It was the second or third week of Fall semester of my freshman year at Michigan State University. I had signed up for Army ROTC as an elective because I had always been interested in a career in the military. By the end of the school year our ROTC class looked very different than it did on that day. Somehow, many of the cadets with four-year scholarships that morning found other ways to finance their higher education, and those of us who remained knew exactly why we were still there, and that we had a job to do. 

73, Never Forget, 

Scott Pastor, kc8kbk
Major, U.S. Army (retired) 



On Fri, Sep 11, 2026 at 12:33 PM KD2GIY via MRCA <mrca@mailman.qth.net> wrote:
Gene, 
Thank you for that story, it's good to see our hobby was able to help that woman. 

I myself reflect on this day in a thankful way. 
I'm thankful I'm still alive because on that day I was in the world trade center. Specifically the PATH train in the basement. I would take the PATH train from journal square then walk through the mall in the trade center then a few blocks to South ferry to go back to Staten Island. 

Never again, never should have happened. 


Best regards
Dave
KD2GIY

On Fri, Sep 11, 2026, 12:18 PM Gene Smar via MRCA <mrca@mailman.qth.net> wrote:
Twenty-five years ago, I was working from home when my wife called me from her work as a nurse at the local hospital. She asked if I were watching TV. I said no. She said turn on the TV and hung up.

I saw the smoking North Tower. Minutes later the second plane hit the South Tower. I turned on my HF radio to monitor for any emcomm nets.

In early afternoon I heard a call on 40M from a W2 Ham asking if anyone could place a phone call to Rockville, MD, my home QTH. I answered and offered to make the call. The message was from a woman in NJ whose fiance lived in Rockville but worked in the Pentagon. She'd been trying to reach him at work and home all morning, but could not get through - "fast busy" signal from the jammed telephone circuits between NYC and WDC areas. She wanted to know if he was ok.

I dialed his home number and, after a couple of rings, he answered. I explained that I was a Ham radio operator and had a message from his fiance. He told me he was OK. He didn't go into work that day. He asked me to pass along to his fiance that he was safe at home, that he would call her that evening if he could, and that he loved her.

I hung up the phone and called the W2 on 40. He responded and I told him I spoke with the fiance and passed along his message. He told me he'd contact the woman with this reassuring news.

A couple hours later, while I was still listening to 40, the W2 Ham called me again. He said the woman was relieved with the news from her fiance and was grateful for our help in contacting him.

May the victims all rest in peace.

73 de 
Gene Smar AD3F
 

Sent from my Radio Shack TRS-80 model 100 laptop

On Fri, Sep 11, 2026 at 11:06 AM, n2lxm--- via Milsurplus

I was a volunteer for the local Red Cross Chapter in Central New Jersey on 9 / 11. I got the call to get to the chapter and load up. We were needed in the Atlantic Highland’s. We spent hours getting people off of boats and onto buses. I could see the smoke across the bay. The look on the people’s faces is something I will never forget. May All that were lost that Day Rest in Peace. And Bless All those who responded to the Call,

 


                                                           N2LXM
                                                         American
                                                           Patriot
                                      Proud Father of Two U.S. Marines
                                                        Semper Fy

______________________________________________________________
Milsurplus mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/milsurplus
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:Milsurplus@mailman.qth.net

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
______________________________________________________________
MRCA mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/mrca
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:MRCA@mailman.qth.net

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
______________________________________________________________
MRCA mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/mrca
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:MRCA@mailman.qth.net

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html