Americans, led by President Barack Obama, on Thursday commemorated 13th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks by observing moments of silence for thousands of innocent people killed that day at the World Trade Center of New York City, the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field.
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U.S. President Barack Obama, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, and Gen. Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, listen to the national anthem during the September 11th Observance Ceremony at the Pentagon Memorial in Arlington, Va., Sept. 11, 2014. [Photo/White House] |
As an annual ritual, relatives began reciting names of the nearly 3,000 victims killed at a ceremony held Thursday morning in lower Manhattan, New York City. They paused six moments after a silver bell was rung to mark the timing when each plane hit the twin towers and when each tower fell, as well as the timing of the attacks on the Pentagon and on Flight 93 that crashed into the Pennsylvania field.
With tolling of the bell, a moment of silence was observed.
While addressing the relatives of the 184 people killed in the attack carried on the Department of Defense Headquarters, President Obama said they had offered "the ultimate rebuke to the hatred of those who attacked us that bright, blue morning."
"Thirteen years after small and hateful minds conspired to break us. America stands tall and America stands still," said Obama. "No matter what comes our way, America will always come out stronger." "We carry on, because, as Americans, we do not give in to fear -- ever."
Before that, President Obama and First Lady Michelle, who were joined by Vice President Joseph Joe Biden and White House staff, also gathered under partly cloudy skies on the South Lawn of the White House and observed a moment of silence at 8:46 a.m. of the day, the time when the first hijacked airliner struck the World Trade Center in New York City.