9/11: A Day Of Remembrance
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On September 11, 2026, the United States will mark the 25th anniversary of one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in its history. A total of 2,977 innocent people lost their lives that day. They included passengers and crew members, office workers, firefighters, police officers, and other emergency workers.
What happened on September 11, 2001?
On the morning of September 11, 2001, 19 terrorists from al-Qaeda, an Islamic extremist group, hijacked four commercial airplanes. American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175 had taken off from Boston. American Airlines Flight 77 left from Washington, DC, and United Airlines Flight 93 had departed from Newark, New Jersey. The planes were all headed across the country to California. The terrorists had chosen long-distance flights because the planes would be carrying large amounts of fuel.
The attacks
While the passengers on the hijacked flights knew something was wrong, people on the ground remained unaware that anything was amiss. That changed at 8:46 am, when American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the 110-story North Tower of the World Trade Center (WTC) in New York City. At first, it was thought the crash might have been caused by a pilot error. That changed 17 minutes later, at 9:03 am, when United Airlines Flight 175 struck the South tower of the WTC.
Before anyone could process what was going on, American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, at 9:37 am. Soon after, at 10:03 am, United Flight 93 crashed into an empty field in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. By then it was clear that the US had experienced a series of well-planned terrorist attacks.
The aftermath
The plane crashes caused enormous damage to both WTC towers, and fires burned inside the buildings. At 9:59 am, the South Tower collapsed. Less than 30 minutes later, at 10:28 am, the North Tower collapsed. Thousands of people had been evacuated, but many more — including firefighters, police officers, and other emergency workers— were still inside. In all, 2,753 people were killed at the WTC. The collapses destroyed much of the World Trade Center complex and left a huge pile of rubble in lower Manhattan.
The Pentagon withstood the aircraft's impact. However, the crash killed 184 people. The overall death toll would have been even higher if not for the heroic actions of the of the 40 passengers and crew members aboard United Flight 93. They fought the hijackers and forced the plane to crash in Pennsylvania. They all died, but their actions prevented the plane from reaching its intended target. The plane is believed to have been headed for the US Capitol in Washington, DC.
What has happened since?
"Ground Zero," as it is now called, has been transformed into a place of remembrance and resilience. Four new towers now rise from the site, with the tallest being the One World Trade Center. Also known as the Freedom Tower, it stands 1,776 feet (541 m) tall. Its height is a symbolic reference to the year of American independence.
The National September 11 Memorial & Museum also stands at the site. Two large reflecting pools occupy the areas where the Twin Towers once stood. The names of those killed in the attacks are inscribed around the pools.
The Pentagon has a memorial with 184 illuminated stainless steel benches. They honor the 125 government employees and 59 passengers and crew members who died in the Flight 77 crash. In Pennsylvania, the Flight 93 National Memorial honors the 40 passengers and crew members who fought back against the hijackers. The site includes the Tower of Voices, a 93-foot (28-meter) structure containing 40 wind chimes. It also has exhibits featuring recorded messages from passengers and crew members made before the crash.
Global War on Terror
The September 11 attacks led to the US-led Global War on Terror. The first and longest part of this effort was the war in Afghanistan. It began on October 7, 2001, and ended almost 20 years later on August 31, 2021. Thousands of US soldiers died, and the war cost the country trillions of dollars.
Patriot Day
September 11, 2001, was a devastating day in US history. But it has also made Americans more resilient and determined to live without fear. This September 11, or Patriot Day, take a moment to honor the thousands of innocent lives lost.
Resources: Wikipedia.org, 911memorial.org, history.navy.mil
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76 Comments
tiffany_slay1 dayits sad my uncle worked on 80'th floor but got out safe he was in the 2'nd tower he a police now
fomafuhygyle2 daysits sad to talk about but important to remeber who and what happens that day rip
pumkin423 daysRIP, let us all take a moment of quiet in our homes.
selapysypuko3 daysso sad that people had to go through this RIP- bytowenonelo3 daysmy friends grandpa died to the attack
cocohawaii2 daysI’m really sorry.
lafecebaviva2 daysI'm so sorry I'm praying for you
mjdjdance3 daysits really sad, RIP everybody who had to go through this.
remusodavazu3 daysthis is so sad
cyrust22_tiktok4 daysRIP! this is so sad! xoxo this is so sick! why would people do such thing
zepanijabihu4 daysRest in peace
caden_noh5 daysI want none of this attacks in korea
