[Frangyomory]

I had just retired from working for the Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps. I had many friends at the Pentagon and was blessed in that none of them were hurt. We lived in Northern Virginia at the time. After the first plane hit the WTC I called my sister on Long Island and as we spoke, the second plane hit. We were unable to talk for a few minutes and then simply cried on each others "shoulder" for a while. She had NBC on as I did and the shock was amazing. Then we heard about the Pentagon being hit and that was about 30 miles up the road from me. By the time we heard about the plan in Pennsylvania, we were all in shock.

Big changes after that at the Base where I had worked and where my husband continued to work until 2005. The MPs were behind concrete barriers and getting on the base was awful and time consuming.

I don't think I will ever forget that day. I just never expected that it could happen here in this great country but we had our eyes closed. Unfortunately, I believe after six years, our eyes and ears are once again closed.

God help us all.