NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas Full Episode - Sept. 11

America remembers we are live from the World Trade Center site just above from where the twin towers once stood 25 years after that horrific attack on 9.11. The nation comes together to honor the lives lost. From ground zero and across America, the powerful moments of remembrance. The heroes. The lives lost. A day that changed America and the world. In New York, the procession of families reading almost 3,000 days. Well, let me out there before living ex-presidents gathered at ground zero. President Trump marking the moment at the Pentagon. We will never ever forget as families gathered on the sacred ground of Shanksville Pennsylvania. 7th moment of silence. For the thousands who have lost their lives from 9.11 linked illnesses. Stories of heroism. My interview with the first fire chief on the scene. It's in his own brother into the towers and that would be the last moment that I saw my brother can. The South Tower survivors who somehow got out alive, even though a plane had struck the floors below them, how do you not stop investigating. And stories that will never leave. Like the flag raised above the rubble once missed now found the mystery of the men who raised it up it brought unity to everybody. And we remember the unity in the wake of the attacks, New Yorkers lining the streets. As the nation comes together once again. To never forget what happened on that day 25 years. This is NBC nightly news. 9.11 America remembers reporting tonight from ground zero. Here is Tom. And good evening and we thank you for joining us on this special edition of nightly news as we mark 25 years since the September 11th attacks on America. We are live above ground zero in lower Manhattan, a site that has become hallowed ground. Just below me there the reflecting pools where the 2 towers one stood now monuments to the nearly 3,000 people who lost their lives that day around the pools look closely the names of every one of them etched for eternity. Today we saw roses and flags placed on them. 25 years is a long time children born after the attacks have now graduated college, but today despite that time the memories are still so fresh for everyone who watched the terror of that day play out on live TV, but especially for the families who gathered here at ground zero for the servicemen and women and civilians who survived the attack on the Pentagon and the loved ones of those who did not and for the relatives who gathered in Shanksville Pennsylvania today to honor those heroes who took down a flight themselves saving countless others. We're going to take you to all of those locations and share those stories of heroism and of loss and we have new reporting tonight, the CIA releasing for the first time some of the clear warnings presented to presidents in the lead-up to 9.11. But we begin with today's solemn milestone and our pledge as a nation to never forget. 25 years later, the nation remembering one of our darkest days that forever change the course of history. In New York City among the many dignitaries all 4 former and living presidents along with the former first ladies and vice president J D Vance it was a somber day of remembrance family still feeling the wrong motion. Roses and flags seen among the inscribed names at the memorial. The n y p d f d n y and Port Authority police departments performing taps in unison. At 0846 AM Americans pause for the first moment of silence when American Airlines flight 11 crashed into the North Tower. At 9.03 AM a second moment of silence when United Airlines flight 175 hit the South Tower. It was 25 years ago. 2,977 victims killed in the September 11th 2001 attacks. The deadliest terror attack on us soil. What terrorist hijacked 4 commercial planes to fly into the World Trade Center a 3rd into the Pentagon and a 4th intended to go to Washington DC but crashed near Shanksville Pennsylvania. Joseph Pfeiffer was the first fdny fire chief to arrive at the twin towers during the attacks. You can hear him radioing in for help. What is usually the first memory that hits you. The first thing that hits me is watching the first plane. In and crash into the North Tower of the World Trade Center every first responder that came that day. New they were cold going to the most dangerous fire of their lives and seeing that on their faces. It is something I always hold. It would also be the last day he would see his younger brother lieutenant Kevin fight. I gave him an order said go up. Take a unit and evacuate the building and I saw my brother turn around and started to to climb the narrow stairs of the trade center. And that would be the last moment. That is for my brother Kevin. He then made the difficult decision to evacuate the North Tower before collapse saving many lives. It was probably the first time in history that a fire chief for the firefighters out with thousands of people still in the building, you never forgot. Today in New York families reading the names of every single victim to the best uncle that I never met including from family members born after 9.11. Early this morning at the Pentagon, an American flag was unfurled to honor the 184 victims. It was a clear and sunny day when American Airlines flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon. Today, president Trump and the first lady Melania Trump honoring all those lives lost the 25 years since have shown us the even greater power of the American spirit to endure and prevail and to win. And today our country is stronger. That it has ever been honor Elizabeth. And in Shanksville Pennsylvania, Thomas Edward Burnett junior more remembrances for those on United Airlines flight 93. We're 40 passengers and crew forced the plane from reaching its intended target in Washington DC and crashed into the ground. Emily, a kid is there the design of the National Memorial near the final seconds of like 93 coming along the wall of names here now adorned in flowers before ultimately crashing in the field out there only loved ones of the victims are permitted to access that secret space. Back in New York, the memories from 25 years ago are still wrong. That was the day that New York really took a punch to the gut are and Thompson remembers that terrifying day. You can just see this wall of debris come flying at us when that does cleared what did you see. What I saw was first of all outside it looked like a nuclear Holocaust, I mean it was just inches and inches of this dust on the street. And it was very quiet, it was really quiet. And for the first time a 7th moment of silence at the 9.11 Memorial to remember the thousands who have since died from 9.11 related to health conditions trace back to the exposure to that toxic dust and debris. It has now far surpassed the number of people who died on 9.11. My uncle court officer Mitchell Scott Wallace Logan Miller was just 7 when he lost his uncle Mitchell Wallace he later lost his grandfather can it due to a 9.11 related illness, it's 25 years, what do you hope happen to the next 25. Yeah, so you know we have a new generation who's alive that wasn't alive during 9.11 really important for my generation to think how do we pass on the memories of those who lost but also those who have been lost in the year since 9.11. The toll of America's greatest tragedy still growing tonight. We do have some breaking news related to 9.11 right now and newly declassified CIA briefings showing presidents Bill Clinton and George W Bush were repeatedly warned of potential a high tax before 9.11. Gabe Gutierrez joins us down Gabe one briefing of president Clinton said Osama bin Laden supporters might use a plane in a terror attack. Yes, Tom that briefing came in September of 1998 and warned that al Qaeda may fly an explosive packed airplane into a U.S. city possibly Washington. And by August 2001 intelligence officials were warning of suspicious activity inside the U.S. consistent with preparations for hijackings or other attacks now importantly these documents do not show that officials knew the specific 9.11 plot in advance. The briefings to president Clinton and Bush lack definitive information about precisely how or when the al Qaeda attacks might take place. The 25 years later they offer some more details about the warning signs and the failure to put those pieces together in time Tom. Gabe Gutierrez live at the White House for escape. Thank you when we return in 60 seconds from here at ground zero when the South Tower was hit 2 strangers made it out alive together, but how this is one of the most compelling stories you'll hear from that day next. Welcome back as a local reporter here in New York City, I reported a story that has never left me 2 men who survived the South Tower attack they did something no one in the North Tower was able to do get out alive even though they were working on floors at or higher than where the plane struck their building. How did they do that 25 years later, I've asked them to share it one more time. Everyone who escaped the twin towers on September 11th has a story. But the one that unites these 2 men is one of the most incredible. On 9.11 at 9.03 a.m. with the North Tower already burning Stanley Freeman was in the South Tower on the 81st floor when something caught his eye what I saw is a giant airplane great in color. The plane is being down in the nose to nose and the plane is coming towards me. I don't know why I said what I'm about to tell you Lord I can do this you take over. That's all I said I do want to do this and within like 6 seconds. What's the most fun of the sound you can ever imagine is just my age. You come out from your desk, what do you see it looks like a war zone, every wall is flattened and all the furniture's us mingle and the impression so great is sucking everything out. A large chunk of this plane. I was stuck in the office do we have a 20 feet from where my desk was 3 floors above Stanley Brian Clarke couldn't believe what he was feeling. For 5 seconds the building swayed toward the Hudson did you know that a plane hit the bill I I didn't know what had happened other than the moment, it hit I knew it was terrible. He grabbed this flash. Some co-workers and headed down the fire exit when they ran into a woman coming up. She said you can't go down there's smoke and flames and in the pause the debate started should we go up should we go down, but also in that cause I hear this banging noise inside the 81st floor. I started to scream Lord please send somebody anybody to help me. And that first cream and ice cream. I couldn't hear a response. But somebody at the other end of the floor had a flashlight shining shining the flashlight like this over his head, the person saying bang on the wall. I don't know where you want some hitting the wall the persons I can hear you know climb over. And he jumped once and I missed he jumped a second time and I lifted him up over the wall and his weight coming at me to the desk over we fell in a pile of debris and and this man the stranger gave me a big kiss and I kind of dusted myself off and I said I'm Brian he said I'm Stanley will be brothers forever. Arm in arm, they made their way down 81 flights of stairs coming across the site that still haunts them 25 years later. It was a guy who's dying in front of you dying in front there and he's crying out. We just got married. It's to my wife and our baby that I love them. I can hear that cry. Every night. As they kept heading down on the 15th floor, Brian wanted to slow down, but Stanley pushed to go faster. They made it to the Plaza level run towards Trinity Church when they felt the ground by. And I said there's no way that's a steel structure and I didn't finish my sense. The next thing you know the building starts to implode. Brian lost 61 colleagues Stanley 18 nearly 3,000 people died that day. And these 2 men say the only reason they're alive is because of each other. The fact that Stanley and I have our interaction on that floor making noise calling me and knowing not knowing who I was. Yeah, I'm alive because that happened he went in and he saved you when a lot of people might just kept walking. I think this man is my guardian angel. I really believe that with all my heart. How do you not stop investigate? I would have died. Brothers bonded by 9.11. We're back in a moment with the story and the mystery behind this iconic image. Stay with us. Back now with an image that has become emblazoned on to the American side, but we know so little about the men behind it. Here's Stephanie goss 25 years ago today with the ruins of the World Trade Center towers smoldering 3 firefighters grabbed a flag and out of the rubble found a pole to fly it from Tom Franklin took the photo we see what they look like but anything beyond that you can say about them. Yeah, they were greedy they look a little worried and concerned like the rest of us. The resilience and the patriotism amid a backdrop of destruction told the story of the shocking day in a single image. It spread across headlines. But since then those 3 firefighters have rarely spoken. Nobody there had any idea that there was pictures being taken. Jack Hodgins was George Johnson and Danny McWilliams lieutenant the 3rd firefighter was Billy eisengren Danny found the flag at a marina near ground 0. Knowing him what do you think motivated him to go and do that I believe that he recognized that anything could be done to raise the morale to to kind of rally the troops. This was the time but the photo rallied more than just the firefighters United the country. It was a very patriotic moment where you're proud to be an American. In the weeks following 9.11 they gave a few interviews and were invited to the White House, but since then essentially public silence from the trio. They just want the integrity of that day. The reason they did it. And the great outcome what it produced to remain. What it was the photo was being compared to the historic image of the Battle of Iwo Jima and it was made into a commemorative stamp. How did it affect their lives. Honestly I think they just carried on with their careers. George became a battalion chief and he became a lieutenant and they just always kept quiet about all 3 are retired from As for the flag after years of being missing it is now showcased at the 9.11 museum alongside the photo. If I had them sitting right in front of me and I asked them what do you want the 25th anniversary to be about what would they say. I think they would say that it's a reflection on all the laws. You know, a model in the fire department is never forget. And still helping the country to never forget. The image of 3 firefighters raising a flag as the sun set on 9.11 Stephanie Goss NBC News. When we come back why we need to teach the meaning of this solemn day. Finally as we reflect on 25 years since the attacks of 9.11 one thing that has come up in our reporting and discussions around the newsroom is how some in this country know so little about this tragic event. Part of the issue is roughly 30% of Americans right now we're not yet born on September 11th 2001. So in many ways it's up to each one of us to embrace the mantra never forget. But now carry a new one. We must teach teach about the extremism that led to the murders of thousands. Teach about those who rushed into buildings turned infernos because it was their duty to help teach about the heroism of the passengers on a hijacked plane who fought back giving their own lives to save others teach about those who worked on recovery and cleanup on the sites of the attacks and the impact on their lives years later because of that toxic dust and teach about those who enlisted after 9.11 answering that patriotic call to serve in wars that would last decades. The space behind me is where the tower stood to those who don't know it may appear to be an empty space. But if you know about 9.11 you can see and you can feel the suffering and sacrifice that reached to the heavens. We must teach so we never forget. That's not the news for this Friday. I'm Tom yamas tonight and always we're here for you.