LOUDONVILLE — The streets fell silent Friday morning in Loudonville as crowds gathered to remember the lives lost on Sept. 11, 2001.
Citizens surrounded Central Park to honor the lives lost, and honor the first responders, military members and civilians affected in the years that followed.
The American Legion Loudon Post 257 organized the 9/11 memorial service. The Loudonville Police Department and Loudonville Fire Department participated in the ceremony alongside veterans, community members and students.
Mayor Cathy Lance said the village was honored to host the memorial and extended its thoughts and prayers to those who died, survived, or lost loved ones in the attacks.
Lance also thanked local first responders, members of the armed forces and their families for their continued service.
The memorial service marked the 25th anniversary of the attacks that included commercial jet strikes on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon that killed 2,977 people.
During the commemorative address, American Legion Commander Jeff Marotta reflected on the first responders who ran toward the World Trade Center as others fled.
“(It was) the single greatest loss of life for American law enforcement and the service in our nation’s history,” Marotta said.
Marotta recognized the passengers aboard United Airlines Flight 93, who learned about the attacks in New York and Washington before attempting to take control of the plane.
“Let’s roll,” Marotta said, referencing the words passenger Todd Beamer reportedly used as the passengers prepared to fight back on a fourth plane that eventually crashed in a Pennsylvania field.
The address also focused on the way Americans responded in the days immediately following the attacks.
Strangers opened their homes to travelers stranded by grounded flights. Americans lined up to donate blood. Firehouses and police stations across the country received flowers, food and support.
“When trial comes, Americans unite,” Marotta said.
That sense of service, Marotta said, continues to be part of the American Legion’s mission through community programs, scholarships, support for veterans and efforts to teach younger generations about freedom and service.
“For those of you who grew up in the shadow of that day, 9/11 is not a chapter in a history book,” Marotta said. “It is the day the world changed on American soil, in real time, in front of us.”
The ceremony also honored the more than 7,000 American service members who died during the 21 years of war that followed the attacks, and more than 50,000 wounded in action, according to Marotta’s address.
“Some came home, changed forever, carrying wounds we cannot always see,” Marotta said. “That long war is now part of the legacy of 9/11.”
Two busloads of students attended the ceremony and remained quiet throughout the service. Afterward, some students greeted local firefighters and police officers with handshakes and fist bumps.
The Loudonville Fire Department provided flags and helped with the setup. The police department assisted with traffic control. Several downtown streets were temporarily closed during the ceremony to help keep the area quiet.
The ceremony included a prayer, a color guard and honor guard, a military salute and a moment of remembrance.
As the ceremony concluded, Marotta returned to the message at the heart of the memorial:
“We will never forget it.”
See more images from the Loudonville 9/11 memorial service:
