Newsman: The United States has marked 23 years of the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks on World Trade center’s Twin towers, the Pentagon and hijacked Flight 93 crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris attended the remembrance ceremony. Nearly 3,000 people were killed when al Qaeda hijackers crashed four jetliners into the twin towers, the Pentagon and a field in southwest Pennsylvania.
Former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance also stood together at the memorial in New York City for victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani. And former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, were standing in the same row at the ceremony marking 23 years since the September 11 terror attack on the World Trade Center in New York City Wednesday.New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and former mayors Bill de Blasio also attended the ceremony.
A moment of silence was held at 8:46 a.m. New York citywide to mark the moment hijacked Flight 11 struck the North Tower. A second moment of silence was held at 9:03 a.m. to mark when hijacked Flight 175 struck the South Tower.
Another moment of silence followed at 9:37 a.m., marking when hijacked Flight 77 struck the Pentagon. Moment of silence was held at 10:03 a.m. to mark when hijacked Flight 93 crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
The names of the 2,983 victims of the terrorist attacks at the 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, aboard Flight 93 and in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing are read aloud by family members of the victims.
On this day each year, families who lost loved ones in the worst terror attack on American soil make the solemn trek to observe the six moments of silence, hear the reading of the names, and fulfill a sacred promise to never forget.
As years pass, more and more names are being read by children and young adults born after the attacks as an older generation passes on the grave responsibility of remembering this day to a new generation.
The ceremony wrapped up at around 12:45 p.m.
The 9/11 Memorial & Museum opened to family members at 8 a.m. before the commemoration began at 8:46 a.m.
Mr. Biden and Harris both released statements beforehand, repeating the calls to “never forget.”
“Never forget each of the 2,977 precious lives stolen from us when terrorists attacked our nation,” Mr. Biden wrote. “Never forget their families who still bear the grief from that searing September morning. Never forget the heroic citizens and survivors who rushed to help their fellow Americans. And never forget that when faced with evil — and an enemy that sought to tear us apart — we endured.”
“Today is a day of solemn remembrance as we mourn the souls we lost in a heinous terrorist attack on Sept. 11, 2001. We stand in solidarity with their families and loved ones. We also honor the extraordinary heroism on display that fateful day by ordinary Americans helping their fellow Americans. We will never forget,” Harris said in her statement.
Around midday, Biden and Harris visited the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pa., for a wreath-laying ceremony. Trump also laid a wreath at the site later in the afternoon.
(From left, Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, President Joe Biden, Michael Bloomberg, Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump and Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, attend the 9/11 Memorial ceremony on the 23rd anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks, Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024, in New York.
