On September 11, 2001, a coordinated terrorist attack was carried out by nineteen al-Qaeda hijackers who took control of four commercial airplanes flying from the East Coast to California. Two of these planes were deliberately flown into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, causing both towers to collapse. A third plane was crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. The passengers and crew on the fourth plane, United Flight 93, fought back against the hijackers, leading the plane to crash into a field in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, preventing it from reaching its intended target, likely either the White House or the U.S. Capitol
. The attacks resulted in the deaths of 2,977 victims plus the 19 hijackers, making it the deadliest terrorist attack in history on American soil. Among the victims were 441 first responders, the largest loss of emergency personnel in a single day in U.S. history. The attacks caused massive destruction and profound national trauma, leading to significant changes in U.S. security and foreign policy
. Key moments on that day included:
- 8:46 AM: Flight 11 crashes into the North Tower of the World Trade Center.
- 9:03 AM: Flight 175 crashes into the South Tower.
- 9:37 AM: Flight 77 crashes into the Pentagon.
- 10:03 AM: Flight 93 crashes in Pennsylvania after passengers attempt to regain control.
- Both towers collapsed by 10:28 AM.
- U.S. airspace was shut down, and military alert levels were raised
These events are commemorated at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, and the day remains a pivotal moment in modern history
