Where were you - 28 Years Ago

bayonetbrant · January 28, 2014, 07:40:12 AM

I was at a friend's apartment in Heidelberg, Germany, munching on Burger King with my dad and a friend, on our way to a Mötley Crüe concert that evening, when their son (my brother's former classmate) came into the living room and told us that the Space Shuttle Challenger just exploded on takeoff.

BanzaiCat · January 28, 2014, 07:45:12 AM

I was in San Antonio, Texas, in my junior year of high school, in World History class, when a teacher came in to our room to tell the other teacher that "there was an explosion on the Challenger." He made it sound as if there was some kind of minor accident on it and that everything was okay. I didn't see the actual coverage until I got to my last period class, ROTC, where they had a TV hooked up. I don't get to this day why that teacher said it quite that way.

GDS_Starfury · January 28, 2014, 07:55:14 AM

I was sitting in science class watching the launch on tv.

Gusington · January 28, 2014, 08:37:36 AM

I was in 6th grade English class when the yenta mom came storming in screaming that the space shuttle had just exploded. The Wife was watching it on live tv.

spelk · January 28, 2014, 08:46:09 AM

At Uni, sinking beers, and staring incredulously at the fact that the Shuttle had let us down.

Barthheart · January 28, 2014, 08:49:35 AM

In a university history class when some joker came in and said the shuttle blew up.... only he wasn't a joker.... :-\

eyebiter · January 28, 2014, 09:07:49 AM

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Steelgrave · January 28, 2014, 11:25:19 AM

Walking into work in San Antonio, nearly late so it was one of the very rare times I hadn't turned on news yet. My first employee arriving after I opened up was tearful and asked me if I had heard the Challenger exploded. If she hadn't been so upset I would have thought she was pulling my leg.

mirth · January 28, 2014, 11:37:37 AM

High school freshman. Think I was in a study hall. We may have been watching the launch live because it was a pretty big deal that Christa McAuliffe was on board.

Staggerwing · January 28, 2014, 12:40:04 PM

I was working in the hospital ER that day, transporting a patient from the ER to his or her semi-private room for admission. We wheeled in the stretcher just as the patient in the other bed was watching the launch on the big tv on the wall.

Centurion40 · January 28, 2014, 01:14:54 PM

On my way into the Acadia University Political Science Dept.'s Student Assistants office when another student assistant told me the news. The dude had a poster of a shuttle blasting off in his cubicle, which made the day all the more poignant.

Martok · January 28, 2014, 04:41:32 PM

I was in third-grade art class when they announced the explosion over the PA system.

OJsDad · January 28, 2014, 04:58:01 PM

I was a junior in HS. Not sure what class I was in as they didn't announce it over the PA. Just heard it being talked about in the hall.

twitter3 · January 28, 2014, 05:20:09 PM

Freshmen in high school history class. We were studying the Civil War. A teacher came in and gave us the news. We went to the library and watched the tv coverage.

steve58 · January 28, 2014, 05:35:56 PM

I was home from work, sick in bed with something or other. A very sad day for the US space program and the families of those involved. May they rest in peace.

As we live somewhat close to the DC area, we've been able to go to Arlington National Cemetery and was able to visit the Shuttle Challenger Memorial.

http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/challengr.htm