Keeping the memories of 9/11 heroes alive

“Yesterday, December 7th, 1941 — a date which will live in infamy — the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.”

“Today, our fellow citizens, our way of life, our very freedom came under attack in a series of deliberate and deadly terrorist acts. The victims were in airplanes or in their offices: secretaries, business men and women, military and federal workers, moms and dads, friends and neighbors. Thousands of lives were suddenly ended by evil, despicable acts of terror. The pictures of airplanes flying into buildings, fires burning, huge — huge structures collapsing have filled us with disbelief, terrible sadness, and a quiet, unyielding anger. These acts of mass murder were intended to frighten our nation into chaos and retreat. But they have failed. Our country is strong.”

Two horrific events, roughly 60 years apart, that have defined generations of Americans. Our entry into World War II was against a known enemy — the Empire of Japan. When it launched the attack on Pearl Harbor from six aircraft carriers with 408 aircraft, it was a bold military plan with almost simultaneous attacks against Malaya, Hong Kong, Guam, the Philippines,Wake and Midway islands.

On 9/11, it was four passenger aircraft: American Airlines Flight 11, crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. United Airlines Flight 175, hit the South Tower. American Airlines Flight 77, crashed into the Pentagon outside of Washington, D.C., and, finally, United Airlines Flight 93, headed to Washington, D.C., but crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers attempted to rebuff the hijackers.

Two hours after the initial attack on the World Trade Center Towers, the two 110-story buildings crumbled, but not before hundreds of firefighters and other personnel had rushed into them in an attempt to save lives. Bravery would cost 415 firefighters and law enforcement personnel their lives along with 2,591 others who woke up that day and thought it would be like any other. It was, as Charles Dickens described in “Tale of Two Cities,” the best of times for the heroism displayed, and the worst of times for the destruction and loss of life not seen on our shores since the attack on Pearl Harbor that took 2,403 American souls.

World War II spawned the “Greatest Generation,” a generation that hoisted this nation to new heights after defeating the Japanese and the Nazis, a generation that cracked the atom, built the super computer and put man on the moon, but always lived with the words of FDR etched in memory of that now fateful Sunday almost 75 years ago.

The events of Sept. 11, 2001, are but 15 years in our rearview mirror. How well do we remember the horrors of that day? Osama bin Laden is dead. The Word Trade Center has been rebuilt with One World Trade Center as the 1,776-foot tall centerpiece. The complex of buildings include the 9/11 Memorial Museum that has attracted 5.4 million visitors since its opening in 2014.

However, for some, the memories of that day are already becoming dim. That is not the case in Middle Georgia. In Houston County, the memory of 9/11 was vibrant in the memorial celebration held Friday. In Macon-Bibb County, the sacrifices of public safety personnel were also remembered as they were at Georgia Military College in Milledgeville. This is what we need to do on each anniversary to keep the histories of the people who lost their lives in New York, the Pentagon and in a nondescript field in rural Pennsylvania alive?

When we remember them, we’re not just remembering those who died and were injured that clear September day, but those who went to war in subsequent years to hunt down and kill those who attacked us. It should remind us to demand that our lawmakers not skimp when it comes to our service personnel on a local, state and national level. It should be a constant reminder that our public safety personnel ran into a place where demons feared to tread. They did it then, and they’ll do it again.

This story was originally published September 10, 2016 at 9:00 PM with the headline "Keeping the memories of 9/11 heroes alive."