Firsthand remembrances and sombre musical tributes highlighted local ceremonies honoring the 23rd anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Atlantic City Police Chief James Sarkos and Fire Chief Scott Evans lit the canons at at the resort's ceremony.
The city lost two natives that day.
Vincent Saracini, 51, was captain of Flight 175, which was the second plane to strike the World Trade Center, hitting the South Tower.
John O'Neill, 49, had recently retired from the FBI, where he had been the leading expert on Al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden, and has been recognized as the man who tried to warn of the dangers.
He had become the World Trade Center's director of security just weeks before the planes came.
The Margate City Fire Department was the scene of the city's ceremony Wednesday. Margate Fire Chief Dan Adams urged members of the community to “Never Forget” what happened Sept. 11, 2001 when firefighters and police officers went into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center not knowing if they would ever come out. Three hundred and forty-three NYC firefighters died in the carnage inflicted by terrorists.
Adams noted that when former Fire Chief Anthony Tabasso was charged with repairing the flooded Firehouse No. 1 after Hurricane Sandy, he memorialized the day and the firefighters by installing two medallions at the top of the brick building that include the numbers, 911 and 343.
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Ocean City Firefighter Brian Green, standing at the podium in center, recalls the heartbreaking scene of the terrorist attacks in New York City.In Ocean City, Firefighter Brian Green talked about arriving at the World Trade Center scene to learn the rescue mission was now one of recovery.
“It was a tough blow that they no longer expected any survivors to be found,” Green said. “We took turns roaming around ground zero trying to help anyone in need. The men and women of FDNY were amazing, withered, weak, nearly beaten, but not one of them would leave until all missing fire press personnel were recovered. Their faces are forever etched in my mind.”
Green said he was proud when he saw the large crowd outside of the Ocean City Fire Department headquarters to pay tribute to those affected by the attacks.
“When so many people showed up today, I was so proud,” Green said.
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Veterans salute and stand at attention during the playing of the national anthem in Sea Isle City.Steve Burns' remembrance of a little boy who lost his father in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks was a poignant moment at Sea Isle City's "Patriot Day" on Wednesday.
Burns was the chief of the volunteer fire department in Springfield, Pa., at the time. After the attacks, his department served as the honor guard at the Staten Island funeral of a New York City firefighter killed in the collapse of the World Trade Center twin towers.
At the funeral, the firefighter’s young son said a final goodbye to his late father by saluting, in a moment sadly reminiscent of the way John F. Kennedy Jr. saluted his father’s coffin after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963.
“A bunch of big, tough macho firefighters, and there wasn’t a dry eye in that line,” Burns recalled of the emotional response of seeing the little boy’s farewell salute to his father.
