F. E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. -- Airmen of the 90th Missile Wing participated in a 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony and Ruck March beginning at 6:30 a.m., Sept. 11, 2020 at the base flagpole on F. E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming.
Nineteen years ago, the U.S. was attacked in coordinated terror strikes in New York and Washington, D.C., with another strike thwarted by the passengers of Flight 93 over a field in Pennsylvania.
Today, the Wranglers of F. E. Warren honored those lost and commended the courage of those who walked into near-certain death to help others.
“The memory of this fateful morning is seared into so many of our minds,” said Chaplain 1st Lt. Debbie Giles. “Yet in the midst of this tragedy, we witnessed something extraordinary: ordinary citizens rising to the occasion and responding with unexpected acts of bravery.”
Organized by members of the Warren Fire Department, the event was split into two separate efforts – a memorial and a ruck march. The ceremony included narrators, the laying of a wreath and the playing of taps to remember those lost. Those who participated in the ruck followed firefighters in full firefighting equipment in a march around the base.
Though courage shown by those in the face of evil was frequently mentioned by those speaking, there was also a thread of national resilience and cohesion woven into the speeches.
“2,977 people from 52 countries lost their lives in one of the most horrific attacks on American soil; but also on that day a wounded city, its citizens and their country banded together like few alive had ever seen before,” said Master Sgt. Fred Gallop. “The individuals who took four flights captive intended to frighten our beloved nation and send its people into chaos; however, their efforts failed and they could not break the spirit of this country and its amazing people.”
In spite of all the hurt and loss from that day, there was a sense of hope and of looking forward to a better tomorrow.