The September 11 attacks (often referred to as September 11th or 9/11) were a series of coordinated suicide attacks by al-Qaeda upon the United States on September 11, 2001. On that morning, 19 al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four commercial passenger jet airliners. The hijackers intentionally crashed two of the airliners into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, killing everyone on board and many others working in the buildings. Both buildings collapsed within two hours, destroying nearby buildings and damaging others. The hijackers crashed a third airliner into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, just outside Washington, D.C. The fourth plane crashed into a field near Shanksville in rural Pennsylvania after some of its passengers and flight crew attempted to retake control of the plane, which the hijackers had redirected toward Washington, D.C. There were no survivors from any of the flights.
The death toll of the attacks was 2,996, including the 19 hijackers. The overwhelming majority of casualties were civilians, including nationals of over 70 countries. In addition, there was at least one secondary death – one person was ruled by a medical examiner to have died from lung disease due to exposure to dust from the World Trade Center's collapse.
The United States responded to the attacks by launching the War on Terror: it invaded Afghanistan to depose the Taliban, who had harbored al-Qaeda terrorists. The United States also enacted the USA PATRIOT Act. Many other countries also strengthened their anti-terrorism legislation and expanded law enforcement powers. Some American stock exchanges stayed closed for the rest of the week following the attack and posted enormous losses upon reopening, especially in the airline and insurance industries. The destruction of billions of dollars' worth of office space caused serious damage to the economy of Lower Manhattan.
The damage to the Pentagon was cleared and repaired within a year, and the Pentagon Memorial was built adjacent to the building. The rebuilding process has started on the World Trade Center site. In 2006, a new office tower was completed on the site of 7 World Trade Center. The new 1 World Trade Center is currently under construction at the site and, at 1,776 ft (541 m) upon completion in 2013, it will become one of the tallest buildings in North America. Three more towers were originally expected to be built between 2007 and 2012 on the site. Ground was broken for the Flight 93 National Memorial on November 8, 2009, and the first phase of construction is expected to be ready for the 10th anniversary of the attacks on September 11, 2011.
Early on the morning of September 11, 2001, nineteen hijackers took control of four commercial airliners en route to San Francisco and Los Angeles from Boston, Newark, and Washington, D.C. (Washington Dulles International Airport).[2] At 8:46 a.m., American Airlines Flight 11 was crashed into the World Trade Center's North Tower, followed by United Airlines Flight 175 which hit the South Tower at 9:03 a.m.
Another group of hijackers flew American Airlines Flight 77 into the Pentagon at 9:37 a.m. A fourth flight, United Airlines Flight 93 crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania at 10:03 a.m, after the passengers on board engaged in a fight with the hijackers. Its ultimate target was thought to be either the Capitol (the meeting place of the United States Congress) or the White House.
In a September 2002 interview conducted by documentary-maker Yosri Fouda, an al Jazeera journalist, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and Ramzi Binalshibh stated that the fourth hijacked plane was heading for the United States Capitol, not for the White House. They further stated that al-Qaeda initially planned to fly hijacked jets into nuclear installations rather than the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, but it was decided not to attack nuclear power plants "for the moment" because of fears it could "get out of control".
During the hijacking of the airplanes, the hijackers used weapons to stab and kill aircraft pilots, flight attendants and passengers. Reports from phone callers from the planes indicated that knives were used by the hijackers to stab attendants and in at least one case, a passenger, during two of the hijackings. Some passengers were able to make phone calls using the cabin airphone service and mobile phones,and provide details, including that several hijackers were aboard each plane, that mace or other form of noxious chemical spray, such as tear gas or pepper spray was used, and that some people aboard had been stabbed.
The death toll of the attacks was 2,996, including the 19 hijackers. The overwhelming majority of casualties were civilians, including nationals of over 70 countries. In addition, there was at least one secondary death – one person was ruled by a medical examiner to have died from lung disease due to exposure to dust from the World Trade Center's collapse.
The United States responded to the attacks by launching the War on Terror: it invaded Afghanistan to depose the Taliban, who had harbored al-Qaeda terrorists. The United States also enacted the USA PATRIOT Act. Many other countries also strengthened their anti-terrorism legislation and expanded law enforcement powers. Some American stock exchanges stayed closed for the rest of the week following the attack and posted enormous losses upon reopening, especially in the airline and insurance industries. The destruction of billions of dollars' worth of office space caused serious damage to the economy of Lower Manhattan.
The damage to the Pentagon was cleared and repaired within a year, and the Pentagon Memorial was built adjacent to the building. The rebuilding process has started on the World Trade Center site. In 2006, a new office tower was completed on the site of 7 World Trade Center. The new 1 World Trade Center is currently under construction at the site and, at 1,776 ft (541 m) upon completion in 2013, it will become one of the tallest buildings in North America. Three more towers were originally expected to be built between 2007 and 2012 on the site. Ground was broken for the Flight 93 National Memorial on November 8, 2009, and the first phase of construction is expected to be ready for the 10th anniversary of the attacks on September 11, 2011.
Early on the morning of September 11, 2001, nineteen hijackers took control of four commercial airliners en route to San Francisco and Los Angeles from Boston, Newark, and Washington, D.C. (Washington Dulles International Airport).[2] At 8:46 a.m., American Airlines Flight 11 was crashed into the World Trade Center's North Tower, followed by United Airlines Flight 175 which hit the South Tower at 9:03 a.m.
Another group of hijackers flew American Airlines Flight 77 into the Pentagon at 9:37 a.m. A fourth flight, United Airlines Flight 93 crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania at 10:03 a.m, after the passengers on board engaged in a fight with the hijackers. Its ultimate target was thought to be either the Capitol (the meeting place of the United States Congress) or the White House.
In a September 2002 interview conducted by documentary-maker Yosri Fouda, an al Jazeera journalist, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and Ramzi Binalshibh stated that the fourth hijacked plane was heading for the United States Capitol, not for the White House. They further stated that al-Qaeda initially planned to fly hijacked jets into nuclear installations rather than the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, but it was decided not to attack nuclear power plants "for the moment" because of fears it could "get out of control".
During the hijacking of the airplanes, the hijackers used weapons to stab and kill aircraft pilots, flight attendants and passengers. Reports from phone callers from the planes indicated that knives were used by the hijackers to stab attendants and in at least one case, a passenger, during two of the hijackings. Some passengers were able to make phone calls using the cabin airphone service and mobile phones,and provide details, including that several hijackers were aboard each plane, that mace or other form of noxious chemical spray, such as tear gas or pepper spray was used, and that some people aboard had been stabbed.
The 9/11 Commission established that two of the hijackers had recently purchased Leatherman multi-function hand tools. A flight attendant on Flight 11, a passenger on Flight 175, and passengers on Flight 93 mentioned that the hijackers had bombs, but one of the passengers also mentioned he thought the bombs were fake. No traces of explosives were found at the crash sites, and the 9/11 Commission believed the bombs were probably fake.
On United Airlines Flight 93, black box recordings revealed that 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.[22] According to the transcript of Flight 93's recorder, one of the hijackers gave the order to roll the plane once it became evident that they would lose control of the plane to the passengers.[23] Soon afterward, the aircraft crashed into a field near Shanksville in Stonycreek Township, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, at 10:03:11 a.m. local time (14:03:11 UTC). Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, organizer of the attacks, mentioned in a 2002 interview with Yosri Fouda that Flight 93's target was the United States Capitol, which was given the code name "the Faculty of Law".
Three buildings in the World Trade Center Complex collapsed due to structural failure on the day of the attack.[25] The south tower (2 WTC) fell at approximately 9:59 a.m., after burning for 56 minutes in a fire caused by the impact of United Airlines Flight 175.[25] The north tower (1 WTC) collapsed at 10:28 a.m., after burning for approximately 102 minutes.[25] When the north tower collapsed, debris that fell on the nearby 7 World Trade Center (7 WTC) building damaged it and initiated fires. These fires burned for hours and compromised the building's structural integrity, which led to the crumbling of the east penthouse at 5:20 p.m. and to the complete collapse of the building at 5:21 p.m.
The attacks created widespread confusion among news organizations and air traffic controllers across the United States. All international civilian air traffic was banned from landing on U.S. soil for three days.[28] Aircraft already in flight were either turned back or redirected to airports in Canada or Mexico. News sources aired unconfirmed and often contradictory reports throughout the day. One of the most prevalent of these reported that a car bomb had been detonated at the U.S. State Department's headquarters in Washington, D.C. Soon after reporting for the first time on the Pentagon crash, some news media also briefly reported that a fire had broken out on the National Mall. Another report went out on the Associated Press wire, claiming that a Delta Air Lines airliner—Flight 1989—had been hijacked. This report, too, turned out to be in error; the plane was briefly thought to represent a hijack risk, but it responded to controllers and landed safely in Cleveland, Ohio.
Following the attacks, President Bush's job approval rating soared to 90%.[169] On September 20, 2001, the U.S. president spoke before the nation and a joint session of the United States Congress, regarding the events of that day, the intervening nine days of rescue and recovery efforts, and his intent in response to those events. In addition, the highly visible role played by New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani won him high praise nationally and in New York.[170]
Many relief funds were immediately set up to assist victims of the attacks, with the task of providing financial assistance to the survivors of the attacks and to the families of victims, such as the Coalition of 9/11 Families. By the deadline for victim's compensation, September 11, 2003, 2,833 applications had been received from the families of those who were killed.
Father Mychal F. Judge, OFM (born Robert Emmet Judge on May 11, 1933; died September 11, 2001) was a Roman Catholic priest of the Franciscan Order of Friars Minor, Chaplain of the Fire Department of New York, and the first recorded victim of the September 11, 2001 attacks!
Mychal "Father Mike" Judge: I just want you to know you are truly a inspirational man and gave his own life to help others, may the Lord bless you and always been remembered on 9/11/01! rest in peace, father!Father Mike, may you rest in the arms of Jesus who you shared with so many over your ministry. Thank you for sharing HIM with those hurt and dying on 9-11. remembering you after 9 years, may you rest in peace!
- MFPS
Lives Remembered
Mark Petrocelli, 29 had just received a promotion
He was at work early because of his new position
Date of Death 9/11/2001
By Maura Yates
Advance staff writer
Sunday, 09/23/2001
Things were going well for Mark Petrocelli. About to turn 29 on September 13, he had just received a promotion as a commodities broker on the newly emerging Brent market on the commodities exchange.
Instead of having breakfast with his wife Nicole, as he normally did, he left the house an hour earlier than usual on the morning of Tuesday, Sept. 11, to head off to his first meeting in his new position on the 92nd floor of Tower 1. His wife asked why he was leaving so early, and he replied, "I'd rather be 20 minutes early than 20 minutes late. I want to make a good impression."
When his wife and family heard the news that there had been a plane crash at the World Trade Center, they were alarmed because they knew he worked in the area, but they had no idea his meeting was in the building.
His father, Albert Petrocelli, a Battalion Chief in Brooklyn, and his brother, Albert, Jr., a firefighter with Ladder 105 in Brooklyn, both rushed to the scene, worrying about their comrades, not knowing that Mark was in the building, too.
Mark himself was going to become a firefighter, and had been called by the Fire Department last year, when he decided that he would rather seek a career on Wall Street.
"He just got this promotion; everyone was so happy for him. He was so happy. In light of his father and brother being firefighters, it was too much pressure — he wanted the excitement of the trading floor."
After the family learned that Mr. Petrocelli had in fact been in the building, a brief glimmer of hope came in the form of an Internet listing of survivors with an "O.K." next to his name. It turned out to be a bogus list.
"I had so much hope for so long," his wife, Nicole, said. "We were searching frantically for him." The family had desperately gone from hospital to hospital trying to track him down. The reality of the disaster has finally hit the family. "I think it's time for us to get together and give him a good-bye kiss," Mrs. Petrocelli said.
In addition to being excited about his promotion, Mr. Petrocelli was also looking forward to his birthday, and the meal his wife was planning to make for him. "He was looking forward to his favorite birthday dinner— macaroni and plum tomatoes. We went to Waldbaum's on Monday and he hand-picked his 17 tomatoes." Mr. Petrocelli had a great love for his family and friends, and looked forward to spending as much time with them as possible.
"The Sunday night before it happened, we had everyone over here for a barbecue," his father said. "Everyone we can think of, but the day it happened, except for his wife, nobody said good-bye."
He was also known for his sparkling personality, and perpetual cheerfulness. "He wasn't a face in the crowd; he was the face in the crowd. When he walked in the room, things were going to happen," his father said. "We can't find a picture of him without a smile on his face. He didn't regret a day."
"We were so very deeply in love. I miss him so much. I feel that he's with me. I know that he is," his wife said.
Born in Brooklyn, Mr. Petrocelli and his family moved to Oakwood in 1974. They later moved to Huguenot in 1977, where he lived until 1998 when he married Nicole DeCell.
He and his wife had bought a house in Great Kills six months before their wedding, and he was intent on restoring it before they moved in. His pride and joy was his backyard, which he built from the ground up. He was always so happy to have friends over for their famous summer barbecues.
A graduate of St. Joseph by-the-Sea, Huguenot, he was an altar server during his high school years, which he described as the "best four years of my life."
He was selected to serve mass with Cardinal O'Connor at St. Patrick's Cathedral, Manhattan. He went on to attend the College of Staten Island, but transferred to Hunter College, Manhattan, after being recruited for that school's wrestling team. A shoulder injury ended his wrestling career, and he returned to CSI, where he earned a bachelor of arts degree in psychology.
Mrs. Petrocelli and her friends have been putting together 10 large collages of pictures and sayings for the tribute to his life that is planned for tomorrow from 4 to 10 p.m. in Our Lady Star of the Sea R.C. Church, Huguenot.
In addition, a funeral mass will be celebrated at the Church of the Assumption, West Brighton, on Tuesday at 11 a.m.
Dear Mark,Hey Buddy I am still upset that you are gone and deceased. Its already 9 years since this tragic day in history, i miss you buddy, you are always in my prayers. rest in peace!
lest we forget this day remember those who lost their lives to this day event in history remember today on the 9th year of remembrance!
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