N EW YORK (AP) -- Joyous at the release of a decade's frustration, Americans streamed to the site of the World Trade Center, the gates of the White House and smaller but no less jubilant gatherings across the nation to celebrate the death of Osama bin Laden -- cheering, waving flags and belting the national anthem.
The site of the Sept. 11 attacks at New York's World Trade Center, more familiar these past 10 years for bagpipes playing "Amazing Grace" and solemn speeches and arguments over what to build to honor those killed, became, for the first time, a place of revelry. (41 images)
The site of the Sept. 11 attacks at New York's World Trade Center, more familiar these past 10 years for bagpipes playing "Amazing Grace" and solemn speeches and arguments over what to build to honor those killed, became, for the first time, a place of revelry. (41 images)
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Dionne Layne, facing camera, hugs Mary Power as they react to the news of the death of Osama bin Laden, Monday, May 2, 2011 in New York. At left is the rising tower, 1 World Trade Center, also known as the Freedom Tower. Mark Lennihan / AP
Melissa LaCour, left, Brittany McGarry, second from left, Bryan Murray, second from right, and Dennis Vincent celebrate outside the ABC studio in New York's Times Square as news of Osama bin Laden's death is announced on the ticker, Monday, May 2, 2011. Mary Altaffer / AP
A commuter holds an American flag while shaking hands with a police officer at the World Trade Center site in New York on Monday, May 2, 2011. Under construction, the Freedom Tower is seen at top right. Mark Lennihan / AP
An armed Metropolitan Transportation Authority police officer stands guard in New York's Grand Central Station on Monday, May 2, 2011. Security was heightened as a result of the announcement of the killing of Osama Bin Laden. Stephen Chernin / AP
Armed members of an emergency services unit watches over commuters at ground zero in New York on Monday, May 2, 2011. Seth Wenig / AP
Construction worker Paddy Garvey affixes an American flag to a fence at ground zero in New York, Monday, May 2, 2011. Osama bin Laden, the face of global terrorism and architect of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, was killed in a firefight with elite American forces in Pakistan on Monday, May 2, 2011 then quickly buried at sea. Seth Wenig / AP
A large, jubilant crowd reacts to the news of Osama Bin Laden's death at the corner of Church and Vesey Streets, adjacent to ground zero, during the early morning hours of Tuesday, May 2, 2011 in New York. Jason DeCrow / AP
A large, jubilant crowd reacts to the news of Osama Bin Laden's death at the corner of Church and Vesey Streets, adjacent to ground zero, during the early morning hours of Tuesday, May 2, 2011 in New York. Jason DeCrow / AP
A large, jubilant crowd reacts to the news of Osama Bin Laden's death at the corner of Church and Vesey Streets, adjacent to ground zero, during the early morning hours of Tuesday, May 2, 2011 in New York. Jason DeCrow / AP
Hands reach up to grasp an American flag as a large, jubilant crowd reacts to the news of Osama Bin Laden's death at the corner of Church and Vesey Streets, adjacent to ground zero, during the early morning hours of Tuesday, May 2, 2011 in New York. Jason DeCrow / AP
A small group sits with candles and a sign as they react to the news of Osama Bin Laden's death on Vesey Street, near ground zero, during the early morning hours of Monday, May 2, 2011 in New York. Jason DeCrow / AP
A large, jubilant crowd reacts to the news of Osama bin Laden's death at the corner of Church and Vesey Streets, adjacent to ground zero, during the early morning hours of Tuesday, May 2, 2011 in New York. Jason DeCrow / AP
Perched on another's shoulders, Ryan Burtchell, of the Brooklyn borough of New York, center, waves an American flag over the crowd as they respond to the news of Osama Bin Laden's death early Monday morning May 2, 2011 by ground zero in New York. Tina Fineberg / AP
Dustin Fredrickson, of New York, center, holds up an American flag as he stands on a fire truck amongst those gathered in New York's Times Square reacting to the news of Osama Bin Laden's death early Monday morning May 2, 2011. Tina Fineberg / AP
Draped in the American flag, Pedro Valerio, of Elizabeth, N.J., right, and others in New York's Times Square react to the news of Osama Bin Laden's death early Monday morning May 2, 2011. Tina Fineberg / AP
Crowds gathers outside the White House in Washington early Monday, May 2, 2011, to celebrate after President Barack Obama announced the death of Osama bin Laden. Manuel Balce Ceneta / AP
A crowd outside the White House in Washington, cheers Sunday, May 1, 2011, upon hearing the news that terrorist leader Osama bin Laden is dead. Manuel Balce Ceneta / AP
Allyson Childress of Falls Church, Va., joins the crowds celebrating on Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House in Washington, early Monday, May 2, 2011, after President Barack Obama announced that Osama bin Laden had been killed. Charles Dharapak / AP
A man waves an American flag and the Marine Corps flag from a tree in front of the White House people early Monday, May 2, 20111, across the street from the White House in Washington, as people gather to cheer the United States after it was announced that Osama bin Laden has been killed. Jacquelyn Martin / AP
Crowds gathers outside the White House in Washington early Monday, May 2, 2011, to celebrate after President Barack Obama announced the death of Osama bin Laden. Manuel Balce Ceneta / AP
Revelers hold American flags near the White House in Washington, D.C., Monday morning on May 2, 2011, after the news of Osama bin Laden's death. Chuck Myers / MCT
Danial Hanes, of Spanaway, Wash., holds a copy of the Wall Street Journal with a photo of Osama Bin Laden on it as he waves a flag on the "Freedom Bridge" just outside Joint Base Lewis-McChord, around midnight to celebrate the death of Osama Bin Laden, Sunday, May 1, 2011, near Tacoma, Wash. Ted S. Warren / AP
People cheer and wave flags on the "Freedom Bridge" just outside Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Sunday, May 1, 2011, near Tacoma, Wash., after they heard the news that Osama bin Laden had been killed. Ted S. Warren / AP
Rachel Mueller, who is married to U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kurt Mueller, who returned last year from a deployment to Iraq, holds a copy of the Wall Street Journal with a photo of Osama Bin Laden on it it as she waves a flag on the "Freedom Bridge" just outside Joint Base Lewis-McChord, around midnight, Sunday, May 1, 2011, near Tacoma, Wash. Ted S. Warren / AP
University of Georgia students wave flags as they celebrate the death of Osama bin Laden in front of a Civil War Memorial on the morning of Monday May 2, 2011 in Athens, Ga. David Manning / Athens Banner-Herald
University of Georgia student Iain Turnbull waves a flag as he celebrates the death of Osama Bin Laden in front of a Civil War Memorial on the morning of Monday May 2, 2011 in Athens, Ga. David Manning / Athens Banner-Herald
A driver and passengers celebrate the death of Osama bin Laden in the streets of Lawrence, Kan., Sunday, May 1, 2011. Orlin Wagner / AP
University of Texas at Austin students celebrate the news of Osama bin Laden's death at Cain & Abel's bar late sunday night May 1, 2011. Erika Rich / The Daily Texan
A crowd celebrates the death of Osama bin Laden in front of the Colorado State Capitol late Sunday evening, May 1, 2011. AAron Ontiveroz / The Denver Post
A small crowd starts to gather at the 911 Memorial in front of the Arizona State Capitol in Phoenix after President Barack Obama confirmed the death of Osama bin Laden in a late-night statement at the White House Sunday May 1, 2011. Left to right, Hector Mejia, 18, of Tonopah, Ariz., Mark McDonald of Phoenix, Shonda Marek of Peoria, Ariz., John Dickson of Peoria, Ariz., and Shawna Sarraillon of Glendale, Ariz., give each other hand shakes. Carlos Chavez / Arizona Republic
Kathy Maycen reaches to touch the name of her daughter, Lindsay Stapleton Morehouse, who was killed in the attack on the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, at a memorial in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., Monday May 2, 2011. Lannis Waters / The Palm Beach Post
A sales person stands in his shop as a TV news reports the killing of Osama bin Laden in Mumbai, India, Monday, May 2, 2011. Rafiq Maqbool / AP
Indian sand artist Sudarshan Pattnaik gives finishing touches to a sand sculpture to mark the killing of Osama bin Laden at the golden sea beach at Puri, Orissa, India, Monday, May 2, 2011. Biswaranjan Rout / AP
Indonesian painter S. Wito holds his painting showing Osama bin Laden and former U.S. President George W. Bush at his street-side studio in Jakarta, Indonesia, Monday, May 2, 2011. Achmad Ibrahim / AP
Douglas Sidialo, who lost his sight in the 1998 bombing of the U.S. embassy in Nairobi pray at the memorial remembering the victims in Nairobi, Kenya, Monday, May 2. 2011. Khalil Senosi / AP
Egyptians watch a TV broadcasting a report about the killing of Al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, in coffe shop in Cairo, Egypt, Monday, May 2, 2011. Khalil Hamra / AP
A man fixes televisions as he watches a TV broadcast on the death of Osama bin Laden in his workshop in the southern port city of Sidon, Lebanon, Monday, May 2, 2011. Mohammed Zaatari / AP
Saudi men watch a TV broadcasting a report about Osama bin Laden in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Monday, May 2, 2011. Hassan Ammar / AP
Anti-government protestors watch a TV broadcasting President Barack Obama statement on the death of Al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, in a tent at the site of a demonstration demanding the resignation of Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, in Sanaa,Yemen, Monday, May 2, 2011. Muhammed Muheisen / AP
Afghan men watch television coverage announcing the killing of Al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden at a local restaurant in Kabul, Afghanistan Monday, May 2, 2011. Musadeq Sadeq / AP
In this image provided by the U.S. Army, shows US soldiers and service members watch the cable news coverage of the death of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden on a television at the Bagram air field on Monday, May 2, 2011. Kristin M. Hall / AP
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