America remembers September 11

The thousands killed on September 11 were being remembered where they died and across America today, the second anniversary of the terrorist attacks.

Cities were falling silent, names read aloud, wreaths laid and bells tolling for the dead.

Two years to the minute after hijackers crashed American Flight 11 into the World Trade Centre’s north tower, victims’ relatives and dignitaries were pausing in silence at Ground Zero. In Washington, President George Bush was observing the 8.46am (1.46pm Irish time) moment on the South Lawn of the White House.

At the trade centre, on a stage near where the north tower once stood, 200 children were taking turns reading the 2,792 names of people lost in the attack.

“I thought it would be a good way to honour my dad, and to honour the other people,” said 11-year-old Madilynn Morris, who was reciting 14 names, ending with her father, Seth Allan Morris.

The reading was pausing at three other moments – the crash of United Flight 175 into the south tower, the skyscraper’s collapse an hour later, and the collapse of the north tower about 30 minutes after that.

At the Pentagon, officials and families will mark with silence the moment another hijacked jet slammed into the Defence Department headquarters. The 9.37am (2.37pm Irish time) crash killed 125 people on the ground and 59 on the plane.

Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was attending a wreath-laying at Arlington National Cemetery in the morning, followed by a flag presentation at the Pentagon.

About 30 minutes after the Pentagon commemoration, bells were tolling in rural communities in south-western Pennsylvania to mark the time that the fourth hijacked plane plunged into a field there, killing all 40 passengers and crew.

Nationwide, Americans were marking the day with reminders of life, death and peace.

Twisted pieces of steel hauled from the trade centre ruins and shipped to other states for permanent memorials were serving as reminders of the disaster at remembrances from North Dakota to Florida. In New Mexico, for example, people will gather at a church where two steel beams from the trade centre now form part of the bell tower.

White doves were being released in Toledo, Ohio, after a recitation of victims’ names.

Scores of companies, large and small, were encouraging employees to spend the day doing good deeds – raising money, giving blood, and donating food and clothing at events in several cities.

Some hope the tradition will continue for years to come. One Day’s Pay, a non-profit organisation, is seeking to establish September 11 as an annual day of volunteer service.

From Delaware to California, fire departments planned processions and prayers to honour rescue workers who died in the assault. Motorcycle riders were raising money in Tampa, Florida, for the families of police officers, firefighters and US Special Operations forces who have died in the war on terror.

“It helps bring people together and it helps us feel united,” said Elaine Diaz, a spokeswoman for the fund-raiser.

During the Ground Zero reading in New York, families were descending a ramp into the seven-storey pit that was the trade centre basement, and placing flowers on the bedrock.

The trade centre programme – similar to last year’s three-hour memorial – was including readings by family members, former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, his successor, Michael Bloomberg, and the governors of New York and New Jersey. Following last year’s practice, speeches will be limited.

A children’s chorus was singing several songs, concluding the ceremony with America the Beautiful. As the evening sun sets, two beams pointing skyward will be switched on, invoking the image of the twin towers.