It happened 731 days ago, yet the images are burned still in our memory as if it were yesterday.
Thursday afternoon more than 400 LSU students, faculty, staff and members of the Baton Rouge community gathered on the Parade Ground to reflect on the devastating terrorist attacks that killed 3,016 people at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field two years ago.
“It means a lot to show the significance of the American spirit,” said Brandon Smith, a political science and international studies junior. “And while we are not the most perfect country … we are by far most fortunate to be in this country.”
Smith, a member of the Union Program Council, helped put the ceremony together.
“We wanted to program it with the spirit of true Americans and heroes,” Smith said. “They were the first heroes on the war against terror. Before we deployed any troops to Afghanistan, before we deployed any troops to Iraq, they were the first to be the victims of this horrible evil.”
Risa Palm, University provost, said it is important for members of the community to never forget Sept. 11, 2001, and how well the nation responded after the tragedy.
Members of the LSU Fire Emergency Training Institute also were on hand to take part in honoring the victims.
“We remember 9/11 on a daily basis because of those brothers who fell in the line of duty, both in fire and police,” said Chris Browning, LSU Fire Emergency Training Institute rescue coordinator. “It is an opportunity to try and bring it all back again and to do an inner-assessment of the way we feel about our jobs and how we discover the real reason we do the jobs that we do – to try and save lives.”
Brice Acosta, a disaster science and management junior, skipped class to attend the ceremony. Acosta, who is from a military family, said he is familiar with the purposes of memorial services.
“It really brings a lot of inner peace to people and to me as well,” Acosta said.
Along with a prayer for the victims, a wreath was laid at the War Memorial to commemorate the lives lost on Sept. 11, 2001, and to recognize LSU alumnus Scotty Lamana, a Navy lieutenant who was killed at the Pentagon.
Kathryn Barton, a music education senior, performed “Taps” during the wreath laying.
“I have played ‘Taps’ before but not at something as big as this,” Barton said.