Video series: 25 years after 9/11, reflections on the attacks, the response and a more unified America

Twenty-five years ago, al-Qaida terrorists hijacked four commercial jets, flying two of them into the World Trade Center’s twin towers in New York and a third into the Pentagon. The fourth plane, believed to be bound for Washington, crashed into a Shanksville, Penn., field after passengers and crew fought back against the hijackers.

Nearly 3,000 people were killed in the attacks.

The 9/11 attacks spurred an extraordinary surge of national unity — a country united across party lines and resolved to respond decisively to the incursion. Within weeks, the U.S. military — backed by NATO allies responding to the first-ever invocation of the alliance’s mutual-defense clause — launched an invasion of Afghanistan to target al-Qaida and the country’s Taliban rulers who had granted the group safe harbor.

Thousands of Americans in the aftermath of the attack flooded military recruiting stations, feeling the call to serve in response to 9/11. Nearly 255,000 Americans enlisted in the year after the attack — the largest recruitment surge in decades.

The Global War on Terrorism would last some two decades, expanding as the United States invaded Iraq in 2003 and targeted terrorists operating in countries around the world.

Twenty-five years later, polling data shows Americans are severely divided on values and politics.

Stars and Stripes spent recent weeks speaking with Americans impacted by the 9/11 attacks — those who were in the Pentagon when it was struck, those who enlisted in the aftermath and some who went to war seeking revenge for the attack. Many said they believed the country today is too divided, but several said they were optimistic the nation could still come together.

What were you doing on 9/11?

Sept. 11, 2001, began as an ordinary day for many people, but in a matter of hours, everything changed.

What were you doing on 9/11 at the Pentagon? Part 1

On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, thousands of people arrived at the Pentagon just like any other workday. Inside, military personnel and civilian employees carried out their daily responsibilities — unaware their lives were about to change forever.

What were you doing on 9/11 at the Pentagon? Part 2

Last time I saw her, part 1

Shortly after 9 a.m. on Sept. 11, 2001, Pentagon workers, sisters Katherine Dalliber and Patricia Mickley, prepped to say their goodbyes after a having a chat. It was the last time they saw each other. 

Last time I saw her, part 2

After the plane hit the Pentagon, Dalliber searched for Mickley. It would be a long time before she received an answer. Mickley was one of the 125 civilians and service members working at the Pentagon who died in the attacks.

Reporting at the Pentagon on 9/11

Sandra Jontz, at the time a Pentagon reporter for Stars and Stripes wasn’t simply covering history — she was living it. From inside the building and in the aftermath, Jontz witnessed the chaos, courage and human cost of that unforgettable day.

After 9/11, I wanted to serve

Sept. 11 left America shocked, angry and searching for answers. Some young Americans felt a deeper sense of duty and chose to serve their country. They raised their hands, took and oath and entered the military knowing their lives likely would change forever.

It was personal, 9/11 and the aftermath

Sept. 11, 2001, changed the United States forever. For those who were directly affected by 9/11, it wasn’t just history — it was personal. It was fear, loss, survival and the uncertainty of what came next. This is the story of the people who lived through that day and carried its impact long after the smoke cleared.

Can we come together? Twenty-five years after 9/11

Twenty-five years after Sept. 11, 2001, we remember a moment when Americans stood together, united by tragedy and a shared sense of purpose. Can we find the same unity that brought Americans together after 9/11?