I'm Vickie Maidstone reporting from the Wings Of Hope sim (62,211,23), sight of one of a number of sims that will be hosting the 911 memorial services this week. It was in 2001, on September 11th, when the United States was attacked by terrorists from outside the US, boarded, hijacked, and ultimatly flew four passenger airline jets into the World Trade Center Towers in Mahattan NYC, The Pentagon in Washington D.C., and Somerset County in western Pennsylvania. Over 3,000 people died in those attacks and many were injured on the ground in those places.
Firefighters, first responders, police officers, many who gave the ultimate sacrafice of their lives in the line of duty have since then have never been forgotten and each year at Ground Zero in New York City, a service of remembrance is held there, Washington, in Somerset County in Pennslyvania.
This week will mark seven years and we have never nor will we ever forget, those who gave of them selves for others in the line of duty.
Now, here at Wings Of Hope, Thursday morning at 8a.m. SLT time, will mark the beginning of a 24 hour period of remembrance. Hope McAlpine of the Blue Angel Police Memorial Group in SL is the overall head of this and has been really busy. Services will be held every six (6) hours for 24 hours starting at 8 a.m. SLT time and ending on Friday morning the 12th. There will be speakers, readings, the list of names of those died, 21 gun salutes and members of the SL Bagpipe and Drum Corp. will also be in attendance.
There wil be notecards available in 15 langauges and attendance from around the world is expected to number quite high, many visitors from other allied countries will share in these services through representatives and heads of State as well.
In closing, we, the American people who through times of hardships, wars, famines and even in peace time, have never forgotten nor should we ever, the heroes of this great nation, whether in uniform to defend freedom around the world, or in our neighborhoods, We Will Never Forget.