September 11th Attacks

• Author: Jeffrey Lehman, Shirelle Phelps

Page 112

On September 11, 2001, in the deadliest case of domestic TERRORISM in the history of the United States, a group of 19 terrorists hijacked four U.S. airliners for use as missiles against targets in New York City and Washington, D.C. The events shocked the country and the world and focused the U.S. government on a worldwide WAR ON TERRORISM. During the 18 months following the attacks, the United States engaged in military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, causing changes in the regimes of both countries.

At 8:45 A.M. (EST), American Airlines Flight 11, hijacked after departing from Boston, crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center. Approximately 18 minutes later, another hijacked Boston flight, United Airlines Flight 175, crashed into the south tower of the World Trade Center. Within an hour of the attacks, the Port Authority shut down all tunnels and bridges in the New York area, and the FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) shut down all New York airports. Soon thereafter, the FAA took the unprecedented step of halting all air traffic nationwide.

About an hour after the initial attack against the World Trade Center, a Boeing 757, American Airlines Flight 77, crashed into the Pentagon. The crash happened at approximately the same time as an evacuation at the White House. At 10:05 A.M., the south tower of the World Trade Center collapsed. At 10:10 A.M., part of the Pentagon collapsed.

As the Pentagon was attacked, another hijacked flight, United Airlines Flight 93, crashed in Pennsylvania, killing everyone aboard. Later, it was discovered that the passengers attempted to overcome the four hijackers. Passengers had learned their likely fates from cell phone calls informing them about the World Trade Center crashes. Government authorities later speculated that the plane's hijackers could have been targeting Camp David, the White House, or the U.S. Capitol building.

At 10:28 A.M., the north tower of the World Trade Center collapsed from the top down. As with the collapse of the first tower, debris rained down and a huge cloud of smoke and dust enveloped a wide area. Hundreds of rescue workers died as they attempted to evacuate the people from the buildings.

President GEORGE W. BUSH was visiting a Florida elementary school when he learned of the attacks. He quickly departed, stopping at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana and Offut Air Force Base in Nebraska, before heading back to Washington. During the...