September 11 eyewitnesses recount events at White House and Pentagon

On the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, eyewitnesses and journalists are reflecting on the events of that day.

Eric Draper, the chief White House photographer for President George W. Bush, recounted being present in a Florida classroom when the president was informed that America was under attack. Draper documented the president's reaction and the subsequent emergency movement of the presidential motorcade toward Air Force One, noting that advisors instructed staff to remove batteries from cell phones to avoid being traced. The presidential aircraft eventually landed at military bases in Louisiana and Nebraska for safety.

In Arlington, Virginia, reports from the scene at the Pentagon describe the immediate aftermath of the airplane attack. Witnesses observed large plumes of smoke over the Crystal City area and described the evacuation of employees, including military personnel and civilians, from the building. Emergency responders and FBI agents worked to secure the area, designating the parking lot as a crime scene while managing crowds amidst communication failures caused by the inability to use wireless phones.