Where were you on 9/11?

We were conducting routine flight operations off the balmy coast of Southern California -- in the distance the coastal mountain range of Santa Ana where the blistery, dry winds blew from the deep canyons -- when our lives were instantly shattered and forever changed.

On that gray September day, I woke up like any other, switched on the remote to see whether my Braves still remained on top of the Major Leagues and whether the Chargers would start Drew Brees or Doug Flutie as quarterback during the regular season.

Strange, I thought, as I started my morning ritual of shaving, brushing and dressing.  One of the twin towers was hit by an errant airplane.  What kind of idiot would do that?

In the wardroom, I polished up my continental breakfast while participating in the obligatory morning gossip with friends.

"What's up PAO?"  The yellow-shirted flight deck officer chuckled as we bumped knuckles.

"Not a thing, Shooter.  Hoping for a slow day and a nice weekend in port. Got lots of tours, but also time with my little one. How are your catapults?"

"Well, we're flying aren't we? We got lots of steam enough to send a MAC truck flying 100 miles."

"Super, save some steam for my DVs.  So, I hear the Chargers are finalizing on a starting quarterback. Do you think Brees will fly or go down the Ryan Leaf road?"

[DVs or Distinguished Vistiors is the Navy program to expose community members to the role of the aircraft carrier.  The DVs are flown aboard the plane and spend a night on board before taking off again the next day]

"Nah, Brees is quality stuff man. Still can't get over the Bolts picking Leaf over Hasselbeck. I've got a lot of hope pegged on this year, though."

"Aha, gotta run. Got a big tour to plan this weekend -- Navy Leaguers and VFW."

A small cadre of junior officers from both the ship's company and air wing created a weekly "fantasy football wing" aboard the carrier.  It took a lot work sometimes following the performance of each player, but it built camaraderie, and these were the same officers that I worked with regularly when hosting distinguished visitors for a 24 hour visit to watch carrier flight operations out at sea.

I grabbed a mug of java then made my leisurely stroll across the hangar bay to my office on the second level of the ship's island to start the day's work of planning media visits and shipboard tours.  As the newest aircraft carrier in the west coast, we had a plethora of inport tour requests from veterans groups to students, some requesting for specific things to see.  But every tour, no matter what the scope or size stopped in the Stennis Room to honor the living legacy of one of the greatest senators of all time: Senator Stennis, the Statesman who served in the US Senate for 41 years until 1989 and coined the ship's mantra: "Look Ahead."

By this time, I had almost forgotten all about the World Trade Center.  When I arrived at the office, my entire division of three journalists and a Senior Chief Petty Officer were already there, but instead of reading email or editing the ship's paper, their eyes were glued to the TV. The second tower was now ablaze and the sky all around southern Manhattan was filled with a huge plume of smoke.