7:58 a.m. - United Airlines Flight 175 departs Boston for Los Angeles,
carrying 56 passengers, two pilots, and seven flight attendants. The
Boeing 767 is hijacked after takeoff and diverted to New York.
7:59 a.m. - American Airlines Flight 11 departs Boston for Los
Angeles, carrying 81 passengers, two pilots, and nine flight
attendants. This Boeing 767 is also hijacked and diverted to New York.
8:01 a.m. - United Airlines Flight 93, a Boeing 757 carrying 38
passengers, two pilots, and five flight attendants, leaves Newark, N.J.,
for San Francisco.
8:10 a.m. - American Airlines Flight 77 departs Washington's
Dulles International Airport for Los Angeles, carrying 58 passengers,
two pilots, and four flight attendants. The Boeing 757 is hijacked
after takeoff.
8:46 a.m. - American Flight 11 from Boston crashes into the North
Tower at the World Trade Center.
9 a.m. – Bush arrives at Sarasota, Fla., school for speech. White House chief of staff Andrew Card tells him a
plane has crashed into the World Trade Center.
9:03 a.m. - United Flight 175 from Boston crashes into the South
Tower at the World Trade Center.
- U.S. Federal Aviation Administration shuts down all New
York area airports.
9:05 a.m. – Bush is visiting a second-grade class when Card whispers to him that a second plane has struck the
towers. President delays plans to address the tragedy, deciding to get more information first.
9:21 a.m. - Bridges and tunnels leading into New York City
are closed.
9:25 a.m. - All domestic flights are grounded by U.S. Federal
Aviation Administration.
9:30 a.m. – Bush meets privately with National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, who briefs him. He delivers
first remarks on the tragedy.
9:45 a.m. - American Flight 77 crashes into The Pentagon.
10 a.m. – Aboard Air Force One en route to Louisiana, Bush calls Vice President Dick Cheney and puts America's
military on a high alert status. Sifts through reports from staff, including erroneous report that a car bomb had
struck the State Department. Gets news that plane has crashed near Pittsburgh.
10:05 a.m. - The South Tower at the World Trade Center collapses.
10:05 a.m. - The White House is evacuated.
10:10 a.m. - A large section of one side of The Pentagon collapses.
10:10 a.m. - United Flight 93 crashes in a wooded area in
Pennsylvania, after passengers confront hijackers.
10:28 a.m. - The North Tower at the World Trade Center collapses.
11:40 a.m. – Bush arrives at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., where he makes series of telephone calls from a
general's conference room. Tells Cheney in telephone call, "It's the faceless coward that attacks." He also talks
to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and New York Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.
1:15 p.m. – Bush departs conference room for Air Force One in a camouflaged Humvee. Talks to Cheney again
en route to Nebraska air force base and schedules a 4 p.m. meeting of his national security staff. Also talks to
New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Gov. George Pataki. "I know your heart is broken and your city is strained
and anything we can do, let me know," Bush says.
3:07 p.m. – Bush arrives at U.S. Strategic Command at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska.
4:36 p.m. – Bush departs for Washington. En route, he calls first lady Laura Bush and says, "I'm coming home,
see you at the White House." Works with aides on his prime-time speech.
7 p.m. – Bush arrives at White House to prepare for address.
8:30 p.m. – Bush speaks to nation (text below).
8:35 p.m. – Bush attends national security meeting.
10:21 p.m. – Meeting has ended. Secret Service radio squawks with news that Bush has gone home to bed:
"Trailblazer. Second floor of the residence."
Good evening. Today, our fellow citizens, our way of life, our very freedom came under attack
in a series of deliberate and deadly terrorist acts. The victims were in airplanes or in their
offices: secretaries, business men and women, military and federal workers, moms and
dads, friends and neighbors.
Thousands of lives were suddenly ended by evil, despicable acts of terror.
The pictures of airplanes flying into buildings, fires burning, huge structures collapsing have filled
us with disbelief, terrible sadness and a quiet, unyielding anger.
These acts of mass murder were intended to frighten our nation into chaos and retreat. But
they have failed. Our country is strong. A great people has been moved to defend a great nation.
Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch
the foundation of America. These acts shatter steel, but they cannot dent the steel of
American resolve.
America was targeted for attack because we're the brightest beacon for freedom and
opportunity in the world. And no one will keep that light from shining.
Today, our nation saw evil, the very worst of human nature, and we responded with the best
of America, with the daring of our rescue workers, with the caring for strangers and neighbors
who came to give blood and help in any way they could.
Immediately following the first attack, I implemented our government's emergency response
plans. Our military is powerful, and it's prepared. Our emergency teams are working in New
York City and Washington, D.C., to help with local rescue efforts.
Our first priority is to get help to those who have been injured and to take every precaution
to protect our citizens at home and around the world from further attacks.
The functions of our government continue without interruption. Federal agencies in
Washington which had to be evacuated today are reopening for essential personnel
tonight and will be open for business tomorrow.
Our financial institutions remain strong, and the American economy will be open for
business as well.
The search is underway for those who are behind these evil acts.
I've directed the full resources for our intelligence and law enforcement communities to find
those responsible and bring them to justice. We will make no distinction between the
terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbor them.
I appreciate so very much the members of Congress who have joined me in strongly
condemning these attacks. And on behalf of the American people, I thank the many world
leaders who have called to offer their condolences and assistance.
America and our friends and allies join with all those who want peace and security in the
world and we stand together to win the war against terrorism.
Tonight I ask for your prayers for all those who grieve, for the children whose worlds have
been shattered, for all whose sense of safety and security has been threatened. And I pray
they will be comforted by a power greater than any of us spoken through the ages in Psalm
23: "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil for you
are with me."
This is a day when all Americans from every walk of life unite in our resolve for justice and
peace. America has stood down enemies before, and we will do so this time.
None of us will ever forget this day, yet we go forward to defend freedom and all that is
good and just in our world.
Thank you. Good night and God bless America.
