Delaware Military Academy held its annual 9/11 remembrance ceremony Monday.
It was impossible not to feel chills or tear up at the Delaware Military Academy’s Patriot Day ceremony of remembrance for 9/11.
During Monday’s event, students took turns role-playing as the aircraft announcers on Sept. 11, 2001, making announcements for takeoffs, weather, destination and arrival times.
“Welcome aboard United Airlines Flight 175,” one student said. “It is 8:14 a.m. and we are prepared to depart Boston’s Logan Airport, arriving in Los Angeles.”
Flight 175 was hijacked by five al-Qaeda terrorists and crashed into the South Tower, just 17 minutes after American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower.
“Ladies and gentlemen, the local time here at Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C. is 8:20 a.m.,” another student said. “I want to welcome you aboard American Airlines Flight 77. Fueling is complete and we’re prepared for takeoff.”
Flight 77 was hijacked by five al-Qaeda terrorists and crashed into the Pentagon.
Eventually, the students transformed into news reporters to share the news of the hijacked planes crashing into the Twin Towers in New York City and the Pentagon.
Finally, the students focused on Flight 93, which was set to crash into the Capitol Building in Washington until citizens fought the hijackers and the plane crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, 20 minutes away from the nation’s capital.
With each announcement of a crash, a bell rang, shattering the silence of the Delaware Military Academy’s sports dome.
All 40 passengers and staff on Flight 93, as well as the four hijackers, were killed.
The four separate attacks killed 2,977 people.
Being reminded of the events of 9/11 left many in the audience with tears, especially those who were old enough to vividly remember the day.
“Although our cadets do not remember that day, for most of us, we can clearly recall where we were that morning when our world was shaken and the lives of thousands were taken from us in a senseless act of terror,” said Sharon Kurfuerst, the school’s commandant.
Throughout the ceremony, there was a juxtaposition of the evil and good prominent that day.
“Sept. 11, 2001 was a day when the worst of humanity was on display,” Kurfuerst said, “but more importantly, it was a day when the best of humanity shone through. First Responders rushed into danger without hesitation, ordinary people became heroes and communities came together in a spirit of unity and compassion.”
Patriot Day, she said, is a time to honor the legacy of those who perished by continuing to strive for a world where acts of hatred and violence are replaced with acts of love, understanding, inclusivity, tolerance and peace.
It’s important to pay tribute to the men and women who have served and continue to serve in America’s armed forces, she said, protecting the nation and its values.
Along with the re-enactment of the events on 9/11, Monday’s ceremony included a rendition of Taps, the Presentation of Colors, and a choir of students singing “God Bless America” and the national anthem.
At the end of the service, the hundreds of students in attendance raised their right hands to pledge they would never forget the events of 9/11 and the heroism of Americans and first responders.
“The memory of Sept. 11, 2001 is not just a day of mourning,” Kurfuerst said, “but more significantly, it’s a day of inspiration, of hope, of light, reminding us of the enduring spirit and resilience of America and of Americans.”
Raised in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, Jarek earned a B.A. in journalism and a B.A. in political science from Temple University in 2021. After running CNN’s Michael Smerconish’s YouTube channel, Jarek became a reporter for the Bucks County Herald before joining Delaware LIVE News.
Jarek can be reached by email at [email protected] or by phone at (215) 450-9982. Follow him on Twitter @jarekrutz
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