This is the boarding pass my husband used when he flew out of Baltimore Washington Airport on the morning of September 11, 2001. His flight took off around the same time as the hijacked planes. He was on active duty in the Air Force, returning home from a four-month overseas tour.
We had spoken the night before. His flight into the U.S. had been delayed, and he and his fellow service members missed their connecting flight on Monday night. During our call, he gave me his Tuesday morning departure time and flight details.
As I was getting ready for work the next day, I heard on the news that a plane had hit the World Trade Center. Shortly after, they reported a second plane had struck the other tower. The newscasters mentioned the planes had departed from East Coast airports, but they didn’t specify which airlines.
It felt like an eternity before the airlines were finally identified. Though my husband’s flight safely reached its destination in Minneapolis, so many others were left wondering about loved ones who never made it home.
While other planes were grounded or redirected, his flight continued. The crew didn’t inform the passengers of what was happening on the ground. When they landed, the passengers were told there had been a disaster, and all flights were canceled. He called me to update me, and I was flooded with relief to hear his voice. He didn’t understand the reason for my emotional response, as the airport terminal’s TVs were off. After our call, the monitors came back on, and he began seeing the news reports of the tragedy.
I’ve preserved this boarding pass in a scrapbook and had it digitized. Every time I see it, the emotions and memories of that day come rushing back.
Interestingly, my story focuses on the waiting—waiting for the airlines to be identified and waiting to see where his plane would land. His story, however, begins once he arrives in Minneapolis and begins figuring out how to get home with his fellow service members.
Comments