★ In this story 03
Twenty-five years ago today, on September 11, 2001, 2,977 people were killed in what remains the deadliest terrorist attack in American history. Whether you witnessed the smoke pouring from the towers firsthand, watched the devastation unfold on television, or learned about the attacks years later in a classroom, the American people have been forever changed by the brutal strikes on September 11.
The Morning of September 11
Just before 6 a.m. on the day of the deadly attacks, two hijackers, Mohamed Atta and Abdul Aziz al-Omari, flew from Portland International Airport in Maine to Boston Logan International Airport, where they eventually boarded American Airlines Flight 11. At 7:59 a.m., the flight departed for Los Angeles with 76 passengers, 11 staff members, and five hijackers on board.
At 8:14 a.m., United Airlines Flight 175 also took off from Boston with 51 passengers, nine crew members, and five hijackers on board. Minutes later, Flight 11 crew member Betty Ann Ong told ground personnel that the plane had been hijacked.
At 8:20 a.m., American Airlines Flight 77 departed from Dulles Airport in Virginia with dozens of passengers and crew members – as well as another five hijackers – on board. Around the same time, Flight 11 hijacker Mohamed Atta accidentally broadcast a message about the hijacking to air traffic controllers, prompting the US Air Force’s Northeast Air Defense Sector to be alerted and Air National Guard forces to mobilize. Meanwhile, United Airlines Flight 93 departed Newark, NJ, carrying 33 passengers, seven crew members, and four hijackers.
Just over two-and-a-half hours after the terrorists’ mission began, at 8:46 a.m., Flight 11 was flown into the side of the World Trade Center’s North Tower, killing every passenger on board and trapping World Trade Center employees above the impact zone.
At first, many Americans believed the crash was a tragic accident. But 17 minutes later, when United Airlines Flight 175 slammed into the World Trade Center’s South Tower, the horrifying truth became clear: America was under attack.
Reality Sets In
President George W. Bush was visiting an elementary school in Florida when his chief of staff, Andrew Card, quietly told him: “A second plane hit the second tower … America is under attack.”
“I made the decision not to jump up immediately and leave the classroom,” Bush said, according to the University of Virginia’s Miller Center. “I didn’t want to rattle the kids. I wanted to project a sense of calm … I had been in enough crises to know that the first thing a leader has to do is to project calm.”
Around 30 minutes later, a third plane — Flight 77 — crashed into the Pentagon, killing everyone on board. One hundred and twenty-five civilian and military workers in the Pentagon were also killed in the attack.
At 9:45 a.m., all civilian aircraft in flight were directed to land immediately as US airspace was completely shut down. Over the next 15 minutes, the passengers of Flight 93 decided to fight back against the terrorists who had taken over the cockpit, and the South Tower collapsed.
The heroic passengers aboard Flight 93 successfully stopped the hijackers, who slammed the plane down into a Pennsylvania field. Experts believe the plane was either headed for the US Capitol or the White House.
At 10:28 a.m., the World Trade Center’s North Tower collapsed. The terrorist attacks were finally over, but the rescue mission for those trapped beneath the rubble and America’s response had only just begun.
Never Forget
The phrase most often associated with September 11 is “Never Forget.” But what does “Never Forget” really refer to? Of course, there’s the obvious: Never forget the innocent civilians and first responders who were killed. Never forget the men and women who worked at Ground Zero. Never forget how quickly our lives changed.
But one of the most important details that we must never forget about September 11, 2001, is who we became during the attacks. In a blink, we were no longer black and white, rich and poor, Republican and Democrat. We weren’t Christian and Jew, CEO and beggar, soldier and civilian. We were Americans. We came together chanting “USA” and raised Old Glory high. The American people, in the face of utter devastation, were filled with courage, charity, hope, love, and pride. This part must never be forgotten. Never forget the thousands who were killed. Never forget the sacrifice of those who helped pick up the pieces. Never forget who we are as Americans.
4 Questions
The story, in brief
How many people were killed in the September 11, 2001 attacks?
A total of 2,977 people were killed in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. It remains the deadliest terrorist attack in American history, and the strikes forever changed the American people.
Which planes hit the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11?
American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the World Trade Center's North Tower at 8:46 a.m. United Airlines Flight 175 hit the South Tower 17 minutes later. About 30 minutes after President George W. Bush was told America was under attack, American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon.
How did President George W. Bush respond during the September 11 attacks?
President George W. Bush was visiting an elementary school in Florida when his chief of staff told him that a second plane had hit the second tower and America was under attack. Bush decided not to immediately leave the classroom because he did not want to rattle the children and wanted to project calm during the crisis.
Why does Never Forget matter in remembering September 11, 2001?
Never Forget means remembering the innocent civilians and first responders who were killed, the men and women who worked at Ground Zero, and how quickly life changed. It also means remembering how Americans came together during the attacks, united by courage, charity, hope, love, and pride.
