September 11, 2001: America Under Attack

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EXTRA - U.S. under attack
Tuesday, September 11, 2001
(Updated Thursday at 5:14 p.m.) In a staggering series of apparent terrorist attacks, two hijacked jetliners crashed into the World Trade Center towers in New York today, collapsing both 110-story buildings, and a third aircraft plowed into the Pentagon across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C.

Planes crash into World Trade Center
Tuesday, September 11, 2001
(Updated Thursday at 5:14 p.m.)Mounting an audacious attack against the United States, terrorists crashed two hijacked airliners into the World Trade Center and brought down the twin 110-story towers Tuesday morning. A jetliner also slammed into the Pentagon as the seat of government itself came under attack.

EXTRA - N.Y. scene a 'nightmare'
Tuesday, September 11, 2001
It was the scene of a nightmare: people on fire jumping in terror from the World Trade Center Towers just before the buildings collapsed.

Explosions shake Afghanistan capital
Tuesday, September 11, 2001
(Updated Thursday at 5:14 p.m.) Explosions could be heard early Wednesday north of the capital, in the vicinity of the airport. Large plumes of smoke were seen.
The explosions began around 2:30 a.m. and came in rapid succession, seconds apart, making buildings shudder.

Bush condemns attack in speech to nation
Tuesday, September 11, 2001
(Updated Thursday at 5:14 p.m.) A grim-faced President Bush condemened ghastly attacks in Washington and New York on Tuesday and vowed to "find those responsible and bring them to justice."

Plane crashes into Pentagon
Tuesday, September 11, 2001
(Updated Thursday at 5:15 p.m.) The Pentagon took a direct, devastating hit from an aircraft and the enduring symbols of American power were evacuated Tuesday as an apparent terrorist attack quickly spread fear and chaos in the nation's capital.

Video: Residents react to terrorist attack
Tuesday, September 11, 2001
(Updated Thursday at 4:04 p.m.)

State government reacts to terrorist attacks
Tuesday, September 11, 2001
(Updated Thursday at 5:15 p.m.) Planes were diverted to Kansas airports and security tightened at government buildings Tuesday following the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon.

Stock trading stopped after World Trade Center disaster
Tuesday, September 11, 2001
(Updated Thursday at 5:15 p.m.) Wall Street shut down Tuesday after two separate planes crashed into the World Trade Center.

New Yorkers unsettled by disaster
Tuesday, September 11, 2001
(Updated Thursday at 5:15 p.m.) Two New Yorkers whose parents live in Lawrence talked about being stunned Tuesday morning by the disaster that hit the World Trade Center, a few miles from their home.

United Airlines says two planes crashed, one near Pittsburgh
Tuesday, September 11, 2001
(Updated Thursday at 5:16 p.m.) Two United Airlines jetliners crashed Tuesday morning, one near Pittsburgh and the second at a location the airline did not immediately disclose. A total of 110 people were aboard the two planes, the airline said.

Blood center may help East Coast
Tuesday, September 11, 2001
By Terry Rombeck

Lawrence's Community Blood Center may help meet a shortage of blood in New York and Washington, D.C. Amanda Storm, donor recruitment representative, said the center is waiting to see if there is enough need to ship blood to the East Coast.

EXTRA - Plane targets Pentagon
Tuesday, September 11, 2001
The Pentagon took a direct, devastating hit from an aircraft and the enduring symbols of American power were evacuated today as an apparent terrorist attack quickly spread fear and chaos in the nation's capital.

Lawrence schools to remain in session
Tuesday, September 11, 2001
(Updated Thursday at 5:15 p.m.) By Jan Biles

Lawrence public schools will remain in session today, but all afterschool and nighttime activities have been canceled in response to the terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C., Julie Boyle, communications director for the district, said.

Tonganoxie Mirror: Access to Fort Leavenworth restricted
Tuesday, September 11, 2001
(Updated Tuesday at 7:15 p.m.) By Caroline Trowbridge

As a stunned nation watched Tuesday's terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, D.C., federal government sites in Leavenworth County increased security.

Tonganoxie: Locals are stunned by attacks
Tuesday, September 11, 2001
(Updated Thursday at 4:03 p.m.) By Lisa Scheller

At Tonganoxie High School Tuesday morning, stunned silence accompanied news reports of terrorist attacks. In the school library, John Bretthauer, a junior, watched television with classmates.

EXTRA - 'Terrorism against our nation will not stand'
Tuesday, September 11, 2001
A young advance worker whisked away the easel holding a chart that was to accompany an education pep talk, a blue curtain parted and President Bush walked briskly toward the presidential podium, set up in an elementary school media center. He turned toward the audience long enough to show a stunned, wide-eyed look.

EXTRA - Stunned residents await news
Tuesday, September 11, 2001
Guts churned. Hundreds were left momentarily breathless by the shock and horror of it all. That's how Lawrence residents responded to this morning's terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center in New York City and at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.

EXTRA - Events put area law enforcement agencies on the alert
Tuesday, September 11, 2001
Douglas County Sheriff's officers today kept a closer watch on the Judicial and Law Enforcement Center, but despite the bombings in New York and Washington operations here were near normal, officials said.

EXTRA - FAA order forces unscheduled landing at Lawrence airport
Tuesday, September 11, 2001
Two Kansas State University students had to make an unexpected landing at the Lawrence Municipal Airport this morning.

Children need to know truth, told simply
Tuesday, September 11, 2001
Parents overwhelmed by their own fear and confusion had one key question: What do we tell our children?

Passenger reported hijacking in cell phone call
Tuesday, September 11, 2001
A United Airlines jetliner crashed Tuesday morning in western Pennsylvania, the airline said. Minutes earlier, a man who said he was a passenger on the plane told an emergency dispatcher in a cell phone call: "We are being hijacked, we are being hijacked!"

Gasoline prices spike as Kansans fear shortage
Tuesday, September 11, 2001
(Updated Thursday at 4:02 p.m.) Fear of shortages in the nation's gasoline supply caused a spike in fuel prices Tuesday and sent Kansans scurrying to filling stations.

EXTRA - Lawrence watches as horror develops
Tuesday, September 11, 2001
Douglas County officials were watching this morning's events in Washington and New York but were taking few actions to raise security at public buildings in the community.

EXTRA - Red Cross ready to help
Tuesday, September 11, 2001
Twenty minutes after news hit the airwaves of the terroristic violence at the World Trade Center in New York City, calls began to pour into the Douglas County Chapter of the American Red Cross in Lawrence.

EXTRA - Travelers play waiting game as airlines grounded in terror's wake
Tuesday, September 11, 2001
With all U.S. air travel grounded today in the wake of plane crashes into the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., Lawrence travel agents are advising their customers to sit tight, wait by the phone and keep in touch with your travel professional.

EXTRA - Kansas University shares nation's grief
Tuesday, September 11, 2001
The Kansas Union — normally a gathering for KU students studying and chatting on a weekday morning — turned into a vigil hall this morning as students kept watch on terrorist attacks on the East Coast.

EXTRA - Media: 'Things will not again be the same'
Tuesday, September 11, 2001
The pictures are awful, the anchors grave, the television coverage careening from one disaster to the next.

EXTRA - Financial markets closed as 'safety precaution'
Tuesday, September 11, 2001
The U.S. financial markets came to a halt this morning after two separate planes crashed into the twin towers of the World Trade Center.

EXTRA - Investors urged to hold course
Tuesday, September 11, 2001
By Mark Fagan

A national disaster that destroyed both towers of the World Trade Center in New York, crashed into the Pentagon in Washington and shook the country's consciousness cannot shake the foundation of the U.S. financial markets, a Lawrence broker said.

EXTRA - Fed acts to calm markets
Tuesday, September 11, 2001
The Federal Reserve, seeking to provide assurances that the nation's banking system will be protected following the terrorist attacks, said today it stood ready to provide additional money to banks if needed.

EXTRA - Plane crashes in Pa.
Tuesday, September 11, 2001
A United Airlines plane crashed Tuesday morning just north of the Somerset County Airport, the airline said.

EXTRA - Terrorist attacks not unfamiliar in U.S.
Tuesday, September 11, 2001
Some recent terrorist attacks on U.S. targets

EXTRA - World reacts to terrorism in U.S.
Tuesday, September 11, 2001
Astonishing terrorist strikes in the United States quickly reached a global audience today, with many around the world watching live coverage as both World Trade Center towers collapsed.

EXTRA - In nation's capital, disbelief and calm rule the day
Tuesday, September 11, 2001
Downtown Washington this morning: A man stood on a corner, crying, saying, "I don't know what's happening." A woman sat in a convertible, listening to the radio, and suddenly put her hands to her head. "Oh, my God," she said. Siren pursued siren through paralyzed traffic, offices disgorged thousands onto sidewalks and, above it all, the pale gray smoke of a burning Pentagon drifted across the most blue of skies.