Other than 9-11 what event in history do you most remember?

SCPO David Lockwood — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 09:03:11 -0400

I have two, Landing on the moon and the Challenger disaster. I was in at home watching it with my mom. I was in the Philippines when the Challenger disaster occurred.

Response by PO1 John Miller made Oct 8 at 2015 9:04 AM

PO1 John Miller — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 09:04:45 -0400

Challenger and Reagan being shot.

Response by SGT Ben Keen made Oct 8 at 2015 9:05 AM

SGT Ben Keen — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 09:05:27 -0400

I think it really depends on when you were born. For some people, they may not have known about the Challenger disaster or things like that. The attacks on 9/11 was really the modern day version of when JFK was killed. Prior to 9/11, most people referred to that day in Texas as the day they will never forget. I hope we don't have another day like that any time soon.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 8 at 2015 9:19 AM

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 09:19:53 -0400

SCPO David Lockwood, as I’ve stated on another thread. I remember the “Iran Hostage Crisis” and the “Beirut Bombing” I also remember the “Challenger Explosion” and the “Oklahoma City Bombing” as well. I missed the "Moon Landing", I was just a thought then.

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Oct 8 at 2015 9:24 AM

LTC Stephen F. — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 09:24:22 -0400

The assassination of JFK SCPO David Lockwood . I was in 2nd grade and didn't fully understand it; but, I saw upset the teacher and grownups were as were being sent home early.
The Iranian Hostage crisis, the sad news that Desert One Delta mission to extract the hostages from Iran] was aborted, the dismantling of the Berlin Wall all impacted me from afar.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 8 at 2015 9:27 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 09:27:26 -0400

The Berlin Wall coming down. My German-born mother cried all day, she was so happy.
The implications of that event were hard to grasp then, but it became clear in the ensuing months that the Iron Curtain was collapsing.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 8 at 2015 9:31 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 09:31:26 -0400

I remember the first nights of Desert Storm like there were yesterday. I kept a log those two night, even though I was only 15 at the time.

Response by SSG Carlos Madden made Oct 8 at 2015 9:43 AM

SSG Carlos Madden — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 09:43:25 -0400

Being a senior in high school and waiting for Shock and Awe to begin. Also a week or so later being the first one awake after a house party the night before and going upstairs and watching the invasion unfold on live TV.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Oct 8 at 2015 10:18 AM

CAPT Kevin B. — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 10:18:31 -0400

The Columbia. Lost a friend; Dave Brown.

Response by CSM Charles Hayden made Oct 8 at 2015 10:37 AM

CSM Charles Hayden — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 10:37:39 -0400

Pearl Harbor, 7DEC1941 and President Roosevelt announcing the attack on the radio.

Response by Capt Mark Strobl made Oct 8 at 2015 10:48 AM

Capt Mark Strobl — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 10:48:31 -0400

Called my grandfather on the evening of 9 November 1989. Through the tears I could understand: "Unsere Familie wird man wieder sein!" Yes Opa, our family will be one again.

Response by PO3 Steven Sherrill made Oct 8 at 2015 10:51 AM

PO3 Steven Sherrill — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 10:51:30 -0400

SCPO David Lockwood for me Challenger is number one. I had woken up really early in the morning to watch the launch with my dad. We were watching the launch, then we were not sure what we were watching, then it became clear watching a tragedy. I used to always get up with my dad and watch the launches. The Second is Columbia. I had just moved to Florida, my wife and our youngest daughter were listening to news coverage of the landing, and then they said it was gone. I remember telling my wife that they lost communication for a time during the re-entry. She said to me immediately that it was not that.

Response by SFC William Swartz Jr made Oct 8 at 2015 11:25 AM

SFC William Swartz Jr — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 11:25:52 -0400

Not in any particular order.....Munich Olympics tragedy; Iran Hostage Situation; Challenger Disaster; Fall of Berlin Wall; Tiananmen Square; Fall of Saigon. Too many more to list.....

Response by LCpl Mark Lefler made Oct 8 at 2015 11:35 AM

LCpl Mark Lefler — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 11:35:28 -0400

challenger disaster.

Response by Sgt Spencer Sikder made Oct 8 at 2015 11:53 AM

Sgt Spencer Sikder — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 11:53:46 -0400

The Iranian hostage crisis. Was on ship awaiting redirection to support the rescue operation.

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 8 at 2015 12:15 PM

CW2 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 12:15:38 -0400

uss cole bombing

Response by 1SG Steven Stankovich made Oct 8 at 2015 12:21 PM

1SG Steven Stankovich — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 12:21:12 -0400

Great question SCPO David Lockwood. I have two...

1. The Challenger Disaster. I was home from school sick and watched the launch and explosion on television. I remember calling my mom at work to tell her what happened. She yelled at me on the phone for "making up such a horrific story." A few moments she called me back...

2. The capture of Saddam Hussein. I was home on leave and I remember walking down my stairs into the kitchen when the phone rang. I picked it up and it was my brother, calling from Iraq on a sat phone, the first words out he spoke were "Dude, we got him." It wasn't his unit, but the news spread like wild fire in theater and I heard it from him before I saw it on the news.

Response by PO2 David L. Parker made Oct 8 at 2015 12:23 PM

PO2 David L. Parker — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 12:23:34 -0400

My divorce! Thank God! All joking aside but I'm not I think...LOL. The moon landing, my first solar eclipse when I was 12, the Challenger loss of precious lives.

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Oct 8 at 2015 12:42 PM

SFC Mark Merino — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 12:42:12 -0400

Great question SCPO David Lockwood. I know it is selfish compared to 9/11, but the first time I held my children made me so happy that I felt my heart would burst. I never felt such joy. Iraq had too many to remember, mostly bad (deaths), but some were good. I remember meeting soldiers from past units I haven't seen in a long time. I was unable to be with my grandma when she passed at 100. I talked with her on the phone and she told me goodbye. That will stay with me until we meet again.

Response by PO1 Carol Fulton made Oct 8 at 2015 12:45 PM

PO1 Carol Fulton — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 12:45:35 -0400

I was stationed in Orlando when the Challenger disintegrated. A sad day for USA.

Response by SN Greg Wright made Oct 8 at 2015 12:50 PM

SN Greg Wright — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 12:50:12 -0400

SCPO David Lockwood The Challenger disaster. I was in Government class in HS when it happened. A lot of tears in that room that day. Pretty impressionable on a young mind.

Response by COL Jon Thompson made Oct 8 at 2015 1:35 PM

COL Jon Thompson — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 13:35:20 -0400

First is the landing on the moon as I was up in Wisconsin on a family reunion that summer. Second was the start of Operation Just Cause. I was in a hotel room in Elizabethtown, KY headed home on Christmas leave from IOAC. I knew right away that my old unit from Fort Ord had deployed. A few months later, I remember when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait as I had just arrived at my duty station in Schweinfurt, Germany and knew that units from Germany would be deployed if he did not get out. However, most important for me was one week before Desert Storm actually kicked off. I received a call from my mother telling me that my son, David was born at Fort Benning.

Response by Sgt Tom Cunnally made Oct 8 at 2015 2:16 PM

Sgt Tom Cunnally — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 14:16:38 -0400

December 7 1941 Pearl Harbor.....Feb 10 1945 Landing on Iwo Jima April 10 1945 Landing on Okinawa. August 20 1950 Marines 1st Brigade Lands in Korea. July 27 1953 End of Korean War.
02 January 1962 1st Marine Unit lands in Pleiku Vietnam... November 26 1963 Kennedy Assassinated in Dallas Texas Landing on the Moon July 10 1969. US Embassy Captives released from Tehran January 15 1981. Challenger Tragedy January 5 1986

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 8 at 2015 3:14 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 15:14:36 -0400

OBL getting his, Arab Spring, Columbia disaster, Katrina... hey I am young, gimme a break

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 8 at 2015 3:18 PM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 15:18:42 -0400

The events that I remember most are the assassination of JFK, when I heard that Neil Armstrong had walked on the Moon, and the loss of Space Shuttles Columbia and Challenger.

Response by SGM Steve Wettstein made Oct 8 at 2015 3:26 PM

SGM Steve Wettstein — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 15:26:35 -0400

SCPO David Lockwood Mine would have to be when the Challenger went down. I was a sophomore and at home because I was sick. I watched it live on TV.

Response by SGT Jeremiah B. made Oct 8 at 2015 3:32 PM

SGT Jeremiah B. — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 15:32:44 -0400

The Challenger disaster. I still remember that day like it was yesterday.

Response by SN Greg Wright made Oct 8 at 2015 4:17 PM

SN Greg Wright — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 16:17:15 -0400

SCPO David Lockwood Oh, another one for me was when Mt. Saint Helen's blew. I was 10 at the time, and we lived in Hillsboro, OR, roughly 90 miles away. Plenty close enough to see the mushroom cloud. Which, to my young mind that'd actually done duck-and-cover drills in 1st grade in preparation for a nuclear attack (like that'd do any good, right?), combined with the state of the cold war at the time...I immediately interpreted as a nuclear strike. I ran inside the house shouting to my mom that we'd just been nuked. She rolled her eyes, and turned on the tv where we learned the truth.

I could get into the 3 feet (literally) of ash that we got...but that's beyond the scope of your thread lol.

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 8 at 2015 7:49 PM

Capt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 19:49:25 -0400

For me there are two. 1. JFK's assassination and the Cuban missile crises.

Response by CSM Charles Hayden made Oct 8 at 2015 8:18 PM

CSM Charles Hayden — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 20:18:33 -0400

The military's dismay when the mission to rescue the hostages held in Iran became a disaster!

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 8 at 2015 8:28 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 20:28:20 -0400

I have foggy memories about the fall of the Soviet Union. The events that stand out in my memory are the news that the Gulf War had begun, Mogadishu, the Branch Davidian deaths at Waco, the Randy Weaver debacle, and the Oklahoma City bombing, the airman who was shot down over Bosnia, and the end of apartheid in SA.

Response by SrA Matthew Knight made Oct 9 at 2015 2:35 AM

SrA Matthew Knight — Fri, 09 Oct 2015 02:35:05 -0400

The most memorable for me other than 9/11 would have to be Bin Laden's death. It has been the only other one to stick with me so much that I remember the details and announcement. I was sitting in my bedroom in the basement of my house and saw the news site headlines were reading "Breaking News: President to make major announcement in minutes" and shortly before he actually came on they said it was regarding Bin Laden. Went upstairs to my parents who were watching a random TV show and didn't know and excitedly told them that he had been killed. So far it's been one of the very few moments that I was actually happy to be hearing President Obama talking.

Response by PO3 Sherry Thornburg made Oct 11 at 2015 1:50 AM

PO3 Sherry Thornburg — Sun, 11 Oct 2015 01:50:35 -0400

Moon landing would have been my first biggie. My dad was a photo mate at the time and his lab developed the footage brought back from that first trip.

Response by SPC Christopher Perrien made Oct 12 at 2015 5:51 PM

SPC Christopher Perrien — Mon, 12 Oct 2015 17:51:28 -0400

People talk of Friday the 13th being bad luck. Saturday May 14th, 1983. I lost my girlfriend , had a pitcher of beer spilled in my lap, which I bought, and made me miss a pizza , which I bought too. Later that same knight , twisted my knee playing Ultimate Hand Ball. (a version of tennis with no rackets) . Bad day.

Real stuff, I remember something being said of Hurricane Camille, I was 3.

And 9 Nov 1989, when the wall came down. The day "WE" won the Cold War. I was in Germany on terminal leave at the time. I got a piece. :)

Response by MCPO Roger Collins made Oct 13 at 2015 2:46 PM

MCPO Roger Collins — Tue, 13 Oct 2015 14:46:10 -0400

I was in Hawaii when it became a state, never saw hide nor hair of Obama. I know, I know, that was before he was born. (or was it?)

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Oct 13 at 2015 4:20 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Tue, 13 Oct 2015 16:20:12 -0400

I was in the Philippines during the Challenger disaster as well. This is what I remember: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THriGHdYEJs

Response by SGT Lou Meza made Oct 15 at 2015 10:00 PM

SGT Lou Meza — Thu, 15 Oct 2015 22:00:32 -0400

John F Kennedy assassination !

Response by TSgt Kenneth Ellis made Oct 15 at 2015 10:17 PM

TSgt Kenneth Ellis — Thu, 15 Oct 2015 22:17:18 -0400

JFK assassination, MLK, Apollo 1 fire. Moon landing, challenger disaster and Marcos going into exile.

Response by TSgt Kenneth Ellis made Oct 15 at 2015 10:36 PM

TSgt Kenneth Ellis — Thu, 15 Oct 2015 22:36:33 -0400

"We didn't start the fire".

Response by SN Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 16 at 2015 10:52 AM

SN Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 16 Oct 2015 10:52:52 -0400

Getting to shake hands with and salute General Doolittle when he dedicated the rolling Vietnam memorial in Monterey, California. I was selected to be the bugler for the ceremony that day. Getting to watch the Saturn IB Launch on tv in 1973 when I was a kid. That was the launch that carried the last skylab crew for the last skylab mission.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 16 at 2015 11:12 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 16 Oct 2015 11:12:41 -0400

I remember when U.S.S. Cole was struck in Aden, Yemen. - that was the first time in my young Naval career that I realize the enemy can strike you at any time, any where.

Response by PO1 Matthew Maxon made Oct 22 at 2015 2:50 PM

PO1 Matthew Maxon — Thu, 22 Oct 2015 14:50:55 -0400

Challenger. I was home sick and was watching it on tv while curled up on the couch.

Elvis dying. I was at my Great Aunt's house playing a board game with some cousins when the news was shown.

Response by PO2 Peter Klein made Oct 29 at 2015 10:52 PM

PO2 Peter Klein — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 22:52:51 -0400

Queen Elizabeth II's coronation, President Kennedy's murder, Cuban Missile Crises, Kent State murders, Bush's Iraq fiasco and the Obama election.

Response by CWO3 Randy Weston made Oct 30 at 2015 12:25 AM

CWO3 Randy Weston — Fri, 30 Oct 2015 00:25:48 -0400

Other than the birth of my kids, it was the day President Reagan was inaugurated. I was a month from transferring from my fist boat heading to precom the second Trident. I knew this President would change the military. I didn't know how, but I knew he would. He then changed it from the post Vietnam era, that saw a significant loss of military decorum and professionalism to a military that was once again honored and a significant part of our society. No more "Sailors and dogs - keep off the grass" signs. It was the turning point in my career from a "FTN" sailor to a career minded professional sailor.
The second was the tearing down of the Berlin wall and the fall of the Soviet Union. I had spent the previous 14 years engaged in combat with the Soviets in one way or another. Either by actually spying on them or supporting those that did.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 12 at 2016 3:38 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 12 Jan 2016 15:38:38 -0500

I remember the Challenger disaster. I was six years old and remember watching it live on TV.

Response by MCPO Roger Collins made Jan 12 at 2016 4:17 PM

MCPO Roger Collins — Tue, 12 Jan 2016 16:17:43 -0500

JFK assassination and the attack on PHTH,

Response by SPC Jennifer Clark made Feb 6 at 2018 2:57 PM

SPC Jennifer Clark — Tue, 06 Feb 2018 14:57:43 -0500

Oklahoma City bombing. I was ten. It was during Easter break from school, and I remember looking on the TV and seeing people running away from a building. I also saw people carrying kids who had cuts/gashes on their heads. That bothered me, since I’ve always loved children.

I also remember the Columbia disaster. I was eighteen. I remember being at a Wal-Mart, seeing coverage of it on a demo TV, and then hearing on one of the demo radios “Hold On My Heart” by Genesis. I now associate that song with that event.

Response by SPC Jennifer Clark made Feb 6 at 2018 3:25 PM

SPC Jennifer Clark — Tue, 06 Feb 2018 15:25:51 -0500

Saddam’s statue coming down is another one. I was at home from work (I was either off or not working until that evening) when my sister yelled at me to wake up and look at the TV. It was turned to MSNBC (didn’t have Fox News), and it showed an Army tank in Baghdad getting ready to tear down the statue.

Response by SPC David Willis made Feb 6 at 2018 3:57 PM

SPC David Willis — Tue, 06 Feb 2018 15:57:07 -0500

Other than 9/11? Id say either the DC sniper or the statue of Sadam falling. I remember watching it on TV as the Americans and Iraqi civilians ripped it down and beat it and I think that's when I knew Id enlist. Also OJ's low speed chase.

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 12 at 2018 2:21 PM

LCDR Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 12 Feb 2018 14:21:24 -0500

Discovery being the first shuttle back into space after challenger, Persian Gulf War, vaguely the Berlin Wall coming down, Clinton’s impeachment, Kosovo, Olympic in Atlanta (I lived in GA) including the bombing, Oklahoma City, Katrina, Columbia disaster, oh....93(?) LA earthquake

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 12 at 2018 3:01 PM

Capt Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 12 Feb 2018 15:01:35 -0500

JFK's assignation. But, I always remember the wrong date because I was in Japan and when it happened in Dallas it was already the next day in Japan.

Response by SGT William Benson made Feb 12 at 2018 3:04 PM

SGT William Benson — Mon, 12 Feb 2018 15:04:10 -0500

I was 10 years old and a dependent at Subic Bay when Saigon fell in April of 1975. Dad worked on recovering the refugee ships, and Mom worked with the Red Cross at the Grande Island Refugee Processing Center. Scary times.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 12 at 2018 3:10 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 12 Feb 2018 15:10:13 -0500

SCPO David Lockwood Philadelphia Eagles winning Super Bowl LII (I was home watching it with my wife and my pets and my friend), Challenger (was home as I was 4 years old and the phone rang and the tv went on), Columbia (was in college and heard it on the news), and start of Iraq War (OIF) (was in college and went to class came home to watch the countdown on tv to see nothing and then go to class and come back and see it kicked off).

Response by SFC Dennis A. made Feb 12 at 2018 3:28 PM

SFC Dennis A. — Mon, 12 Feb 2018 15:28:39 -0500

The Challenger, Chernobyl disaster, the Berlin Wall coming down, landing on the moon Cuban missile crisis, Watergate, 1st Gulf war and closer to home the 1st recorded F-5 tornado to hit in Minnesota. I know there are a lot more out there but these are the ones that popped into my head.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 12 at 2018 6:24 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 12 Feb 2018 18:24:41 -0500

JFK’s Inaugural address, Jan. 20, 1961
And so, my fellow Americans, "Ask not what your country can do for you, Ask what you can do for your country."
Funny I was only 8 years old and still remember what JFK said, not everything else but just that. By the way, it was on a black and white TV, but now you can watch it on your cell, and still in black and white. Salute!