As the nation commemorates the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, ceremonies are set to honor the nearly 3,000 lives lost across New York, the Pentagon, and Pennsylvania.
Ceremonies are scheduled for Friday at the 9/11 Memorial in New York, the Pentagon, and the Flight 93 National Memorial in Pennsylvania, marking the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. On that day in 2001, 19 al-Qaida terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners, leading to devastating attacks on the United States.
Officials and survivors reflected on their memories of that tragic day, sharing personal stories of loss and resilience as the nation mourns anew. Retired Maj. Gen. Bert Mizusawa, who held senior Army positions at the Pentagon before the attacks, recalled watching the coverage of the Twin Towers being struck from his office. He was later informed that the Pentagon had also been targeted.
“I looked out my window and was able to observe the plume of smoke rising from the attack on the Pentagon,” Mizusawa said. “My normal commute took me directly past the section that was destroyed, and the smoke lingered for days.” Mizusawa, who is currently the GOP nominee for Senate against Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., also noted his role in hiring Army Lt. Gen. Timothy Maude, the highest-ranking military officer killed during the Pentagon attack.
He recently met with the lone survivor from the Pentagon’s staff section that was directly hit by American Airlines Flight 77. Mizusawa reflected on the structural differences between the Pentagon and the World Trade Center, stating, “As tragic as the attack on the Pentagon was, the low-rise multi-ringed structure saved many lives.”
Sen. Warner also shared his memories of that day, recalling the smoke rising from the Pentagon. “On the 25th anniversary of these tragic attacks, we remember the lives lost at the Pentagon, in Pennsylvania, and in New York City, and our brave first responders whose heroic actions saved countless lives,” he said.
In Virginia, former President Donald Trump is expected to attend the Pentagon ceremony. Trump has participated in 9/11 observances at all three attack sites in various years.
In New York, Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani are slated to attend the solemn ceremony and reading of names at the World Trade Center site. Hochul’s opponent, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, expressed the lasting impact of that day on his family and state.
“The pain has never completely gone away,” Blakeman said. “My nephew Tommy was murdered while he was giving first aid to a severely burned woman. I lost many colleagues and friends on that day. We must never forget the danger facing our country from those with anti-American values.” Tommy, a New York State Courts officer, was reportedly providing aid to a victim when Tower Two collapsed.
Reflecting on the day, Hochul stated, “The terrorist attacks on September 11 forever reshaped our city and state, and every year on the anniversary New Yorkers feel the weight of unimaginable tragedy and honor the lives lost.” She added that in the aftermath of 9/11, New Yorkers demonstrated extraordinary courage, sacrifice, and bravery.
Former Presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden are expected to attend the 25th anniversary ceremony at the 9/11 Memorial in New York. Hillary Clinton, then a senator from New York, is remembered for her presence alongside then-Governor George Pataki and then-Mayor Rudolph Giuliani as they walked through the rubble after the attacks.
Additional Trump administration officials will attend the ceremony in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. Last year, Veterans Affairs Secretary Douglas Collins represented the administration at the Flight 93 Memorial, which is managed by the Department of the Interior. The memorial will hold a reading of names at 10:03 a.m. ET, marking the time United Flight 93 crashed into a field near U.S. Route 30 after passengers attempted to retake control from the hijackers.
Fox News Digital reached out to Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and State Treasurer Stacy Garrity for their plans regarding the 25th anniversary remembrance. Garrity will attend the Flight 93 Memorial in her official capacity as State Treasurer. Speaking as the GOP gubernatorial nominee, Garrity recalled September 11, 2001, as a bright morning that quickly turned tragic.
“But in the blink of an eye, in the skies over Lower Manhattan, along the shores of the Potomac, and in the fields of western Pennsylvania, our world was forever changed,” Garrity said. “Twenty-five years later, may God bless the heroes of Flight 93, the first responders to the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, and every American who answered the call to serve that day and in the years to follow: Let’s roll,” she added, quoting Flight 93 victim Todd Beamer, who famously led an effort to regain control of the plane from the terrorists.
The observances across the nation serve as a poignant reminder of the lives lost and the enduring impact of that fateful day, as communities come together to honor the memory of nearly 3,000 individuals who perished in the attacks.
According to Fox News, the ceremonies will reflect on the profound changes that 9/11 brought to the United States and the resilience shown by its citizens in the face of tragedy.