Northumbrian Gunner: New York Day 4

Sunday 10 September 2023

New York Day 4 - 9/11 Memorial

On the 11th September 2001 the United States of America came under terrorist attack when four airliners were highjacked and used to target New York and Washington DC. Two planes struck the Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre in New York, one the Pentagon in Washington DC, with the remaining plane crashing in Somerset County Pennsylvania as a result of passengers foiling the hijackers.

New York - Twin Towers under attack

New York - Firefighters head for Twin Towers

Washington - Pentagon under attack

Somerset County Pennsylvania - Flight 93

The National September 11 Memorial commemorates the 2,977 people killed during the terrorist attacks of September 11 2001 and the 6 people killed in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. The memorial is formed as twin pools located in the footprint of the North and South Towers of the World Trade Centre which was destroyed on 9/11. Around the walls of the pools are a record of those lost in the World Trade Centre New York, the Pentagon in Washington, and on Flight 93 which crashed in Pennsylvania.

New York National 9/11 Memorial

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September 11th 2023 would be the 22nd anniversary of 9/11. On the 10th September tributes were left to remember those lost ahead of the National Service of Remembrance on the 11th.

New York 9/11 Commemoration Tributes

Father Michael Judge served as a chaplain to the New York City Fire Department. He was killed on September 11 in the North Tower when he was hit with debris from the South Tower collapsing. He was the first certified fatality of the September 11 attacks.

Father Michael Judge FDNY

9/11 Memorial - Father Michael Judge FDNY

Firefighter George C Cain served with the FDNY 8th Battalion Ladder 7. On 9/11 he and his team were in the Marriot Hotel evacuating people when the South Tower collapsed, the debris killing George and many of his compatriots within the Marriot.

George C Cain FDNY

9/11 Memorial - VM lays tribute to George Cain

9/11 Memorial - George C Cain

9/11 Memorial - George C Cain

On 11th September 2001 highjacked Flight 77 flew into the west wall of the Pentagon in Washington DC killing 125 people as well as the 64 on board.

Flight 77 strikes the Pentagon 11th September 2001

Of those lost in the Pentagon, the US Navy lost 33 sailors, the US Army 22 soldiers, the remaining 70 casualties being civilian personnel. As well as a memorial at the Pentagon remembering those killed on 9/11, thier names are recorded on the National 9/11 Memorial in New York.

9/11 Memorial - Pentagon Personnel

Flight 93 was highjacked by terrorists on September 11th who intended to fly it into a into a federal government building in Washington, D.C. The operation failed when the passengers fought back. The passangers attempted to storm the cockpit and retake the plane. Their actions forced the terrorists to crash the plane in a field in Somerset County Pennsylvania. The terrorist action was thwarted but resulted in everyone aboard the flight being killed.

Flight 93 - 9/11

The last recorded words of passenger Todd Beamer, an Oracle account manager before he and other passengers attempted to retake the plane from the hijackers were "Lets Roll".

A memorial to those killed on Flight 93 is located at the crash site in Sumerson County, Pennsylvania. Thier names are also recorded on the National 9/11 Memorial in New York.