It’s been slightly more than two decades since terrorists from al-Qaeda hijacked four commercial airliners, slamming two of those planes into New York City’s World Trade Center and another one into The Pentagon before passengers diverted the fourth plane away from Washington, D.C. and into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
To mark that somber occasion - which resulted in 2,977 fatalities and more than 25,000 injuries – officials from the City of Hattiesburg on Sunday held the city’s annual 9/11 ceremony at Fire Station No. 1 on North Main Street.
“(Today), we remember the events, the lost, and the heroes of September 11, 2001,” Mayor Toby Barker said. “We recall and we recollect not to simply experience that moment of uncertain fear and grief – although I do think that’s important.
“We revisit and remember to tell our stories for other reasons.”
One of those reasons is the bells that were tolled at the ceremony, each of which marked the exact time the hijacked airplanes hit the first tower, the second tower and The Pentagon. Those occasions were marked as follows:
- At 8:46 a.m., American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into floors 93 through 99 of the North Tower. That flight was carrying 87 passengers and crew members.
- At 9:03 a.m., American Airlines Flight 175 crashed into floors 77 through 85 of the South Tower. That flight was carrying 60 passengers and crew members.
- At 9:37 a.m., American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the west side of The Pentagon. That flight was carrying 64, including the hijackers.
“We hear the three bells toll in this ceremony, bringing fresh the exact time the plans hit the two World Trade Center towers and The Pentagon,” Barker said. “We ring it in clarity as to the weight of those moments (when) evil kicked in our door and came face-to-face with us. We need to remember that – not only for ourselves, but for the generations who follow.
“I have attended a number of events at high schools over the past few weeks, realizing that none of them were actually born when 9/11 occurred. Very few of our university students were alive at that time, and even in our vast young professional community here in Hattiesburg, most of them were small children, and probably didn’t grasp the full weight of it. That’s why this ceremony, and the practice of telling the story – our story, the horror of that day and the courage summoned and the service offered afterward – are so important.”
Following Barker’s comments, remarks were given by Hattiesburg Fire Chief Sherrocko Stewart and Hardy Sims, assistant police chief of the Hattiesburg Police Department.
“We commemorate this day every year to pay our respects, and to remind ourselves that even in the midst of tragedy, (we will) overcome,” Stewart said. “Although we come together to remember each year, the events of that day have regularly affected our daily lives … and altered our perception of our country and what it means to be an American.
“By the numbers, we lost 343 brothers and sisters from the Fire Department of New York, 23 with the New York Police Department, 37 with the Port Authority Police Department and more than 2,500 additional civilians and first responders. These fatalities put us at the largest loss of life from a hostile attack by a foreign entity on American soil.”
The Hattiesburg Fire Honor Guard then lowered the United States flag, and the National Anthem was played by the Hattiesburg High School String Quartet. Marshall Ramsey, who serves as editor-at-large of Mississippi Today, gave the keynote presentation at the ceremony.
Officials from the Allen B. Carter Post 24 of the American Legion then presented checks to the benevolent funds of the city’s fire and police departments, which was followed by a 21-gun salute from the Hattiesburg Police Honor Guard. “Taps” was played on bugle by veteran Howell Purvis.
The ceremony was closed by the laying of the wreath – performed by HPD, HFD and AAA ambulance officials – “Amazing Grace” sung by Gerry Burns of the Forrest County Emergency Management Department and the benediction by Charles Johnson of HPD.
