What Happen on That Fateful Day

Of course, September 11th is a day that shaped a whole generation or two! Many know the highlights but not all the details of that day! So, here’s a bit of history.

Al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorists orchestrated a suicide mission over the United States' occupation of Saudi Arabia and the country’s relationship with Israel. This plan was formulated by known Al-Qaeda mastermind Osama bin Laden. So, here’s how the horrific day played out:

• American Airlines Flight 11 struck the first World Trade Center tower in New York City at 8:46 a.m.
• United Airlines Flight 175 struck the second WTC tower at 9:05 a.m.
• American Airlines 77 struck the Pentagon in Washington, DC at 9:37 a.m.
• United Airlines 93 (allegedly headed for the U.S. Capitol Building) crashed in an open field in Shanksville, Penn. at 10:03 a.m. after the passengers foiled the hijackers’ original plans

The devastation from all the attack sites was monumental after 2,996 lives were lost. Those numbers account for airline passengers, crews, hijackers, civilians, and emergency workers. As the country mourned for weeks, the U.S. government took hold of the moment and ratified the bipartisan Patriot Act. The act’s ratification led to U.S. troopers being deployed to Afghanistan. This deployment kicked off the Afghanistan Wars, which ended in 2022, 21 years after it started.

Following the WTC attacks, the site became a memorial for the victims and emergency workers for a decade. During that time, the City commissioned multiple design competitions, which yielded a design from Daniel Libeskind. Starting in 2004, construction of the One World Trade Center and Memorial commenced. In 2014, the project was completed and opened in NYC, a decade after the destruction of the original Twin Towers.

The fallout is still felt two decades later through survivors and families of the fallen!

Originally published at http://adreonpatterson.net on September 12, 2023.