9/11 Attack On Pentagon

The September 11, 2001, attack on the Pentagon came as part of the deadliest terrorist strikes in American history. Understandably overshadowed by the larger scale destruction of the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers, it remains an important event on its own. With 184 victims killed, the blow at the U.S. military headquarters in northern Virginia is the second most deadly terrorist strike in American history, smaller only than the simultaneous New York City attacks. This entry discusses the events of that day and rescue efforts following the attack. Despite widespread destruction and human toll, with technical and organizational problems amid the wider confusion of 9/11, the emergency response worked as well as could be hoped.

The attack began with the takeover of American Airlines Flight 77. ...