For veterans, the upcoming September 11 anniversary is especially significant because 2026 marks the 25th anniversary of the attacks, a milestone that is generating larger commemorations and renewed attention to the long-term impact on service members, first responders, and military families. 

As Americans pause to remember 9/11 — the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon and the crash of Flight 93 in Pennsylvania — haunting images of destruction, courage and sacrifice likely leap to mind. Many of us can remember exactly where we were and what we were doing when we learned of the attacks.

Pentagon Attack: Rarely seen photos can still offer a unique perspective of the moments of that day that have shaped who we have become as a nation and military in the aftermath of the terror attacks.