This September 11 marks 23 years since the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon—events that many Americans believe changed the country forever, according to a USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll.
On that morning, hijackers took control of United Airlines Flight 175 and American Airlines Flight 11, crashing them into the North and South Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. American Airlines Flight 77 struck the Pentagon, while passengers on United Airlines Flight 93 attempted to reclaim the plane before it crashed in a Pennsylvania field.
How many people died in the 9/11 attacks?
The attacks claimed the lives of 2,977 people across New York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania, according to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. In New York, 2,753 perished, while 184 died at the Pentagon, and 40 passengers lost their lives in Pennsylvania. Among the victims were Christine Hanson, a 2-year-old traveling to Disneyland, and Robert Norton, 82, the oldest passenger. All 19 hijackers, members of the extremist group al-Qaeda, also died in the attacks.
The victims are remembered at the 9/11 Memorial at the former World Trade Center site. Their names are inscribed around pools, grouped based on where they were during the attacks and their relationships to one another. On victims’ birthdays, white roses are placed on their names by staff as a tribute.
How many firefighters died on 9/11?
A total of 343 firefighters lost their lives that day, nearly half of the New York City Fire Department’s on-duty deaths in its 100-year history. In the years since, hundreds more have died from illnesses related to exposure at Ground Zero. As of 2022, close to 300 additional firefighters had succumbed to conditions caused by the toxic environment they faced during rescue and recovery efforts.
The World Trade Center Health Program reports that nearly 80,000 people have developed health conditions linked to the 9/11 attacks, including respiratory issues, injuries, and mental health struggles from the trauma and aftermath.
