9/11 Attack
On September 11, 2001, 19 militants associated with the Islamic
extremist group al-Qaeda hijacked four airliners and carried out suicide
attacks against targets in the United States. Two of the planes were flown into
the towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, a third plane hit the
Pentagon just outside Washington, D.C., and the fourth plane crashed in a field
in Pennsylvania. Often referred to as 9/11, the attacks resulted in extensive
death and destruction, triggering major U.S. initiatives to combat terrorism
and defining the presidency of George W. Bush. Over 3,000 people were killed
during the attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C., including more than
400 police officers and firefighters. Less than 15 minutes after the
terrorists struck the nerve center of the U.S. military, the horror in New York
took a catastrophic turn for the worse when the south tower of the World Trade
Center collapsed in a massive cloud of dust and smoke. The structural steel of
the skyscraper, built to withstand winds in excess of 200 miles per hour and a
large conventional fire, could not withstand the tremendous heat generated by
the burning jet fuel. At 10:30 a.m., the other Trade Center tower collapsed.
Close to 3,000 people died in the World Trade Center and its vicinity,
including a staggering 343 firefighters and paramedics, 23 New York City police
officers and 37 Port Authority police officers who were struggling to complete
an evacuation of the buildings and save the office workers trapped on higher
floors. Only six people in the World Trade Center towers at the time of their
collapse survived. Almost 10,000 others were treated for injuries, many severe.
My first memory of the 9/11
attack was when I was 1 year old. I really don’t remember much about it. Actually
I don’t remember anything about it I was only 1 and I don’t think that 1 year
olds pay attention to the news.
