At attention for parade of first responders at Pax River. Photo by Dick Myers
St. Mary’s County, MD — Patuxent River Naval Air Station, San Souci Plaza and St. Mary’s College were local venues this year for events to remember those who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
On the 13th anniversary of that tragic day, the remembrance at Patuxent River Naval Air Station included a parade of first responders down Cedar Point Road to the parade field and a short ceremony which included personal recollections from two petty officer selects.
ADC Select Richard Cain said of the hijackers of the four planes, “It wasn’t just you and me but our freedom and ideals that were under attack.”
Noting the firefighters who participated in the parade and who were now standing at attention in the crowd, Cain reported that 343 New York firefighters lost their lives along with 23 police officers. He asked for a moment of silence for them.
WNC Select Joshua Wilkes, who acted as master of ceremonies for the event, likened the generation that followed the Pearl Harbor attack to the one that followed the September 11, 2001 attacks on America. He called them the 9/11 Generation, many of whom joined the military in the aftermath of the events. He said of the military now: “They represent the unity and diversity to confront the challenges in our country and abroad.”
Wilkes said that in spite of the strain of fighting wars for 13 continuous years, “our military remains stronger than ever.”
Pax River Chaplain Lt. Commander Jeffrey Augustine asked God to give the country the conviction “to defend our freedom.”
September 11 is a special day for Mission BBQ, for it was on that day in 2011 that they opened their first store. According to their website: “Ten years after our world changed forever, in some small way we wanted to change it back.”
Since then they have had special events on 9/11 at their stores and did so for the first time last year at their new San Souci Plaza location. They continued that tradition this year with a midday event for the county’s first responders.
Then at 5:30 in the evening, students and parents from Park Hall Elementary School assembled at the track at St. Mary’s College for 11 symbolic laps in honor of those who lost their lives on September 11 thirteen years ago.
Slideshow photos by Ron Bailey and Dick Myers
