Tuesday, September 11, 2001  Early on the morning of September 11, 2001, 19 hijackers took control of four commercial airliners en route to San Francisco and Los Angeles after takeoff from Boston, Newark, and Washington, D.C. Planes with long flights were intentionally selected for hijacking because they would be heavily fueled.  At 8:46 a.m., five hijackers crashed American Airlines flight 11 into the World Trade Center's North Tower (1 WTC) and at 9:03 a.m. another five hijackers crashed United Airlines flight 175 into the South Tower (2 WTC). Five hijackers flew American Airlines flight 77 into the Pentagon at 9:37 a.m. A fourth flight, under the control of four hijackers, crashed United Airlines flight 93 near Shanksville, Pennsylvania at 10:03 a.m. after the passengers fought the hijackers. Flight 93's ultimate target is believed to have been either the Capitol or the White House. Flight 93's cockpit voice recorder revealed crew and passengers attempted to seize control of the plane from the hijackers after learning through phone calls that similarly hijacked planes had been crashed into buildings that morning. Once it became evident to the hijackers that the passengers might regain control of the plane, one hijacker ordered another to roll the plane and intentionally crash it. Soon afterward, Flight 93 crashed into a field near Shanksville.

 The South Tower collapsed at 9:59 a.m. after burning for 56 minutes in a fire caused by the impact of United Airlines Flight 175. The North Tower collapsed at 10:28 a.m. after burning for 102 minutes. When the North Tower collapsed, debris fell on the nearby 7 World Trade Center building (7 WTC) damaging it and starting fires. These fires burned for hours and compromised the building's structural integrity and 7 WTC collapsed at 5:21 p.m.

After the horrific events a total of 2,977 innocent people were killed. Intertwined in that number are 343 firefighters from the FDNY. Some were fathers, sons, husband & friends but all were BROTHERS.  We in the fire service will always remember the number of brothers killed in those cowardly acts; you will always find the numbers “343” on helmets, fire trucks, murals’ and even on each other’s bodies.  Forever in our thoughts & prayers let us “ NEVER FORGET”.

 

                “Time is passing. Yet, for the United States of America, there will be no forgetting September the 11th. We will remember every rescuer who died in honor. ~President George W. Bush