It’s been more than two decades since September 11, 2001, when 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, the Hattiesburg Police Department and the Hattiesburg Fire Department on Monday held the city’s 22nd annual 9/11 ceremony at Fire Station No. 1 on North Main Street. The event started with a welcome by assistant fire chief Chris Carr, followed by an invocation from assistant police chief Hardy Sims and remarks from police chief Peggy Sealy and fire chief Sherrocko Stewart.
“Today, we gather here to remember and reflect upon one of the most tragic events in our nation’s history,” Sealy said. “It has been more than two decades since that fateful day, yet the pain and the memories still remain etched in our minds.
“We come together to honor their lives, to pay tribute to the heroes who emerged amidst the chaos. Here we are, 22 years later, and each and every year we gather to not only to honor the victims who perished, but to also recognize our soldiers, first responders, and their heroic efforts and sacrifice given during tragic times.”
During the ceremony, bells tolled to mark 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.
Casualties on the ground included 343 members of the Fire Department of New York, 37 members of the Port Authority Police Department and more than 2,500 additional civilians and first responders.
“The events of that day have greatly impacted our daily lives, changed how we view the world and altered the perceptions of our country and what it means to be an American,” Stewart said. “(Those) fatalities put us at the largest loss of life from a hostile attack by a foreign entity on American soil, and its impact we feel as first responders never goes away.
“So remember our brothers and sisters who responded that day by paying the ultimate sacrifice. We honor their memories, and we will not forget the heroic individuals and what they gave in an attempt to find hope when none was expected.”
Following the remarks, the Hattiesburg Fire Honor Guard lowered the American flag to pay tribute to those who lost their lives on 9/11, and the Hattiesburg High School String Quartet performed the National Anthem.
Colonel William “Lee” Henry, post commander at Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center, was the keynote speaker at the event.
“It is an honor, and with immense gratitude and admiration, to join you in recognizing the dedication and the selflessness of our community, state and nation’s first responders who continue to place our well-being ahead of their own on a continual basis,” Henry said. “In times of greatest danger, they are the ones who leave their families and their homes to rush to war – the danger that we all so often avoid.
“Their bravery and resilience is inspiring. Their commitment to our community – and mankind, for that matter – is nothing short of amazing. On that tragic morning (of 9/11), innocent lives were lost, heroes emerged, and our nation’s spirit was tested. We witnessed acts of bravery and selflessness that will forever be indebted in our heart.”
Toward the end of the ceremony, the Allen B. Carter Post 24 of the American Legion presented checks for $550 each to the benevolent funds of the fire and police departments.
“I would like to thank each and every (member) from the post,” Sealy said. “What y’all do for the community, the police department and the fire department – each year y’all have stepped up for whatever our needs are and assisted in so many different ways.”
The Hattiesburg Police Honor Guard then gave a 21-gun salute, followed by the playing of “Taps” on bugle by Navy veteran Howell Purvis. The ceremony concluded with the laying of the wreath by HPD, HFP and AAA Ambulance, along with “Amazing Grace” played by Gerry Burns of the Forrest County Emergency Management Agency and the benediction by Captain Charles Johnson of the Hattiesburg Police Department.
