9.11.2023 - 9/11 Memorial Ceremony

if everyone could please stand for the posting of the colors

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at this time I'd like to introduce retired fighter fighter Michael Ruda to introduce the Striking of the four fives

striking of the four fives the fire service is Rich with ceremony customs and traditions a custom of rendering final honors has its origin in the fire department of the city of New York where many years ago long before the Advent of radios and pages fire alarms and daily announcements were displaced from the central headquarters and outlying firehouses by a system of bells and telegraphs

each different type of alarm or announcement would have its own number and series of bell strikes when a firefighter died in the line of duty or when some important official or personage died headquarters would transmit Five Bell strikes repeated in four series with a slight pause between each series followed by the announcement this was done as long ago as 1865 in the New York City Fire Department to inform the rank

and file of the death of Abraham Lincoln the custom has continued through present day in this form of rendering final honors to divided comrades is known as the fire service as striking of the four fives strike the four fives strike the four fives

at this time please remain standing for the national anthem followed by the invocation by father Mike Racine

good morning oh say can you see by the dawn's early line what so proudly we have at the twilight's last gleaming whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fine for the ramparts we launched were so gallantly streaming and the rockets bursting in it gave proof through the night that our flag was still there oh say does that Star-Spangled Banner yet wave or the land of the free and the home of the bread

As We Gather this morning to reflect on this 22nd anniversary of the 9 11 attacks on our country we recall that beautiful morning that turned tragic and deadly and painful in such a short time it's still a reminder today of that pain and sorrow the words that we Echo so often that we will hear today we never forget we remember the heroes of that day our firefighters our First Responders

who demonstrated without fear or trembling the act of courage during crisis we remember the Innocents who perish friends and Neighbors the thousands who names are read throughout our country today we remember Father Michael judge the chaplain of the New York City Fire Department the first certified fatality 22 years we remember we come to comfort to reflect and to always be that people of Hope

during this day in the days that followed we continue to pray for peace to be beacons of light just as the Rays of light that will shine in New York tonight strengthen the hands of those who defend our country and our common values of freedom Justice and peace Inspire our leaders of cities in our Nations to react wisely to always pursue to enact that Peace by word and example bestow upon all of us today and every

day your blessings that we will live to see work to see swords be converted into plowshares and Nations not learned from war anymore continue to bless our country continue to bless our firefighters our EMTs our police our Armed Forces and Grant them safety each day amen

good morning everyone thank you for being here today on this slightly wet Monday morning as we remember those events 22 years ago I would like to thank and welcome all of our First Responders in attendance all of our active duty retired our veterans all our military service members our gold star family members as well as our local Representatives who have been with us here today including Senator Mike

Rodricks mayor Paul Coogan Representatives Fiola who cannot be with us today but representative Sylvia who is representative Schmidt as well and thank you to all who work so hard to keep the memory of those we lost alive and strong even 22 years later those 22 years ago this morning the first major attack by a foreign entity since December 7 1941 was initiated against multiple Targets on U.S soil

by early afternoon both towers of the World Trade Center were destroyed the Pentagon was damaged and on fire and the wreckage of a hijacked airplane was smoldering in a Pennsylvania field all told nearly 3 000 people had lost their lives the Nations watched as images poured in from New York Arlington Virginia Shanksville Pennsylvania we were a nation unified in horror in anger and in grief

and the days that followed as we often see with tragedies great or small makeshift memorials began to appear they took many forms from pictures of missing loved ones to flowers candles stuffed animals mementos cards messages of support and grief people gathered across the country to mourn to pray and to remember those whose lives had been cut short William Gladstone once said show me the

manner in which a nation or Community cares for its dead and I will measure with mathematical exactness the tender sympathies of its people their respect for the laws of the land and their loyalty to high ideals we as a nation recognize the need to create permanent memorials to those who died during the September 11 terrorist attacks to recognize First Responders who ran into the burning Towers to

rescue those inside despite the danger to themselves the memorials that have been erected across the country including the one that stands here today serve as a place for us as a nation to grieve and to remember those that we have lost but they also serve as a way for us to teach new generations about the horrors of the attacks and the strength the sacrifices and the core values that have

defined us as a people in their wake Today We Gather here to do that to remember those we lost to recognize the bravery and heroism of those First Responders who heeded the call and to remember those First Responders who have suffered long-lasting health effects from the exposure to the toxic toxic dust and fumes as we look back on that day 22 years ago despite the changes home and abroad our memories have not faded

we owe it to everyone lost to everyone who responded to the call that day and every day after and to our future generations to never forget the memorials and ceremonies like this one ensure we never do at this time I would like to introduce mayor Paul Coogan

first of all on a very humbling day like 9 11. I want to thank everybody hello can you hear me now okay I want to thank everybody for coming out in this rain to honor those people we lost on 9 11. particularly our Public Safety operation whether it's police Fire EMS and I particularly want to thank the kids from greater New Bedford Vocational came over today to join us so they because they are our

next generation of public servants and they're going to help us for generations to come today as a community We Gather to remember and honor those lives lost on 9 11. on this tragic day in history our nation's experienced a catastrophe that forever changed our lives and tested our resilience as we pay respects today we must remember that 911 serves as a reminder to our nation that acts of Terror can

have profound impact on communities it is also important to remember that even in the wake of tragedy we all joined in unity resilience and strength in the face of ongoing challenges we will continue to remember that we are much stronger when we all work together let us honor the memory of those we lost on 9 11 by never forgetting the sacrifices and hardships endured that day and still follow years later

remembrance we are reminded of the determination of the Americans and our ability to come together thank you very much good luck like Senator Michael Rodricks

thank you good morning can you hear me good morning it's really a pleasure and honor to be here today as We Gather every year and I am joined by my colleagues in the greater Fall River legislative delegation representative Paul Schmidt representative Allen Sylvia Tyra from representative fiola's office and we're here because we shall never forget either I think uh I think back it's hard to believe it's

been 22 years because I like all of you and like millions of Americans remember exactly where we were and what we were doing when we first received the news of the tragedy that was happening in New York City and throughout the United States and I shall never forget uh like many of you uh men and the millions of Americans as we sat speechless in front of our television sets for hours as we watched The Brave

men and women of our First Responders the police the fire the emergency rescue Personnel running into Danger well tens of thousands of people were running away from danger and we will never forget as we witnessed those Towers collapsing and collecting with it the lives and the bodies of so many brave men and women from the United States we are here and we shall always be here every year because we shall never forget

thank you thank you at this time I would like to introduce fire chief Roger St Martin good morning good morning gold star families mayor Kruger can't the Wahlberg chaplain Racine senator rodericks representative Viola Schmidt Sylvia other elected officials First Responders ladies and gentlemen I will say this in beginning our legislative delegation our champions of Public Safety today thank you very much

thank you for the opportunity to speak on such a solemn vacation the 22nd anniversary of September 11 2001 terrorist attacks those of us who are alive during these horrific events will never forget where we were when we received the news this day 22 years ago We As Americans were forever changed that day the acts of these few radical extremists did not polarize American people as intended

we're actually served United Country and they resolve to overcome on this day 22 years ago nearly 3 000 people lost their lives during the attacks at the Twin Towers the Pentagon and aboard United Airlines Flight 93 at zero eight forty six a.m Eastern Time American flight 11 traveling from Boston to Los Angeles here at the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City at 0903 a.m Eastern Time

United Airlines flight 175 traveling from Boston to Los Angeles hit the South Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City at zero nine thirty seven A.M Eastern Time American Airlines flight 77 traveling from Dulles Virginia to Los Angeles into the Pentagon building in Washington and at 10 0 8 A.M Eastern Time United Airlines Flight 93 traveling from Newark New Jersey to San Francisco

crashed in a field near Shanksville Pennsylvania Let's Roll that was a rally Cry of Todd Beamer and attempting to thwart the hijacking of flight 93. was that go from coast to coast and across the globe immediately thousands of First Responders Emergency Management Personnel military civilians rust City Aid are those in need of the 2977 victims killed in the attacks there were 343 firefighters 10 emergency

medical technicians and paramedics along with 65 law enforcement personnel 29 military government workers lost their lives saving others hundreds more First Responders suffered injuries in this effort and still today many from Across the Nation suffer ill health effects due to their labors and affecting rescues that day and the days following this day 22 years ago the world witnessed the worst and the best of

humanity follow the events of this day Americans rallied to defend a great nation from terrorism many of you here today put your lives on hold to that end thank you thank you very much many of you came together to support the victims of September 11th the military members who deployed their families and others in their time of need We As Americans banded together to ensure National Security economic stability and

to maintain maintain our way of life we look to help each other heal our wounds and overcome their strength in unity the Bible notes A House Divided can never stand today we take a moment to pause our busy lives now remember those who lost their lives 22 years ago today let us never forget the innocent Souls Lost that day let us never forget the courage and commitment of emergency responders who

face the dangers to save others lives and lost theirs let us never forget the men and women who lost their lives following his horrific events combating terrorism Let's Roll it's inscribed on aluminum bracelet handed to my daughter by my command master chief when I was deployed to Iraq you told her it was made with metal from the crash of Flight 93 in Shanksville Pa she was seven years old on September 11 2001.

and watch these horrific events unfold in real time unfold in real time at her Elementary School she was nine years old when she received that bracelet and was wanted every day she must have braces so she will never forget what happened that day and he is following it's my daughter right there in conclusion I will share anonymous quote from the internet yesterday 22 years ago 246 people went

to sleep in preparation for their morning flights 2 606 people went to sleep in preparation for work in the morning 343 firefighters went to sleep in preparation for their morning shift 60 Patrol officers went to sleep in preparation for their morning Patrol a paramedics went to sleep in preparation for their morning shifts none of them saw past 10 a.m that day in one single moment life may be forever

changed you as you live your life and enjoy the breaths you take today and tonight before you go to sleep in preparation for your life tomorrow kiss the ones you love snuggle a little tighter and never take one second in your life for granted thank you all for taking the time out of your day to remember and please never forget thank you next I would like to introduce our speaker today Lieutenant Colonel

Benjamin fiala Viola was born in Albuquerque New Mexico he was raised as a Colorado Native and graduated from the University of Colorado in 2000. he played professional golf and worked in his accountment before joining the Marine Corps as a second lieutenant in 2003. Lieutenant Colonel Fiola served in Iraq with the vmfa aw121 as well as in the Pacific he served with the second Battalion seventh Marines the 31st

Marine Expeditionary Unit fifth Marine regiment Marine Air Group 31 and headquarters US Marine Corps Aviation he also commanded the headquarters Squadron Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort from 2021 to 2023. he most recently moved his family here to Newport to attend the United States Naval War College this July

thank you to the Battleship Cove Historic Society for uh setting this up thank you to our elected officials for joining us today thank you to our First Responders our military guests our veterans and when I look at the uh I have to say when I look at the Vietnam veteran bus over there I have to take the opportunity to say thank you for your service as well because for the past 21 years I've been

thanked each and every day and you didn't receive the same so thank you for your service thank you on behalf of the naval war College it is an honor to represent both the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps today at this solemn occasion thank you to uh the bagpipes for providing the proper mood and setting the tone for this event to our First Responders my fellow members of the military and

the Patriotic citizens of this great nation thank you for joining us this morning for the solemn remembrance and taking the time out of your day to honor those that we lost on that faithful day and in the subsequent battles that it would ensue in our national response for 247 years our nation endured Triumph and tragedy emerging on each occasion better and more perfect just as our founding fathers had envisioned

American exceptionalism is the Envy of the world and its citizens we flourish with freedom and the pursuit of happiness insured by our military and our First Responders our nation has challenges there's no doubt about that and we respond to them accordingly each and every day no more so than 22 years ago when true evil struck our Shores in those unprecedented attacks it had a profound impact on my life as I

know it did yours I joined in August of 2001 and I would join a long list of responders who took the time took the oath and took our flag forward in response to those unprecedented attacks 22 years later I stand before you lieutenant colonel proud father and a proud American proud American for what we stand for and what we show the world and our response to their threats that day changed our lives

as these terrorist attacks Fade Into memory a call upon each of us to be better neighbors to be better citizens and for you young aspiring individuals that want to join I encourage you to take up military service we need you we need good people to continue service to this great nation but the list of enemies continue and America's resolve must be ever present this will ensure the Declaration of Independence that was

signed in 1776 lives on and that we can continue in the pursuit of life liberty and the pursuit of happiness thank you and God bless these United States next please stand for the laying of the wreath which will be followed by a 21-gun salute and the playing of taps

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at this time I'd like to introduce Cantor Richard Wahlberg for the benediction

you may be seated the problem with being the last one to speak is that everyone else has said what I was I would say however I'm going to address mainly the class that came here if you were asked next month what you remember about this ceremony I would guarantee that you're going to say that 21 gun salute that was the loud piercing thing you're going to remember but I also want to say that

you're going to hear your parents and people say we're living in the worst times terrible times let me tell you all times have been terrible every part of History has been tough and The Human Condition is such that we're living now in very tough time we have disasters every day all over Hawaii an earthquake Where 2 000 people have been perished The Human Condition is tough however there is a bright side

but let me ask you adults where were you 22 years ago what a tragically defining moment in history there are very few here who don't remember where they were between 8 30 and 9 30 a.m on September 11 2001.

though you weren't on United Airlines flight 175 out of Boston and though you weren't on American Airlines flight 77 that crashed into the Pentagon and though most likely you weren't in the World Trade Center you nevertheless will always feel a very strong connection to those Poor Unfortunate Souls 22 years and one day ago September 10th we felt secure but our myth of security was shattered exactly 22 years ago

if we don't fight terrorism anywhere we will find terrorism everywhere I believe in the Sun even when it is not shining I believe in love even when feeling it not I believe in good even when evil is all around I believe in peace even when terrorism abounds I believe in God even when God is silent may the blessings of Peace unfold and Infuse Embrace and intertwine our Beloved Country and all the world

Eternal Wellspring of peace may we as well as the enemy be drenched with the longing for peace that we all may give ourselves over to peace until the Earth overflows with peace as Living Waters overflow the Seas May the blessing of Peace unfold and Infuse Embrace and intertwine our Beloved Country and all the world and may we realize that the price of freedom is very high and that if we don't fight terrorism anywhere

we will find it everywhere our fervent prayer is to see the prophecy fulfilled Nation shall not lift up sword Nation against Nation neither shall man learn more any more for all men both great and small shall know the Lord amen

at this time I would like to introduce Bill and Paula Demaris for the releasing of the white doves

thank you this concludes our ceremony I will now ask the honor guard to retire the colors