September 11, 2001 began with a sunny, autumn morning in Manhattan, New York City. As thousands of workers reported to their offices within the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers, they could not have possibly imagined that within hours, their world would change forever.
As these people were going about their daily routines, 5 men were boarding a plane in Washington, DC; 5 more boarded each of 2 planes in Boston, MA and 4 boarded a plane in Newark, NJ. These planes were carrying enough fuel to fly across the country. The planes would never reach the West coast.
7:59 AM: American Airlines Flight 11 departs from Boston’s Logan International Airport bound for Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) 92 passengers on board – 5 are hijackers 8:15 AM: United Airlines Flight 175 departs from Logan International Airport bound for LAX 65 passengers on board- 5 are hijackers 8:20 AM: American Airlines Flight 77 departs from Dulles International Airport in Washington, DC 64 passengers on board- 5 are hijackers 8:40 AM: Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) notifies Northeast Air Defense of a possible hijacking of Flight 11 8:42 AM: United Airlines Flight 93 departs from Newark International Airport in Newark, New Jersey bound for San Francisco, CA 44 passengers on board- 4 are hijackers 8:43 AM: FAA notifies Northeast Air Defense of a possible hijacking of Flight 175.
He then boards Air Force One to return to the White House.
“Today, our fellow citizens, our way of life, our very freedom came under attack in a series of deliberate and deadly terrorist acts. The victims were in airplanes or in their offices: secretaries, business men and women, military and federal workers, moms and dads, friends and neighbors. Thousands of lives were suddenly ended by evil, despicable acts of terror.”