You remember where you were. It was 8:46 am, I was at my computer, saw a breaking news report, and went to my TV in time to witness the attack on the South Tower 17 minutes later.
Twenty-five years later, it’s both history and family history.
200 or so aircraft, many of which were of U.S. registry, were heading for the continental U.S. All were diverted to alternate airports in Eastern Canada. Simultaneously, over the North Pacific, commercial carriers en route from Asia to North America were being diverted to airports in Western Canada, primarily Vancouver. In total 239 diverted aircraft from overseas as well as those destined for the U.S. and Canada landed safely in Canada without incident. Of these, 38 went to Gander, 1 to Deer Lake, 21 to St. John’s, 8 to Stephenville, 7 to Goose Bay, 47 to Halifax, 10 to Moncton, 10 to Mirabel, 7 to Dorval, 14 to Toronto, 4 to Hamilton, 15 to Winnipeg, 6 to Edmonton, 13 to Calgary, 1 to Yellowknife, 3 to Whitehorse and 34 to Vancouver.
https://knightsinfo.ca/cdnwtc.html
Accommodating more than 33,000 passengers and aircrew was a huge challenge for Canadian communities, particularly for smaller ones like Gander, which welcomed a large number of passengers and accommodated them in their homes and public facilities.
By 16 September all diverted planes had departed with their passengers, and their memories, back to their intended destinations.
If a family member was one of the passengers and crew, it would be a significant part of their life story.
Unlike the roll of Canadians who died on that day, there is no consolidated list of those diverted to Canada. How can you find out about their experience?
As always, start with what you know and information held within the family. If the person is living, it would be a good opportunity to record their recollections. Ask: What was the flight number? Where were you going?,Where did you stay? Do you remember the name of your host family? Did you keep in touch with anyone? Did you ever return?
For background, the 2014 government publication A Diary Between Friends includes an overview of the experiences of diverted passengers and Canada’s response overall. Sadly, the friendship of those days is now all too strained.
Search newspapers, not just Canadian but also hometown papers. They may be among the most useful for reconstructing an individual’s experience.
Twenty-five years later, it’s time to ensure their experience is incorporated into your family history. What about your own recollections?
A day I’ll never forget. I had no recollection of planes being diverted and thank you for the post, John.