A Timeline of Courage and Sacrifice

8:46 AM

American Airlines Flight 11 crashes into the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

Thousands of people are inside the building as firefighters, law enforcement officers, and EMS personnel begin responding.

9:03 AM

United Airlines Flight 175 crashes into the South Tower.

The nation realizes this is a coordinated terrorist attack.

First responders continue entering both towers while thousands attempt to evacuate.

9:37 AM

American Airlines Flight 77 crashes into the Pentagon.

Emergency crews immediately begin rescue operations.

9:59 AM

The South Tower collapses.

Many first responders and civilians are still inside or near the building.

10:03 AM

United Airlines Flight 93 crashes in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Passengers and crew fought back against the hijackers, preventing another attack on a likely target in Washington, D.C.

10:28 AM

The North Tower collapses.

The collapse claims the lives of hundreds of first responders who had climbed into the building to help others escape.

The Aftermath

Nearly 3,000 people lost their lives on September 11, 2001.

• 343 Firefighters

• 71 Law Enforcement Officers

• 55 Military Personnel

These men and women answered the call without hesitation, running toward danger while others were running away.

The World Trade Center Twin Towers engulfed in flames and thick black smoke during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack, with debris falling and an adjacent building visible in the foreground.
Firefighters in protective gear working on a city street affected by a fire or explosion, with smoke billowing from buildings in the background and emergency vehicles present.
Four people, three in firefighter uniforms and one in civilian clothes, sit and stand near a damaged fire truck amid debris and trash in an urban setting.
Six firefighters walking together, wearing firefighting gear and helmets, on a paved surface with orange traffic cones in the background.
Rescue workers in safety gear search through the debris of a collapsed building, with an American flag in the background and smoke in the air.
Firefighters amid debris at a disaster site with dust and smoke in the air, a damaged building, and the American flag hanging from a crane.
A granite staircase with a rusty metal railing, viewed from above in a dimly lit environment with concrete walls.
Remains of the Vesey Street stairs from the World Trade Center, displayed in a museum with an informational sign, surrounded by visitors.
Building on fire with smoke billowing from the top. Firefighters spraying water on the flames. Emergency vehicles on the ground. Burned debris and damaged structures around the building.
Scene of a fire emergency with smoke billowing from a building, surrounded by people including emergency responders and medical personnel attending to an injured individual on the grass.