The events of September 11, 2001, were traumatic for those who experienced the attack, and those who have been told first-party stories of what happened that day. Nineteen associates of the Islamic group, Al Qaeda hijacked four airplanes and went about suicide attacks on United States locations. Two of these planes were flown into the twin towers in the World Trade Center in New York City. One plane hit the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia just outside of Washington D.C. While the other crashed into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. In total, almost 3,000 people were killed during the terrorist attacks. 

On September 11, a Tuesday morning, at almost 8:45 AM, an American Airlines Boeing 767 loaded with 20,000 gallons of jet fuel crashed into the north twin tower. Near the 80th floor, there was a burning, gaping hole from where the plane crashed into the building. The impact instantly killed and trapped hundreds of people inside.  Eighteen minutes later, a second Boeing 767 crashed into the south tower after making a sharp turn directly towards it. What, at the time, reporters were assuming was a freak accident, was publicly broadcast as a terrorist attack on the United States.

While the events of New York City were being watched, at around 9:45 AM, an American Airlines 77 circled over Washington D.C. before it crashed into the west side of the Pentagon military headquarters. Boeing 757 led to an inferno which caused the structural collapse of a portion of the concrete building. In total, 125 military personnel and civilians along with 64 onboard the airliner. 

Flight 93, hijacked forty minutes after leaving Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, had passengers who had learned of the events due to a delay. People started filling pitchers with boiling water and started fighting the four hijackers and the cockpit. 

Now, America knows who was under the attack on September 11, 2001. The plane hijackers were from Saudi Arabia and other Arab nations. They were believed to be financed by the Al Qaeda terrorist organization of Saudi fugitive Osama bin Laden. Reportedly, the terrorists were acting in retaliation for America’s support of Israel and its military presence in the Middle East. Some of the terrorists had lived in the United States for over a year and even taken flying lessons at American commercial flight schools. 

While the attacks took place in New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania people who did not live in those areas were affected. Some had family members who may have been on the planes when they crashed and the terrorist attack was a huge part of American history. Kids today did not have to witness it or watch it live on the news, but their parents did. Since the attack occurred in 2001, depending on age, most of the parents of students at Bourbon County Middle and High School, and other schools around the world, were around twenty years of age. Therefore, our parents could have been affected by the attack had they been in the area. And those who were in the areas could have lost their lives or people close to them.

Bourbon County High School history teacher, Vincent Buttice, spoke his thoughts on the events that happened. “I lived in New York when I was a kid. I didn’t live in New York City, but just two hours away. I was in third grade when the attack occurred and I remember firefighters and firetrucks leaving our area to go and help out with the fire in the city.” When asked how he felt about the people and event in all, he spoke, “It was awful, scary. It was being broadcast and I remember looking at the tv and seeing the second plane crash into the other tower. I could see the people jumping from the windows to try and save themselves.” 

Thomas Hazlett, another history teacher at Bourbon County High School was also interviewed about his thoughts on the subject. “I didn’t live in New York, and I didn’t know anyone who was affected by the attack. But I was shocked when I heard of it. I was thirteen, in eighth grade when 9/11 happened. I was headed from the middle school to the high school toward my history class when I saw everyone standing around one of those old TVs. The history teacher came out and told us we had to go to class, but nobody wanted to leave. I said ‘this is history in the making.’ and the class got to stay and watch the broadcast of the 9/11 attack.” 

On September 11, 2001 hundreds of people who had families, children, and grand kids were injured or killed due to a group of terrorists who attacked heavily crowded buildings in the United States. Some of those who were injured or killed were military personnel, but the majority of them were civilians. The events of September 11, 2001, are important to learn about and have affected several hundred people and families.