ROGERS — A small group stood at Rogers Municipal Airport on Wednesday night, candles raised to remember the fallen from Sept. 11, 2001, and to honor those serving in the military, police and fire.
Although he served his country, he didn’t have to fight a war on terrorism at home, said Jerry Tobey, commander of Veterans of Foreign Wars post. He took his hat off to police and firefighters during the ceremony.
“We fought in somebody else’s country,” Tobey said.
“They’re actually in the trenches here today in the U.S.,” he said.
The local Vietnam Vets/Legacy Vets Motorcycle Club recognizes those who died in the 9/11 attacks as well as those who died in wartime action, said Roger Woofter, president of the club’s Chapter C Arkansas.
Club members set a table for the missing during the ceremony, as they do for prisoners of war or those missing in action. The table represents those who cannot be here, Woofter said.
“We don’t want anybody to forget any of our fallen heroes,” Woofter said.
At A Glance
9/11 History
New York
• Two planes, American Airlines Flight 11 and United Flight 175, hit the north and south towers of the World Trade Center in New York on Sept. 11, 2001. The first plane hit the north tower at 8:46 a.m. The second plane hit the south tower at 9:03 a.m. Both towers later collapsed. In New York 2,753 people died as a result of the attacks.
Washington
• American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon at 9:40 a.m. There were 184 people who died at the Pentagon.
Pennsylvania
• United Airlines Flight 93 crashed in a Pennsylvania field at 10:07 a.m. Forty people died in the plane crash in Pennsylvania.
Source: The Associated Press
Veterans returning from war caused by the events of 9/11 should be honored, Woofter said. The Vietnam veteran worries that as conflict in the Middle East becomes more political, today’s veterans will forgotten.
Wednesday’s event was hosted by the VFW’s Ladies’ Auxiliary. It’s important for people to remember the events of 9/11, said Linda Ford, president of the auxiliary. Sept. 11 is part of America’s heritage, Ford said.
“We want people to remember this day. We don’t want them to forget it or lose track of it,” she said.
Every Ladies’ Auxiliary in Arkansas lights a candle on Sept. 11 in memory of that day, Ford said.
Those attending the ceremony said they remembered where they stood when they heard the news.
In 2001 Beverly Bailey walked into the living room and watched as the first plane hit the World Trade Center.
“I watched it happen on TV and I’ll never forget,” Bailey said.
William Wilson was working at Superior Industries in Rogers.
“It’s the only time I’ve ever seen 600 employees stop work and shut the line down,” Wilson said.
Linda Cerasale said her two sons are firefighters, one in Rogers, one in Bentonville. Sept. 11 reminds her of the mothers who lost sons and daughters that day.
Not only did 343 firefighters die in the rubble of the World Trade Center, but three died on the site after that day and 1,000 were later diagnosed with cancer, said Deputy Fire Chief William Hyde.
That moment Americans began a journey as a community and nation, Hyde said.
Rogers Police Officer Mike Elkins was stationed at Camp Lejune, N.C., when he got the news. The soldiers knew people had died and war had come to American soil, but one act will not dictate how Americans live, Elkins told the group gathered under the flag Wednesday.
9/11 has given Americans a national sense of community and perseverance, Elkins said.
“Every time something happens Americans step forward,” he said.