It will be day forever etched in the collective minds of the nation, when a quiet September Tuesday morning was shattered after hijackers took control of four planes, crashing them into New York’s Twin Towers, the Pentagon outside Washington, D.C. and finally a field in the middle of Pennsylvania.
Sixteen years later, thousands will take a moment, whether during an official ceremony or quietly by themselves, to remember those 3,000 people who gave their lives during the attacks of Sept. 11.
Click here to read the names of all 2,983 victims killed not only on 9/11 but also the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.
Starting at 8:39 a.m., family members read the names, one by one, of the victims. The ceremony takes place where the World Trade Center stood that day before the towers crashed down, WCBS reported.
There will be six pauses during the readings to mark when each plane hit, twice when they collapsed and once each for when the Pentagon and Flight 93 attacks happened.
The September 11 Memorial and Museum will be closed to the public until Monday afternoon, to allow the families of those killed to remember their loved ones. Starting at 3 p.m. the Memorial plaza will be open to the public and will remain open until midnight. The Tribute in Light will also light the night sky. The Tribute in Light is a public art installation that shines two beams of light, four miles into the sky.
In the nation's capital,President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump observed a moment of silence at the White House, then he'll be at a ceremony held at the Pentagon, ABC News reported. There will be a private observance for families held at 9:11 a.m., then there will be a public observance and wreath-laying. Last week, Trump proclaimed today as "Patriot Day."
Vice President Mike Pence will be in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, paying tribute to those who lost their lives when Flight 93 crashed. He will be at the Flight 93 National Memorial.
The names of the victims and the tolling of bells is expected to start around 9:45 a.m., The Associated Press reported.
Ground was broken Sunday for a new memorial at the Flight 93 site. It is called the Tower of Voices. It will be 93 feet tall and will honor the 33 passengers and crew of Flight 93, The AP reported.
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