A day of infamy we must never forget

Associated Press/Gulnara SamoilovaStunned., and covered with dust, people make their way amid the debris and smoke of a suddenly alien landscape after the destruction of the World Trade Center towers on September 11, 2001.

It was eight years ago today when terror descended out of a clear blue sky and changed America forever.

The details of that horrifying day are still vividly clear.

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It was 8:46 a.m. when suicidal terrorists flew the hijacked American Airlines Flight 11 into the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

Just 17 minutes later, at 9:03 a.m., hijackers steered United Airlines Flight 175 into the South Tower. Those of us who were at the Advance that day are chilled when we remember it. The plane flew directly over our building in Staten Island's Grasmere community. We knew at the moment of the second impact that this was no accident. America was under attack.

Word came some 34 minutes later that another hijacked plane -- American Airlines Flight 77 -- had been flown into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. at 9:37 a.m.

The final blow fell 26 minutes later, when some of the 40 passengers aboard United Airlines Flight 93, having learned of the other attacks via their mobile phones, battled the hijackers for control of the plane. Their brave actions were preserved on the plane's flight data recorder. Rather than surrender, the terrorists crashed the airliner into a reclaimed coal strip mine near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. It was 10:03:11 a.m. on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. Nearly 3,000 innocent people -- loved ones, friends, neighbors, fellow citizens -- were dead.

The fires of that September morning burned for 100 days and propelled us into wars we are still fighting.

Here are some images from the day of the attacks in New York City. Some may find them painful to see. They open old wounds for us, and may do the same for you. We present them, not to cause further pain to those who, like us, suffered personal losses on that day. Rather we bring back these pictures so we remember that infamous day.

Like the Holocaust or the attack on Pearl Harbor, we must never forget this great outrage, this affront to humanity and civilized behavior, lest it be allowed to happen again. You are invited to comment and share your thoughts.