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It was 24 years ago today that the face of the United States was forever changed. Those old enough who experienced the day will remember where they were and what they were doing the moment they learned America had been attacked at home.
Sept. 11, 2001, became the deadliest attack on U.S. soil when 19 members of the Islamist extremist network, al-Qaeda, carried out suicide missions, hijacking and crashing four commercial flights and intentionally crashing three of the planes into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, while the fourth flight crashed in a field in Pennsylvania.
“Today, our nation saw evil - the very worst of human nature - and we responded with the best of America. With the daring of our rescue workers, with the caring for strangers and neighbors who came to give blood and help in any way they could,” President George W. Bush said of the state of the U.S. after the attacks.
At 7:59 a.m. American Airlines Flight 11 departed Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts, 14 minutes late. The flight was carrying 76 passengers, 11 crew members and five terrorists who would hijack the plane.
Also 14 minutes late, at 8:14 a.m., United Airlines Flight 175, carrying 56 passengers, nine crew members and five hijackers departed Logan International Airport. At the same time, Flight 11 was hijacked while over central Massachusetts.
American Airlines Flight 77, running 10 minutes late, at 8:20 a.m., departed Washington Dulles International Airport. The flight was carrying 58 passengers, six crew members and five hijackers.
Running 42 minutes late, 37 passengers, seven crew members and four hijackers, departed Newark International Airport (now Newark Liberty International Airport) at 8:42 a.m., aboard United Airlines Flight 93.
As Flight 93 left Newark, Flight 175 was hijacked above northwest New Jersey.
The first plane, Flight 11, at 8:46:40 a.m. struck the north face of the North Tower of the World Trade Center between floors 93 and 99, killing all passengers instantly as the aircraft entered the tower on impact.
Above southern Ohio at approximately 8:50 a.m. Flight 77 was taken over by hijackers.
The South Tower of the World Trade Center was hit by Flight 175 at 9:03 a.m. The plane crashed into the south side of the tower between floors 77 and 85. Parts of the plane, including the engine, left the east and north sides of the tower and fell to the ground six blocks away. All on board the flight were killed.
At 9:28 a.m. Flight 93, flying above northern Ohio, was taken over by hijackers.
At 9:37:46 a.m., Flight 77 crashed into the west side of the Pentagon. All on board were killed as well as 125 people on the ground.
All aircraft in the United States were ordered to land at the nearest airport at 9:42 a.m., when the Federal Aviation Administration shut down U.S airspace and stopped international flights from entering.
At 9:57 a.m. passengers on Flight 93 were said to launch a counterattack against hijackers. The attempt is credited to planning by passengers Todd Beamer, Mark Bingham, Tom Burnett and Jeremy Glick.
Approximately 56 minutes after being hit by Flight 175, the South Tower collapsed at 9:59 a.m.
As a result of fighting in the cockpit, the hijackers of Flight 93 crash the plane southeast of Pittsburgh in Sommerset County, Pennsylvania. The revolt of passengers likely stopped the flight from reaching its target. The 9/11 Commission believed the target was the United States Capitol building or the White House.
At 10:15 a.m. all five stories on the west side of the Pentagon collapse because of a fire from the crash of Flight 77.
One hour and 42 minutes after Flight 11 struck the North Tower, the tower collapsed. In total 2,977 people died Sept. 11, 2001.
Briefly, on Sept. 11, the nation came together in a spirit of sadness and in patriotism as disbelief, fear, grief and anger took its toll on Americans.
World Trade Center survivor Adam Mayblum captured the overall strength of America. “Today, the images that people around the world equate with power and democracy are gone, but ‘America’ is not an image, it is a concept. That concept is only strengthened by our pulling together as a team. If you want to kill us, leave us alone because we will do it by ourselves. If you want to make us stronger, attack and we unite.”
As American divide has become stronger and morale has declined, remembering the message learned Sept. 11, seems more important than ever. Attacks intended to break the spirit of the American people had the opposite result, as Americans became stronger and more unified. Never Forget.