New York, Sept 11: The thousands killed on September 11 will be honoured where they died and across America on the second anniversary of the terrorist attacks today, with cities falling silent, names read aloud, wreaths laid and bells tolling for the dead. Two years to the minute after hijackers crashed American flight 11 into the World Trade Center's North Tower, victims' relatives and dignitaries will pause in silence at Ground Zero. In Washington, President George W Bush will observe the 8:46 am. (1916 IST) moment on the South Lawn of the White House.
At the Trade Center, on a stage near where the North Tower once stood, 200 children will take turns reading the 2,792 names of people lost in the attack.
"I thought it would be a good way to honour my dad, and to honour the other people," said 11-year-old Madilynn Morris, who will recite 14 names, ending with her father, Seth Allan Morris.
The reading will pause at three other moments -- the crash of United flight 175 into the South Tower, the skyscraper's collapse an hour later, and the collapse of the North Tower about 30 minutes after that.
At the Pentagon, officials and families will mark with silence the moment another hijacked jet slammed into the Defence Department headquarters. The 9:37 am (1907 IST) crash killed 125 people on the ground and 59 on the plane. Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld will attend a wreath-laying at Arlington National Cemetery in the morning, followed by a flag presentation at the Pentagon.
About 30 minutes after the Pentagon commemoration, bells will toll in rural communities in southwestern Pennsylvania to mark the time that the fourth hijacked plane plunged into a field there, killing all 40 passengers and crew.
Nationwide, Americans will mark the day with reminders of life, death and peace.
Twisted pieces of steel hauled from the trade center ruins and shipped to other states for permanent memorials will serve as reminders of the disaster at remembrances from North Dakota to Florida. In New Mexico, for example, people will gather at a church where two steel beams from the trade center now form part of the bell tower.
White doves will be released in Toledo, Ohio, after a recitation of victims' names. Scores of companies, large and small, are encouraging employees to spend the day doing good deeds -- raising money, giving blood, and donating food and clothing at events in several cities.
Some hope the tradition will continue for years to come. One day's pay, a nonprofit organisation, is seeking to establish September 11 as an annual day of volunteer service.
From Delaware to California, fire departments planned processions and prayers to honour rescue workers who died in the assault. Motorcycle riders will raise money in Tampa, Florida, for the families of police officers, firefighters and US Special Operations forces who have died in the war on terror. Bureau Report