Moving 9/11 memorial sparks tears across US as nearly 3,000 names read out one-by-one to honour dead

Moving 9/11 memorial sparks tears across US as nearly 3,000 names read out one-by-one to honour dead Poignant 25th memorial as four former Presidents attend service at Ground Zero. Their names were slowly and solemnly read out - one by one. The memorial service at Ground Zero was particularly poignant this year on the 25th anniversary of 9/11, which killed almost 3,000 people. This year the weather was different from that gloriously sunny day in 2001, with clouds covering lower Manhattan. Former presidents George W Bush, Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and Bill Clinton watched the moving ceremony at Ground Zero. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick was also there, seen wiping away tears at the memorial. Lutnick was dropping off his son for his first day at kindergarten on 9/11, so avoided the attacks that killed all 658 of his colleagues. His brother Gary’s name was read out; killed working on the 101st to 105th floors of the World Trade Center at Cantor Fitzgerald. Lutnick said his brother was "the kindest and most fun person I knew". He said: "Gary was happy in every photo. Over the past 25 years, nearly every day there has been a moment when I’ve thought to myself, I wish Gary was here. Gary was killed at the young age of 36 for being an American and going to work that morning in the greatest country in the world. I love and miss you every day, my brother." Thousands attended the service, which started at 8.46am with the tolling of a bell - marking the precise moment the North Tower was struck. What’s incredible is nearly a third of the country is now too young to remember 9/11. But there was a fierce determination in New York to keep those memories for ever. A firefighter who followed in his fallen uncle's footsteps applauded the "unity" of New Yorkers. Paul Gill's nephew was not alive when Gill went into the World Trade Center - where he and the entire crew at Engine 54, the Pride of Midtown, were killed. John said: “I know we have a very divided country, but I want to say that every one of us are all together as one, just like September 12th, when we all came together with our American flags, standing up, knowing that we are true Americans. It doesn't matter your race, your sex, your ethnicity. You are loved and God loves you." At the ceremony at the Pentagon, President Donald Trump seemed to struggle to keep his eyes open at times. He told several anecdotes about some of those who died. He paid tribute to the passengers aboard United Airlines Flight 93 who fought back against the hijackers, forcing the terrorists to crash the plane into a field in Pennsylvania. He paraphrased the famous words spoken by passenger Todd Beamer, who attempted to regain control of the plane: "Let's roll." But he went on to directly link the 9/11 attacks with ongoing fighting today, although he did not directly name Iran. He said: "Today we renew the sacred oath that we first swore in their names a quarter of a century ago.” He added: “On days like 9/11, we learn what a country is truly made of. We're learning right now what we're made of, and we have to be strong and we have to be smart." Since the 9/11 attacks took place, he said members of the military have "travelled to the darkest corners of the Earth and done battle with a shadowy enemy". He said: "We were all New Yorkers that day. But we're also all Americans." He praised members of the military and highlighted how their work was continuing with the war in Iran. He said: "And we salute the service members working right now to ensure the world's number one sponsor of terror, the Islamic Republic of Iran, will never, ever have a nuclear weapon." Back in New York for the widow of one victim, the anger and grief she still feels, 25 years on, made it impossible for her to stay silent and she demanded answers. Terry Strada, whose husband Tom was killed in the attacks, read her official allocated list of names of the dead. But then she followed up by launching an attack on Saudi Arabia for their alleged behind the scenes role in the terrorist atrocities. Her outburst was greeted with cheers and some people climbed out of their seats to give her a standing ovation. Terry said: "How can it be 25 years and still we have no justice for the role that Saudi Arabia played in your murder? Saudi Arabia fermented a rancid culture of anti-American terrorism around the globe, and then sent its agents to support radical Islamist hijackers so they could attack you and all of our loved ones. "For 25 years, administration after administration, including leaders in front of us here today, chose to protect the Saudis instead of standing with the 9/11 families.” Barack Obama and wife Michelle also released a statement, saying that they were remembering everyone lost that day, as well as those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the wars that followed. They said: "If you were young in 2001, or weren’t even born yet, it can be hard to imagine what 9/11 felt like. The heartbreak of the families whose loved ones were taken with such swiftness and cruelty. We hope Americans everywhere remember the true lesson of 9/11: that we can survive even our darkest days as long as we move forward as one nation and one people.” Buckingham Palace also paid tribute. The Band of the Coldstream Guards performed the US national anthem in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace on Friday. The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester were joined by the United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Warren Stephens and his wife Harriet, as well as the Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband and Security Minister Dan Jarvis for a special Changing of the Guard ceremony. Earlier, Mr Stephens was in Grosvenor Square at the 9/11 Memorial Garden, with his wife. He said: "Harriet and I want to pay our respects to the 67 UK citizens who were killed on 9/11 25 years ago." He added it is "hard to believe" 25 years have passed and "still hard to believe what happened". He described the attacks as "a tragedy none of us will ever forget".