Virginia War Memorial to honor those who died, were injured in 9/11 tragedy

The Commonwealth’s Patriot Day Ceremony will be held on Monday, Sept. 12, at 11 a.m. in the Heilman Amphitheater at the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond.

September 11 has been designated each year as Patriot Day, a National Day of Mourning, by the U.S. Congress to honor and remember the 2,997 men and women and more than 6,000 who were injured on that day in 2001.

As Patriot Day will fall on a Sunday this year, the Virginia War Memorial will host the Commonwealth’s Patriot Day Ceremony on Monday, Sept.12.

Former Virginia Governor James S. Gilmore will be the keynote speaker.

This annual ceremony will commemorate the 21st anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Northern Virginia and the downing of the jet aircraft in Shanksville, Pa., that occurred on Sept. 11, 2001.

Gilmore was serving as the Commonwealth’s chief executive when the attacks occurred, and he and his staff were immediately called into action to respond when the airliner crashed into the Pentagon. This was the first enemy attack on American soil since the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on Dec. 7, 1941.

“We are especially pleased that Governor Gilmore can join us this year to give his first-hand account of how Virginia’s government agencies including the Virginia National Guard, Virginia State Police, local law enforcement agencies, fire departments and emergency medical technicians came together to respond to the attack on the Pentagon,” said Dr. Clay Mountcastle, Virginia War Memorial director and host of the ceremony. “We must never forget our fellow Americans and fellow Virginians who died on this terrible day two decades ago. There is no more fitting place to honor them than here on the hallowed grounds of the Virginia War Memorial.”

The public is invited to attend the ceremony. There is no admission charge, and parking is free. Attendees are requested to arrive early in order to be in place for the 11 a.m. start time.

Beginning at 10:40 a.m., the Richmond Brass and Percussion Consort will play a selection of patriotic music.

In addition to taking part in the ceremony, guests will be able to view an actual piece of steel recovered from the World Trade Center on display at the Memorial and a portion of the concrete wall from the Pentagon scarred from the 9/11 attack.

The Virginia War Memorial will be open to the public from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for visitation.

For more information on the ceremony, visit www.vawarmemorial.org