Looking back and ahead, America remembers 9/11

NEW YORK (AP) -- Determined never to forget but perhaps ready to move on, the nation gently handed Sept. 11 over to history Sunday and etched its memory on a new generation. A stark memorial took its place where twin towers once stood, and the names of the lost resounded from children too young to remember terror from a decade ago.
In New York, Washington and Pennsylvania, across the United States and the world, people carried out rituals now as familiar as they are heartbreaking: American flags unfurled at the new World Trade Center tower and the Eiffel Tower, and tears shed at the base of the Pentagon and a base in Iraq.
President Barack Obama quoted the Bible and spoke of finding strength in fear. George W. Bush, still new to the presidency that day, invoked the national sacrifice of the Civil War. Vice President Joe Biden said hope must grow from tragedy. (50 images)

People pause by the waterfall pool at the National September 11 Memorial before a planned ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the attacks at the World Trade Center site, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011, in New York. Matt Rourke / AP

President Barack Obama, right, first lady Michelle Obama, second from right, former President George W. Bush second from left, and former first lady Laura Bush arrive at the National September 11 Memorial for a ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the attacks at World Trade Center, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011 in New York. 1 Mary Altaffer / AP

President Barack Obama, foreground, runs his hand along the names on the Sept. 11 memorial as former President George W. Bush, Laura Bush and Michelle Obama look on during a visit to the memorial during the 10th anniversary ceremony at the site of the World Trade Center Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011, in New York. Timothy A. Clary / AP

President Barack Obama, right, first lady Michelle Obama, second from right, former President George W. Bush, second from left, and former first lady Laura Bush observe a moment of silence at the National September 11 Memorial for a ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the attacks at World Trade Center, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011, in New York. Mary Altaffer / AP

Former first lady Laura Bush, from left, former President George W. Bush, first lady Michelle Obama and President Barack Obama hold hands to their hearts during the national anthem as friends and relatives of the victims of 9/ 11 gather for a ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the attacks at the National September 11 Memorial at the World Trade Center site, Sunday, September 11, 2011, in New York. April Saul / Philadelphia Inquirer

President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama and former President George W. Bush visit North Memorial Pond at the National Sept. 11th Memorial Sunday, Sept., 11, 2011 in New York.1 Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP

President Barack Obama, looks upwards as he visits the North Memorial Pond with first lady Michelle Obama, not visible, and ormer President George W. Bush and former first lady Laura Bush, not visible, visit North Memorial Pond at the National Sept. 11th MemorialSunday, Sept., 11, 2011 in New York. Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP

Police and firefighters march in formation as they carry a folded flag past one of the memorial pools at the Sept. 11 memorial, during the 10th anniversary observance of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011, in New York, N.Y. Seth Wenig / AP

A woman at the National September 11 Memorial, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011, mourns the loss of her son who died during during attacks at the World Trade Center, Sept. 11, 2001. Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times

Alicia Bergstein, center, comforts her children Devin Bergstein, left, and Adrianna Bergstein while visiting the National September 11 Memorial at the World Trade Center site in New York, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011. Daniel Bergstein, Alicia husband and the childrens' father, was killed in the Sept. 11 2001 terrorist attacks. Seth Wenig / AP

Mourners pay their respects at the north pool of the National September 11 Memorial during a ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the attacks at World Trade Center, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011 in New York. Mary Altaffer / AP

Madhu Narula, of Kings Park, N.Y., reacts after hearing the name of her daughter, Manika Narula, pictured on shirt below, as the names of the victims of 9/11 are read during a ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the attacks at the National September 11 Memorial at the World Trade Center site, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011, in New York. Jason DeCrow / AP

Family members of those who died in the Sept. 11, 2001 World Trade Center attacks, gather at the edge of the north reflecting pool of the Sept. 11 memorial during 10th anniversary ceremonies at the site, in New York, Sunday Sept. 11, 2011. Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

A woman cries over a name on the edge of the south pool at the National September 11 Memorial in New York during the ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011. Timothy A. Clary / AP

Vasantha Velamuri, whose husband, Sankara Sastry Velamuri, was killed in the 9/ 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, mourns at the place where his name is inscribed on the Sept. 11 memorial at the World Trade Center site in New York during a ceremony to mark the 10th anniversary of the attacks Sunday, September 11, 2011. Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times

A woman cries over a name inscribed on the edge of the north pool at the National September 11 Memorial in New York during the ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011. Justin Lane / AP

Rita Cullen, right, traces her son firefighter Tom Cullen's name from the engraving at the south pool of the National September 11 Memorial during a ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the attacks at World Trade Center, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011 in New York. Mary Altaffer / AP

A family gathers beside the name of their loved one early on the morning of the tenth anniversary ceremonies at the site of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2011 in New York City. Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times

People gather during a ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011, outside the World Trade Center site in New York. Oded Balilty / AP

A man kneels during a ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011, outside the World Trade Center site in New York. Oded Balilty / AP

People gather during a ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011, outside the World Trade Center site in New York. Oded Balilty / AP

Maggie McCormick, of New Canaan, Conn., right center, cries as time is marked when Flight 93 crashed in Shanksville, Pa., during the 10th anniversary ceremony of 9/11 near Ground Zero on Church Street, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011, in New York. She and fellow 9/11 Salvation Army volunteer Jaye Markwell, of Winsted, Conn., ran into one another after not seeing each other for 10 years. Tom Fox / The Dallas Morning News

Lisa MAria Carter hugs her friend Army Specialist Jessica Pedraza during ceremonies at the tenth anniversary of the attack on the World Trade Center in New York on Sunday, September 11, 2011. Louis DeLuca / The Dallas Morning News

Former Cantor Fitzgerald employee Dawn Gordon-Wyliey holds a flag as names are read aloud at the 911 tenth anniversary ceremony on Sunday, September 11, 2011 in New York, New York. Howard Schnapp / Newsday

Sean Geyer, 4 1/ 2, looks out on the crowd at Ground Zero as his mother, Lorie Geyer, holds him close as they face Freedom Tower in New York City, Sunday, September 11, 2011, as the bells sound to mark the first plane crashing into the towers ten years ago. Michael Bryant / Philadelphia Inquirer

President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama walk to the crash site of Flight 93 during their visit to the Flight 93 National Memorial Sunday, Sept., 11, 2011, in Shanksville, Pa., on the 10th anniversary of Sept. 11. Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP

Claudio Pineiro of Sacramento embraces her daughter , Jaqlyn Pineiro, with her children Tony Pineiro and Natasha Pineiro by her side during a moment of silence at the West Steps of the state Capitol in Sacramento, Calif. on Sunday morning. Jose Luis Villegas / The Sacramento Bee

A bell is rung at the state Capitol in Sacramento, Calif. after each name of a firefighter who died at the World Trade Center ten years ago is read on Sunday morning, Sept. 11, 2011. Jose Luis Villegas / The Sacramento Bee

Marisa Fong, a student at McClatchy High School donated three pair of shoes earlier in the week to be used in the display on the lawn at Cal Expo in Sacramento, Calif., to remember each one of the people killed in the 911 Attack at the World Trade Center 10 years ago. Jose Luis Villegas / The Sacramento Bee

Visitors sit amid some of nearly 3,000 flags of the U.S. and other nations, each representing a person who died in the 2001 terrorist attacks, flutter in the breeze on campus of Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif., during a memorial ceremony on the 10th anniversary of terrorist attacks on the U.S., Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011. Reed Saxon / AP

Beverly Hills Police officers gather just after dawn to remember the moment the first plane struck the World Trade Center on the 10th anniversary of 9/11 in Beverly Hills, Calif., Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011. Jason Redmond / AP

A giant American flag is held by first responders, police officers and firefighters before an NFL football game between the Chicago Bears and Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011, in Chicago. The day marks the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Nam Y. Huh / AP

Tyrone Heade plays bagpipes as a U.S. flag is raised on the roof of the Space Needle in Seattle in the early morning of Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011, on the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The flag was raised at the same time 10 years ago that the first hijacked airplane crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York. Ted S. Warren / AP

A U.S. Coast Guard Lieutenant who asked that his name not be used, kneels near his father's name after a remembrance ceremony at the Garden of Reflection Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011 in Yardley, Pa. The memorial honors nine people from Lower Makefield Township, where the memorial is located, eighteen people from Bucks County, and all 58 people from Pennsylvania that lost their lives in the attacks Sept. 11, 2001. 7 Alex Brandon / AP

Eight-year-old Madilynn Hallenback waves American flags along state Highway 160 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011, in Pahrump, Nev. Julie Jacobson / AP

Las Vegas firefighter Capt. Eric Littmann walks in a parade commemorating the 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011, in Las Vegas. Julie Jacobson / AP

A woman reaches out to touch a name on a memorial to Massachusetts victims of 9/11, on the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011, in the Boston Public Garden in Boston. Michael Dwyer / AP

A man walks among nearly 3,000 flags set up as part of a remembrance on 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011, in St. Louis. Jeff Roberson / AP

Sisters Ana, left, and Gloria Rodriguez, of Denver, morn together during the Colorado Remembers 911 event in Civic Center Park, Sept. 11, 2011, in Denver, Colo.. The sisters, originally of New York, lost a niece and a friend in the collapse of the World Trade Center. Barry Gutierrez / AP

From left, Terrann Wallis, Desiree Wolford and husband Joe Wolford, gather on the New Market Road overpass of Interstate 635, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011, in Mesquite, Texas on the tenth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Patrick T. Fallon / The Dallas Morning News

Lizzie Shoemake embraces her boyfriend, Capt. Griffin Herring of the Volente Fire Department, at the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011, in Austin, Texas. More than 343 firefighters and other participants walked up 22 flights of stairs five times in order to replicate the 110 stories scaled by firefighters who responded to the attacks at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. Lawrence Peart / The Daily Texan

Area firefighters huddle for a prayer before the Dallas 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011, at Renaissance Tower in downtown Dallas. Hundreds of firefighters from four different states took part in the event to honor the New York City firefighters who died during the attacks a decade ago. G.J. McCarthy / The Dallas Morning News

American Airlines pilot Paul Gregory Gosnell watches the sun rise over the 9/11 Flight Crew Memorial Plaza as flight attendants, pilots, firefighters, police and their families gather to remember the lives lost, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011, in Grapevine, Texas. The flight crew memorial opened in 2008. Patrick T. Fallon / The Dallas Morning News

A bagpiper plays Amazing Grace in front of nearly 3000 flags placed on seats in Huntington Park, during a Sept. 11 commemoration ceremony on the 10th anniversary of the attacks, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011, in Columbus, Ohio. The flags represent the people who died at the World Trade Center. Jay LaPrete / AP

Three thousand flags rise out of the mist at dawn on Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011 in Forest Park in St. Louis before the start of several ceremonies commemorating the 10 year anniversary of the terrorists attacks. J.B. Forbes / St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Soldiers with the U.S. Army's 25th Infantry Division, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Battalion 27th Infantry Regiment based in Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, hold a ceremony under a full moon to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks and soldiers the unit has lost since then in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011 at Forward Operating Base Bostick in Kunar province, Afghanistan. David Goldman / AP

Sgt. 1st Class Keith Finkler, 43, left, of Jacksonville, Fla., and Sgt. Maj. William Moore, light a candle during a ceremony commemorating the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 U.S. terror attacks and for soldiers killed from the U.S. Army's 25th Infantry Division, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Battalion 27th Infantry Regiment based in Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan since the attacks Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011, at Forward Operating Base Bostick in Kunar province, Afghanistan. David Goldman / AP

An American flag is unfurled during a commemoration to mark the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States, at the Trocadero plaza , near the Eiffel tower, seen in the background, in Paris, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011. Thibault Camus / AP

The Colosseum is lit up in Rome, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011, to mark the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States. A decade after 9/11, the day that changed so much for so many people, the world's leaders and citizens paused to reflect Sunday. From Sydney to Spain, formal ceremonies paid tribute to the nearly 3,000 who perished from more than 90 countries. DS / AP

Kosovars light candles to mark the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks on the United States, in capital Pristina, Kosovo, on Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011. Visar Kryeziu / AP