It’s 24 years since that morning in September when a collective America watched in disbelief as within two hours two hijacked passenger planes took down New York City’s two 110-story world trade towers.
By noon, two more hijacked planes went down, first, slamming into the Pentagon headquarters, followed by the forced crash of a fourth plane found incinerated in a field in Pennsylvania, its passengers having perished fighting the hijackers to avert them from their intended target thought to be the Capitol Building.
A new generation of young Americans will know of that morning as a historical event, but to the vast majority of Americans it remains, running like a film in our minds. At the mere mention of 9/11 we are there watching as the black deadly plumes rise into a brilliant blue sky, sending thousands of innocent lives down to their deaths.
We watched, all of us, from the streets of Manhattan, from our living rooms, our airports and train terminals, restaurants, coffee shops, main street shop windows, all across America, all across the world. The world stopped, stood still, forever changed, in one beautiful, blue-sky morning.
But that is not the only story of 9/11. The other story was how — at a time when New York City feared another attack — thousands of Americans fearlessly flocked there to help in any way they could. It was a day that went down in infamy, but it was also a time when, unlike the America this new generation of Americans inherited, united we stood.
The following public observances are planned this Thursday:
BEVERLY: A 9/11 memorial open house is planned at the Massachusetts Task Force 1 memorial site at 43 Airport Road. A memorial, embedded with a large piece of ravaged steel from the World Trade Center’s North Tower, is hosted by the first FEMA team to arrive at Ground Zero. The open house is an opportunity to remember the victims and see a piece of history connected to the attacks.
BOXFORD: A brief ceremony is typically held in front of East Fire Station starting at 9:55 a.m.
DANVERS: Danvers residents can participate in a town-wide moment of silence at 8:46 a.m. They can also participate in the digital tribute #RememberTheSky and share a photo of the sky on social media. A brief ceremony is also typically held at Danvers Fire Headquarters at 64 High St. at 10 a.m.
HAMILTON: The Hamilton Fire Department will host a memorial ceremony at 9:50 a.m. in front of the Public Safety Building. The brief service is an opportunity to honor the thousands who lost their lives that morning, as well as those who later died from illnesses related to the attacks’ aftermath.
IPSWICH: There will be a ceremony starting at 8:30 a.m. at the Ipswich Fire Department on Central Street.
MARBLEHEAD: At 10 a.m., Marblehead firefighters and police will gather in Memorial Park (corner of Pleasant and Essex streets) for a ceremony that will include moments of silence, prayers from local clergy, and recitations such as the Firefighters’ Prayer. The park offers benches for reflection.
MIDDLETON: A 9/11 remembrance ceremony organized by the Middleton Fire Department will be held at 9 a.m. in Couture Field, which is behind the Howe-Manning Elementary School. All are welcome to attend.
PEABODY: The city will observe the 24th anniversary of 9/11 with a memorial ceremony at 9:30 a.m. at the Public Safety Memorial on Perkins Street.
TOPSFIELD: A remembrance ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. on the Town Common in memory of the events that took place and the lives that were lost on 9/11.
SALEM: A brief remembrance ceremony is typically held at Fire Headquarters at 48 Lafayette St. in front of the 9/11 memorial, starting at 9:55 a.m., and lasting about 10 minutes.
SWAMPSCOTT: A brief ceremony is typically held at Swampscott Fire Station, 76 Burrill St., with an assembly beginning at 9:45 a.m. and the ceremony starting promptly at 10 o’clock.
WENHAM: All available Fire Department personnel and any guests who wish to join the assembly are invited to do so at 10 a.m. at the fire house, 140 Main St., to stand at attention in front of apparatus and maintain silence while the bell is rung 5-5-5-5 and the flag is lowered to half-staff. There will be a moment of complete silence followed by a prayer by the Rev. Sean Bendigo, the Fire Department chaplain, and a minute of complete silence, followed by the Police Officers Prayer by Chief Kevin DiNapoli, the Firefighters Prayer by Chief Stephen Kavanagh, and prayer and comments by police Chaplain Dean Pedersen.