NEW YORK - On September 11, 2001, a total of 19 terrorists hijacked four airplanes, crashing two of them into the World Trade Center, one into the Pentagon and the fourth into a Pennsylvania field, killing thousands of Americans in the process and wreaking destruction that, in its aftermath, has continued to claim lives.More than 2,600 people perished at the World Trade Center, 125 people died at the Pentagon and 256 people died on four airplanes on that fateful day alone.Those who managed to survive the attacks recounted harrowing tales of what it was like to endure the onslaught of terror and destruction that day, and many of them marveled at how close they came to death.“Those of us who were on Capitol Hill Tuesday morning believe that.