OUR VIEW: Country will never forget 9/11 attacks

Staff Editorial
Published: September 12, 2008

» SUMMARY: The unity in our country during the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001 — and in their remembrance — helps to explain why the terrorist attacks were ultimately unsuccessful.

Seven years ago the United States suffered one of the saddest and most frightening events in our country’s history.
The attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 left a permanent scar on our nation’s psyche. And just as it did in cities and towns across the country, the effects of the attacks hit close to home in Culpeper.

Ken and Jennifer Lewis of Culpeper were on American Airlines Flight 77, the plane that was hijacked in the attacks and crashed into the Pentagon.

In Culpeper Thursday there was a solemn and fitting tribute to all the victims of the attack as bugler Gerry Shuck made his way around town, playing Taps at the exact time of the attack on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and when United Flight 93 crashed in a Pennsylvania field.

Shuck played at the West Davis Street fire station at 8:46 a.m., the time the plane hit the first tower at the World Trade Center.

At 9:03 he was at the Sheriff’s Office, playing at the time of the second tower’s attack.
At 9:40 Shuck was at the Culpeper National Cemetery where it was time to honor those killed in the Pentagon attack.

At 10:06 he was at the corner of Main and Davis streets, playing Taps for those that died when United Flight 93 crashed in Pennsylvania.

Each stop was also planned to focus on a particular group involved in the attacks or the rescuers such as firefighters and police officers.

Though the years have helped ease the pain of that horrible morning, the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 are something that we as a nation, and as a small community, should never forget.

Shuck and others in Culpeper who paid tribute to the victims help symbolize what makes America great and show why the terrorists’ attacks were ultimately unsuccessful.

While we hope that our country never has to live through a day like that again, we also appreciate those who make sure we never forget what happened.