9/11 is a day that will always be remembered and close to my heart.

I was a Marine stationed on Camp Lejeune at the time, was out in our maintenance bay working on a Howitzer at the time, another Marine came out and told me I needed to come into the shop, that a plane had hit the WTC...I got upset at him for wasting my time when I had this gun to fix(I thought he was playing a joke), he insisted I come back to the shop...I did, I walked in saw my whole platoon in groups around several different radios in the shop, all on the same station.

At that time was when the Pentagon got hit, and we were all jaw dropped, angry, sad, and just in a state of shock. We were all held at work until about 9 or 10 that night, I didn't see anything on tv until I made it home, then the next morning we came in with all of our gear, being told be ready to go...

I have since served as a firefighter and now am a paramedic...I feel a close bond with all those who serve the public and remember the 343 daily.

Hopefully we will never have to suffer such a tragedy as a nation again.