Today, 9/11 remains the single deadliest terrorist attack in human history and the single deadliest incident for firefighters and law enforcement officers in the history of the United States, with 343 and 72 killed, respectively.
The National September 11 Memorial and Museum is observing the anniversary by remembering and honoring the 2,983 men, women and children killed in the attacks at the World Trade Center site, the Pentagon, aboard Flight 93, and those who died in the February 26, 1993, World Trade Center bombing.
On the morning of Tuesday, September 11, 2001, a series of four coordinated terrorist attacks by the Islamist terrorist group al-Qaeda changed the United States forever. The attacks resulted in 2,977 fatalities, over 25,000 injuries, and substantial long-term health consequences, in addition to at least $10 billion in infrastructure and property damage.
Four passenger airliners which had departed from airports in the northeastern United States bound for California were hijacked by 19 al-Qaeda terrorists. Two of the planes, American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175, crashed into the North and South towers, respectively, of the World Trade Center complex in Lower Manhattan. Within an hour and 42 minutes, both 110-story towers collapsed. Debris and the resulting fires caused a partial or complete collapse of all other buildings in the World Trade Center complex, including the 47-story 7 World Trade Center tower, as well as significant damage to ten other large surrounding structures. A third plane, American Airlines Flight 77, was crashed into the Pentagon (the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Defense) in Arlington County, Virginia, which led to a partial collapse of the building's west side. The fourth plane, United Airlines Flight 93, was initially flown toward Washington, D.C., but crashed into a field in Stonycreek Township, Pennsylvania, after passengers thwarted the hijackers.
The ceremony at ground zero on Friday, September 11, 2020, marking the 19th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks is taking place with added safety measures mid the coronavirus pandemic.
Unlike other years, there will be no live reading the of the names. Instead, recorded readings of the names made by 9/11 family members are being used.
The ceremony will conclude at approximately 12:30 p.m. (this is subject to change).
A preliminary outline of the event program is as follows (details and times subject to change):
-8:39 a.m. – Program begins
-8:46 a.m. – Moment of silence (observance of time AA Flight 11 struck North Tower)
-Families of victims of 2001 and 1993 attacks will begin reading the names.
-9:03 a.m. – Moment of silence (observance of time UA Flight 175 struck South Tower)
-Reading of names continues
-9:37 a.m. – Moment of silence (observance of time AA Flight 77 struck the Pentagon)
-Reading of names continues
-9:59 a.m. – Moment of silence (observance of time of fall of the South Tower)
-Reading of names continues
-10:03 a.m. – Moment of silence (observance of time UA Flight 93 crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania)
-Reading of names continues
-10:28 a.m. – Moment of silence (observance of time of fall of the North Tower)
-Reading of names continues to conclusion
-12:30 p.m. – Program concludes
9/11 Memorial Names: A complete list of the names of the 2,983 victims can be found at 911memorial.org/names-memorial.
https://www.911memorial.org/https://www.911memorial.org/
