National September 11 Memorial & Museum
It has been 25 years since Sept. 11, 2001 — long enough for a generation to learn about the attacks from textbooks rather than see them unfold live on television.
For those who did experience that morning, however, the feelings and images remain vivid. The shock, confusion and grief of those hours have carved themselves into America’s collective consciousness.
At 8:46 a.m., American Airlines Flight 11 struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. Seventeen minutes later, United Airlines Flight 175 hit the South Tower. By 9:37 a.m., American Airlines Flight 77 had crashed into the Pentagon, and, at 10:03 a.m., United Airlines Flight 93 went down near Shanksville, Pa., after passengers fought back. All four of the attacks were carried out by al-Qaida terrorists.
Nearly 3,000 people were killed, including 343 members of the New York City Fire Department. The victims came from more than 90 countries. The Twin Towers’ collapse sent ash and debris across lower Manhattan, while smoke rose from the Pentagon’s western wall.
In the weeks that followed, rescue workers labored at Ground Zero, and Americans gathered for vigils and formed long lines to donate blood. The attacks led to the creation of the Department of Homeland Security and transformed airport security measures in the U.S. and around the world.
The National September 11 Memorial & Museum, the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial and the Flight 93 National Memorial stand as places of reflection and remembrance — honoring those lost, the bravery of those who responded and the resilience of a nation that vowed never to forget.