This chronological anthology of excerpts, essays, and personal narratives reconstructs the events of September 11-17, 2001, and reviews events recorded and stored in CBS News' archives. The documentary opens with Dan Rather and a CBS News special report, including clips of Bryant Gumbel on the phone with eyewitnesses five minutes after the first crash.

Among CBS reporters covering the tragedy was Carol Marin, who fled the collapse to go uptown to the CBS News Studio, still covered in dust and debris when she went on-air live. Equally memorable is Ed Bradley's lengthy video coverage of "thousands of volunteers drawn by an overwhelming urge to help" rescue work. Several abbreviated pieces by CBS correspondents are too short, and weak alongside other material.