By Lisa Wilcox
Staff Writer
CARIBOU — The 11th anniversary of the terrorist attacks in which 2,752 Americans were killed at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and on United Flight 93 was commemorated with a ceremony held by the Caribou Fire and Ambulance Department on Tuesday Sept. 11, 2012. A small group of citizens and public servants gathered for the event.
Aroostook Republican photo/Lisa Wilcox
Caribou Honor Guardsmen , from left, Tim Browning, Derrick Lamothe, PJ Saunders, Capt. Lance Longley and Lt. Eric Dickenson march in formation to place state of Maine and U.S. flags at the memorial display set up in front of the Caribou Fire Department to mark the 11th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
High Street was closed for a few moments as the Caribou Fire Department’s Honor Guard marched in formation, placing a state and U.S. flag near the memorial display set up in front of a ladder truck also proudly waving an American flag from atop the fully extended ladder. Fire Department Chaplain Steve Corbin recited a fireman’s prayer and Caribou Fire Chief Scott Susi remarked that the day of the attacks in 2001 was also a Tuesday and was very similar with a cool autumn crispness in the air. Susi asked that everyone take a moment to reflect upon where they were when they heard the news of the attacks. The Honor Guard then performed a flag folding and unfolding ceremony with Honor Guardsman Bruce Thibault reciting the meaning behind each of the 12 folds.
At exactly 8:46 a.m. the time that the first plane crashed into the first tower, traffic was stopped once again and a true moment of silence was observed. The silence was followed by three mournful blasts from the fire department’s emergency horn and bugler Tammy Susi played a moving rendition of “Taps.” Chief Susi closed the ceremony by asking all to be sure to continue to remember throughout the day those who lost their lives during this American tragedy.
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| Aroostook Republican photo/Lisa Wilcox A display table honoring fallen comrades is set up in front of the Caribou Fire and Ambulance Department to mark the 11th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.. |
In accordance with a presidential proclamation, Maine Gov. Paul LePage issued an order that all state and U.S. flags be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset.
“America’s courage was tested that day, “ LePage reflected in a public statement, “but we answered the call. From the first responders who worked tirelessly to rescue the victims of those terrorists, to the countless people who flooded their local blood banks to give all they could, to our men and women in uniform who continue to protect our borders and our freedoms from other would-be attackers, America stands as a testament to the resiliency and the bravery of its people.”
