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9/11 Echoes: Honoring Sacrifice 25 Years Later
11 Sep
Summary
- Ceremony marked the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
- Maj. Gen. Eric Shirley spoke of courage and strangers helping strangers.
- Staff Sgt. Nathan Cox, killed in Afghanistan, was honored for his service.
Service members, Gold Star families, and community leaders gathered at the Rock Island Arsenal's 9/11 Memorial to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks. Maj. Gen. Eric Shirley addressed the attendees, recalling the immediate aftermath at the Pentagon where strangers aided one another amidst the chaos.
Shirley, who deployed to the Middle East shortly after 9/11, highlighted that America became a nation at war, leading to subsequent deployments. He shared his personal experience of laying groundwork for joint operations in Pakistan and Afghanistan in December 2001, leading to two decades of service and four combat tours.
The ceremony also honored individuals like Staff Sgt. Nathan Cox, a Quad Cities native who reenlisted after 9/11 and was tragically killed in Afghanistan in 2008. Maj. Gen. Shirley emphasized the importance of keeping such stories alive for younger generations who do not remember the events of September 11th firsthand.
