a hold of my wife. She was very distraught with everything going on, and of course my not being there. I was easily on the phone close to 2 hours getting information and trying to calm her down. With all airline travel in the U.S. had been shutdown, she was naturally concerned about when I could get back home.
I met my coworkers for breakfast in the hotel and could tell that they had made similar calls back home. We exchanged what each of us had heard, but not much else was said. We were basically numb.
The Japanese national from our office joined us and offered his condolences. We agreed to continue on with our meeting plan as nothing else could be done. We couldn’t cancel our itinerary and immediately fly back home since all U.S. air travel was shutdown anyways. When we met with our Japanese business partners that morning, they all offered the same condolences, all conveying how sorry they were for what had happened to our country. All the Japanese we had met were very gracious to us. We talked about how helpless we felt being so far away, and how we couldn’t wait to get back home.
International flights into the U.S. would resume on Saturday for countries that met the new standards for airport security. With those new security measures there were many carry-on items we could not bring that had to be moved in checked baggage. Even though the flight was after 4 pm, we got to the Tokyo Narita Airport at 9 am to give us plenty of time in light of those new security procedures. Normally I would dress in a collared shirt to be somewhat professional sitting in business class, but for Father's Day my wife had given me an American flag T-shirt with ‘USA 2001’ printed beneath the flag. I decided to wear that instead and received many compliments throughout the day from Americans in Narita and fellow passengers on the flight.
The check-in process was rather lengthy. We even had our check in luggage opened by security for inspection prior to baggage check, as well as extensive questioning by a couple of airline representatives about our purpose being in Japan. Once we got through airport security and customs for departure, we were in the duty free zone of Narita. This zone was for all international flight departures, so from here out I thought everything would be normal as before. This was far from the case. It was extremely packed with people on edge and eager to get back home. The boarding process was very chaotic as officials tried to comply with the new rules. Those with carry-ons had their bags opened up and checked again, even though they already went through the central security screening check and metal detectors. |
The flight for New York had already boarded for the most part when they announced something had been violated in the security protocol and the process had to start over. All those people emptied back into the concourse area, which just caused more agitation for everybody.
I was very slow and deliberate waiting in line, and let those that were more agitated in front of me. I wasn’t worried about getting behind, as I knew they would have to board all of us eventually.
I was finally able to get to my seat, and relax. In business class they would offer us alcoholic drinks before flight departure, which I naturally took them up on. It was well over another hour before the plane was finally loaded and we were able to pull away from the gate. I let out a big exhale knowing I was headed home.
The most noticeably different thing on the flight was that the silverware had been removed and replaced with plastic cutlery which was honestly a bit comical. The meat that was served was difficult to cut, with the fork spines kept breaking. I’m sure the airline was scrambling trying to figure out how to comply with new security regulations, while offering the level of service they were noted for in business class.
Outside of that the flight was uneventful, I was able to get more sleep than normal after being thoroughly exhausted with everything that went on for the week. We made up lost time from departure, and landed a few minutes early.
We happened to be one of the first international flight arrivals in Detroit. When going through immigration, the officer said he was happy to see us home, and mentioned my T-shirt was a sight for sore eyes.
I drove home to see my family, where all of us were thankful and glad we could be back together again."
- Guy Schafer
I was very slow and deliberate waiting in line, and let those that were more agitated in front of me. I wasn’t worried about getting behind, as I knew they would have to board all of us eventually.
I was finally able to get to my seat, and relax. In business class they would offer us alcoholic drinks before flight departure, which I naturally took them up on. It was well over another hour before the plane was finally loaded and we were able to pull away from the gate. I let out a big exhale knowing I was headed home.
The most noticeably different thing on the flight was that the silverware had been removed and replaced with plastic cutlery which was honestly a bit comical. The meat that was served was difficult to cut, with the fork spines kept breaking. I’m sure the airline was scrambling trying to figure out how to comply with new security regulations, while offering the level of service they were noted for in business class.
Outside of that the flight was uneventful, I was able to get more sleep than normal after being thoroughly exhausted with everything that went on for the week. We made up lost time from departure, and landed a few minutes early.
We happened to be one of the first international flight arrivals in Detroit. When going through immigration, the officer said he was happy to see us home, and mentioned my T-shirt was a sight for sore eyes.
I drove home to see my family, where all of us were thankful and glad we could be back together again."
- Guy Schafer
3. "I was stationed in Okinawa with the Marines, playing in my room when one of my Corporals opened the door and told me,
'Someone just blew up the Trade Center.'
I thought he was joking and just kept playing. A little while latter, I decided to get a snack and walked by the common room where a bunch of guys were gathered around the TV.
I walked in to see what the fuss was about and saw Tower 1 billowing smoke. As I was standing there watching, I saw the second plane hit Tower 2. Everyone including myself just stared in shock for a couple minutes and then we all got up to wake the rest of the barracks.
Everyone pulled their field gear out of their closest and started prepping all of our gear for deployment without even being told. That second plane told us everything we needed to know. We spent the next two weeks on high alert, waiting for a hit to come our way with constant formations and a fully locked down base."
- Shane Butler
'Someone just blew up the Trade Center.'
I thought he was joking and just kept playing. A little while latter, I decided to get a snack and walked by the common room where a bunch of guys were gathered around the TV.
I walked in to see what the fuss was about and saw Tower 1 billowing smoke. As I was standing there watching, I saw the second plane hit Tower 2. Everyone including myself just stared in shock for a couple minutes and then we all got up to wake the rest of the barracks.
Everyone pulled their field gear out of their closest and started prepping all of our gear for deployment without even being told. That second plane told us everything we needed to know. We spent the next two weeks on high alert, waiting for a hit to come our way with constant formations and a fully locked down base."
- Shane Butler
4. "I am an American who was living outside of Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan and I was 8 yrs old on 9/11. Dad had overnight duty so he was not home. My mom ran into the room I shared with my little sister and woke us up in a panic, it was still dark outside. She told us to start packing clothes because we had to leave. I remember her talking on the phone urgently and she was in her military uniform. When I asked what was going on she said,
'There was a plane crash in the States. You and your sister have to go to the Navy base because your father and I need to go to work.'
I thought that a faraway plane crash did not seem like a big enough deal for all the alarm my mom had then. Driving on base was chaotic, the guards were all armed and had military dogs inspect every vehicle before entering. Mom took my little sisters and I to her friend's house and said that she might not see us for awhile but that we had to be good. Since it was still night for us, my two little sisters went right to sleep but I stayed on the couch with my mom's friend, Ms. Joy, watching the news.
Two things stuck out to me while I watched: First, seeing people choose to jump from the buildings was terrifying. If they chose to jump, how bad was it really inside? Second, Ms. Joy was crying and seeing an adult cry was really scary at that age. I may not have understood the impact of what I was watching on TV but I knew it was horrible. I still went to school that morning, some of my friends were not there and our teachers tried to explain what happened to us. We did not get any work done though.
The following days and weeks had abrupt changes to our lives. Living off base meant that we now had to take armored vehicles to get on base and go to school, most of my classmates' parents deployed immediately, including my dad. Curfews were set and civilian employees were not allowed on base for a time."
- Alecia Phillips
'There was a plane crash in the States. You and your sister have to go to the Navy base because your father and I need to go to work.'
I thought that a faraway plane crash did not seem like a big enough deal for all the alarm my mom had then. Driving on base was chaotic, the guards were all armed and had military dogs inspect every vehicle before entering. Mom took my little sisters and I to her friend's house and said that she might not see us for awhile but that we had to be good. Since it was still night for us, my two little sisters went right to sleep but I stayed on the couch with my mom's friend, Ms. Joy, watching the news.
Two things stuck out to me while I watched: First, seeing people choose to jump from the buildings was terrifying. If they chose to jump, how bad was it really inside? Second, Ms. Joy was crying and seeing an adult cry was really scary at that age. I may not have understood the impact of what I was watching on TV but I knew it was horrible. I still went to school that morning, some of my friends were not there and our teachers tried to explain what happened to us. We did not get any work done though.
The following days and weeks had abrupt changes to our lives. Living off base meant that we now had to take armored vehicles to get on base and go to school, most of my classmates' parents deployed immediately, including my dad. Curfews were set and civilian employees were not allowed on base for a time."
- Alecia Phillips