10 years later still a story we can never forget

Ten years have passed since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States where four commercial U.S. airlines were hijacked and flown into the Twin Towers, the Pentagon and a field near Shanksville, Pa.

On the morning of the attacks, 19 al-Qaeda terrorists boarded four airplanes. Their mission was to enter the cockpit and overpower the crew to take over and fly the airplanes into designated buildings.

At 8:46 a.m., American Airlines Flight 11 crashed in the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Because of the media attention it garnered, thousands of viewers were tuned in to witness as United Airlines Flight 175 crashed into the South Tower at 9:03 a.m.

A third plane, American Airlines Flight 77, crashed into the Pentagon at 9:37 a.m. After this attack, the U.S. Capitol, the White House, the State Department, the Justice Department and the World Bank were evacuated.

United Airlines Flight 93, the final aircraft, never reached its target, which was speculated to be the White House or another building in Washington, D.C. Instead, passengers on the flight forcefully took back the controls from the hijackers; it crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pa., at 10:03 a.m.

For the first time in history, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) prohibited all aircraft from flying within the continental U.S in the aftermath of the attacks. This ban was not lifted until Sept. 13.

Although the North Tower of the World Trade Center was the first to be hit, the South Tower collapsed approximately 23 minutes before it. Rescue efforts immediately commenced, with New York City police, firefighters and other emergency personnel furiously searching for survivors among the wreckage.

President George W. Bush returned to Washington D.C. that evening after journeying to several airbases around the country to safeguard him from potential terrorists. At the White House, Bush addressed the nation, vowing to retaliate against those who were responsible.

Approximately 3,000 people were lost in the September 11 attacks. All 246 passengers aboard the four hijacked flights were killed, as well as 23 New York City police officers and 343 firefighters. Citizens of 83 different countries were represented in this death toll.

Fires continued to burn in the World Trade Center rubble for weeks, and full clean-up at Ground Zero did not finish until May 2002. As the country grappled with the aftermath of these acts of violence, feelings of patriotism sky-rocketed, with American flags and the words “United We Stand” becoming iconic images.

The September 11 attacks also initiated the “War on Terror,” with the goal of eradicating terrorists who wish to do the U.S. harm. Since the attacks, nearly every U.S. government agency has undergone drastic changes, the most notable being the FAA tightening airport security measures.

The United States is a different country than it was 10 years ago, but change also brought enduring unity and feelings of gratification for the brave men and women who risked their lives to save those of others’. The U.S. will never forget the frightening images of Sept. 11, 2001, but consequently, has never been stronger.