Team Kirtland, city to remember the fallen

  • Published
  • By Danny Monahan
  • 377th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
Kirtland Air Force Base --  The 377th Air Base Wing commander and the mayor of Albuquerque announced that Kirtland Air Force Base and the city will hold a joint remembrance ceremony at 10 a.m. Sept. 11 at Civic Plaza.

Col. Robert L. Maness and Mayor Richard J. Berry will mark the tenth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks and honor those who lost their lives.

"I witnessed the terror on that tragic day firsthand," said Maness. "Since that day I have also witnessed a renewed sense of patriotism and pride. The ceremony is an opportunity for us to remember and honor those we lost on that tragic day."

The public is invited and encouraged to attend, said Mayor Berry.

"With the ten-year anniversary of 9/11 approaching, the city of Albuquerque plans to pay special tribute to the fallen," said Berry. "We will honor the extraordinary sacrifices of our first responders, military personnel and all who perished in the attacks on 9/11."

In addition to the annual ceremony, the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers 5-K run will take place in downtown Albuquerque prior to the ceremony.

The run, which begins at 8 a.m., commemorates the length New York City firefighter Stephen Siller ran from the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel to the World Trade Center. On Sept. 11, Siller heard on his scanner that the first plane had hit the Twin Towers. He returned to his squad to get his gear and then drove to the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, but it was already closed to traffic. Wearing 60 pounds of gear on, he ran through the tunnel to get to the towers.

For more information on the event or to register for the 5K run, visit www.active.com.