Washington DC, Sept. 11 -- The morning of September 11 in 2001 began like any other in New York City. Office workers hurried through crowded streets, tourists paused to admire the skyline, and vendors opened their stalls as sunlight glinted off the glass towers. The rhythm of daily life seemed unshaken -- until the sudden roar of jet engines broke the calm, and a plane crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center, turning an ordinary day into the opening chapter of the deadliest terrorist attack on American soil.

Moments after the initial crash, another plane crashed into the South Tower as onlookers stared at the devastating sight of the two towers turning into rubble in just a few moments.

Meanwhile, another plane tore into ...