On the 20th anniversary of 9/11, America honors the memory of those who were lost – USA TODAY

NEW YORK — For the 20th time, America will pause for, read the names of and remember the nearly 3,000 people killed in the Sept. 11 attacks that stunned and forever changed the nation.

In New York City, at the Pentagon and outside Shanksville, Pennsylvania, ceremonies to remember the attacks that occurred there 20 years ago are being held Saturday, and President Joe Biden plans to visit each site.

The 20th anniversary of the attacks comes amid the United States’ chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, a war started in response to the attacks and one that has left many 9/11 families and survivors, veterans and Americans with mixed emotions.

On Sept. 11, 2001, 19 al-Qaida hijackers took control of four U.S. commercial airplanes in a plot to attack major U.S. landmarks. Two of the planes toppled the World Trade Center’s twin towers in New York. One crashed into the Pentagon in northern Virginia. Another, headed toward Washington, D.C., careened into a field in Pennsylvania after the passengers and crew fought back to take control.

The attacks prompted the war in Afghanistan weeks later, followed by the war in Iraq in 2003. They changed America’s domestic security and surveillance infrastructure. Islamophobia and anti-Muslim bigotry intensified across America in the years that followed. 

As the country moves another year further from the attacks, more first responders and survivors have since died from 9/11 illnesses than on the day itself. Those illnesses were developed after being exposed to the toxins at the attack sites, which has made many more vulnerable to COVID-19. Meanwhile, there’s a growing focus on educating a younger generation with no memory of that day.

With the 20th anniversary, “the nation faces a transformative moment with awareness of 9/11 transitioning from memory to history,” said Alice Greenwald, president and CEO of the National September 11 Memorial and Museum.

USA TODAY Network reporters and photographers are covering the ceremonies in New York City, Shanksville and at the Pentagon. Refresh this page for the latest updates.

Here’s a look at what’s happening Saturday:

• In New York City, the annual reading of the names and Tribute in Light will occur at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum.
• A private ceremony at the Pentagon will be held, with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, taking part.
• In Shanksville, the names of the passengers and crew members will be read as the Bells of Remembrance the National Memorial site are rung.

Where will the former presidents be?

America’s former presidents will mark the 20th anniversary of 9/11 publicly and privately Saturday.

Former President George W. Bush, who was commander in chief during the attacks, will deliver keynote remarks Saturday morning at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville. He’ll then head to Dallas with his wife, Laura, for a screening of the documentary “9/11: Inside the President’s War Room” at the George W. Bush Presidential Center.

Former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, will attend the ceremony at Ground Zero in New York, the site of the two World Trade Center towers.

America’s oldest living former president will mark the anniversary in private. Former President Jimmy Carter, 96, is not scheduled to appear publicly on Saturday.

Staff for former presidents Bill Clinton and Donald Trump didn’t respond to a request for comment, however Trump is slated to provide commentary Saturday night during a boxing match between in Florida.

– Rick Rouan, USA TODAY

Follow Breaking News Reporter Ryan Miller on Twitter @RyanW_Miller. Contact News Now Reporter Christine Fernando at cfernando@usatoday.com or follow her on Twitter at @christinetfern.

Read more on the Sept. 11 attacks:

By the numbers: Facts from a tragic day in American history

Did 9/11 permanently change life in the US? More Americans say so than ever before

The photo of a grieving 9/11 son was unforgettable. 20 years on, he recalls his mom’s sacrifice.

9/11 hijackers were ‘hiding in plain sight’ before the 2001 attacks. How did they do it?