On September 11, the world witnessed one of the deadliest terror attacks in modern history. In 2001, 19 al-Qaeda hijackers seized four planes in the United States, crashing three into buildings. Nearly 3,000 people died, including citizens from 77 nations. The events left the world in shock and triggered the U.S. “war on terrorism,” which led to the creation of the Department of Homeland Security and the invasion of Afghanistan while among the victims were a toddler and an elderly passenger, representing the tragic human cost of the attacks. On the same day in history, work began on the Pentagon in 1941, which became the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Defense.
The Youngest Victim
The youngest person killed on 9/11 was only two and a half years old. She boarded United Flight 175 at Logan Airport in Boston with her parents. The family from Groton, Massachusetts, was traveling to Los Angeles to visit relatives before a planned trip to Disneyland. The flight crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center, killing all aboard and her story highlights the vulnerability of children and the indiscriminate nature of the attacks.
Read More: Behind 9/11: How Al-Qaeda’s Deadly Plot Shook America And The World
The Oldest Victim
The oldest victim was 85 years old, and he was a passenger on American Airlines Flight 11, the first plane to hit the North Tower of the World Trade Center. He was traveling with his wife to attend his stepson’s wedding in California also his death demonstrates that terrorism spared no one, regardless of age. His life and planned celebrations were abruptly ended, reflecting the deep personal and national grief caused by the attacks.
The September 11 Attacks and Their Aftermath
On 9/11, two planes crashed into the World Trade Center, bringing down the twin towers within hours and a third plane hit the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia and the fourth plane crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers and crew resisted the hijackers. All 246 passengers and crew aboard the flights were killed. At the Twin Towers, 2,606 people died either on-site or later from injuries. The Pentagon attack claimed 125 lives also thousands were injured or developed health issues from toxic debris. Osama bin Laden, the mastermind, remained in hiding until U.S. forces killed him in Abbottabad, Pakistan, on May 2, 2011.
Read More: 9/11 Explained: Did Baba Vanga and The Simpsons Really Predict the Attacks
Construction of the Pentagon
On September 11, 1941, work began on the five-sided building in Arlington County, Virginia and designed to consolidate War Department offices scattered across 17 locations, it became a national priority after the U.S. entered World War II in December 1941. More than 13,000 laborers worked day and night, and by eight months, Secretary of War Henry Stimson moved in. Completed in January 1943 at a cost of $83 million, the Pentagon became the world’s largest office building. It covers 29 acres, including a 5-acre courtyard, and provides 3.7 million square feet of workspace for nearly 25,000 staff.
