Hundreds of New Yorkers rallied to Mayor Rudolph Giuliani’s call to attend the annual Columbus Day parade, but with members of the National Guard now on virtually every street corner the mood was sombre.
Mr Giuliani said the city was not going to be "locked down" or sealed but told New Yorkers they will have to get used to living with heightened security measures. "We are being extra careful for the times we are living in. This is a plan that has to sustain us for some lengthy period of time into the future," he said yesterday.
"The people of New York have to continue to develop the attitude the people of Britain had during the Second World War, when they were being bombed. And we're not being bombed, so it isn't as tough on us as it was on the people of Britain. This is more psychological."
Some 4,500 members of the National Guard have been drafted into the city to support the police in preventing further terrorist attacks. Trucks and other commercial vehicles taking the George Washington Bridge into Manhattan have been diverted to an upper level for random checks with officials saying this is to check for smuggled explosives.
Patrols have been strengthened around train stations, government buildings and courthouses. Passengers travelling by train are being advised that they will no longer be able to buy a ticket on board and will have to show photo identification before they make a purchase.
The Columbus Day Parade, the annual event where the US Italian community honour their heritage, was also greatly changed. While 30 marching bands entertained the crowds, the presence of a single fire truck provided a grim reminder of the thousands of people who lost their lives a few miles away.
The New York Police and Fire Departments traditionally march in great numbers but opted instead to lay a wreath at the Statue of Columbus to honour their fallen colleagues. The parade was dedicated to honouring the victims of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Centre last month with hundreds of red, white and blue flags outshining the traditional Italian colours.
Earlier, rescue workers at Ground Zero pulled another body from the rubble. They embraced and had a minute’s silence for the victim in the knowledge that few other bodies will be recovered.