BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A quarter of a century has passed since the terrible day of September 11, 2001, and an entire generation of Americans has now come of age with no living memory of that fateful day. The passage of time must never dim what will forever burn bright in the conscience of our Nation.
Amid the ashes of Ground Zero, we made a solemn vow to Never Forget — a vow that must be renewed in every American heart, taught in every classroom, and honored in every community across our land. Twenty-five years ago, beneath a clear September sky, the peace of our Nation was shattered when radical Islamic terrorists hijacked four commercial jet planes and converted them into weapons of mass murder. At 8:46 a. m. American Airlines Flight 11 was deliberately flown into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City.
Shadowing closely behind was United Airlines Flight 175 and within a span of 17 minutes, the South Tower was struck. At that moment, it became clear that our Nation was under attack. Before the morning had passed, both soaring towers — the premier symbols of American economic strength and prosperity — had collapsed into the city below, claiming thousands of innocent lives and leaving behind unfathomable destruction. The time was 10:28 a. m.
Just 34 minutes later, at the edge of our Nation’s capital in Arlington,Virginia, American Airlines Flight 77 was flown into the Pentagon, the fortress of American military might, striking down members of our Armed Forces and dedicated civil servants. Amid smoke and flames,survivors turned back into the burning building to carry survivors to safety. But the horror of that morning was not over. Aboard United Airlines Flight 93,passengers learned through frantic cellphone calls of the…