PORTSMOUTH, Va. -- When our Nation awoke on Sept. 11, 2001, many carried on with their morning routine just like any other day, commuting to work, school, or wherever life took them that particular day. It was just another day in the United States…and then everything changed as 19 al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four commercial airplanes with the intent to cause a devastating blow to the country. Two of these flights, American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175, crashed directly into the Twin Towers at the World Trade Center in New York City – two staples of the city skyline crumbling to the ground veiled in flame and smoke as many watched on in horror of what was happening. American Airlines Flight 77 soon met a similar fate as it crashed into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. The fourth plane, United Airlines Flight 93, never made it to its intended destination as the brave passengers stormed the cockpit and seized control, bringing the plane down in Shanksville, Pa. Sept. 11, 2001 was cemented in history as the deadliest terrorist attack on American soil. 2,977 people from 93 nations lost their lives and more than 6,000 were injured, with 2,753 killed in New York, 194 killed at the Pentagon, and 40 killed on Flight 93. It was deemed a day we would “never forget.”

It has been 23 years since that fateful day – and yet many still recall exactly where they were when the towers fell and the Nation was shaken to its core. Our Nation rallied in its darkest hour, uplifting our brothers and sisters through tragedy and turmoil, instilling pride and strength in the American people. In the present day, Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) continues to honor the fallen with the annual Patriot Day Fall-In for Colors Sept. 11. Hosted by the NNSY Veterans Employee Readiness Group (VET-ERG) and the Chief Petty Officers Mess, the ceremony provided the workforce a moment to honor the memory and sacrifice of those who lost their lives during the terrorist attacks, as well as echo stories of where they were that fateful day and how it impacted their lives. VET-ERG President Roger Bashaw provided the invocation and benediction for the ceremony, the chiefs provided a timeline of the events that transpired that day, and the U.S. Navy band, Command Master Chief (CMC) Stephanie Canteen, as well as bagpiper Lt. Col. (Ret.) Thomas Metz provided musical accompaniments as the workforce took a moment to pause in reflection.

Chief Warrant Officer (CW03) Edward Williams was one of the two keynote speakers for this event, sharing his personal story of where he was the day the towers fell. “I was a Boatswain’s Mate (BM3) on USS Lake Champlain (CG 57) and we were about to go on deployment. Before that though, I wanted to take some time and return home to Jersey City, New Jersey with my family,” he shared. “I enjoyed my time there; however, three days before I was supposed to return for my deployment, I needed to go into Manhattan to Bank of America. I took the bus and the train, which was taking me right underneath the World Trade Center. The train’s doors would not open and many of us were trying to figure out what was going on. The train finally moved and let us out at Pavonia Newport, which felt like you were practically right across the street from the World Trade Center. When we were all finally off of the train, everyone was looking to the sky. Both planes had already hit the towers. I was in awe – not sure what was going on and thinking to myself this was an accident and this was something we would overcome. The last terrorist attack I remembered was in the Jimmy Carter era and it was the furthest thing from my mind.”

He continued, “And then, the buildings began to collapse. To see that happen and to watch the smoke and debris run across the water as if it were a sandstorm – I will never forget that. We all ran, trying to get away. None of us knew why this was happening to us. I had to walk all the way home – a comparable distance to the distance between Portsmouth and Suffolk here. At that time, the World Trade Center was a plateau for everything our country stood for. A symbol of trade in our economy and our efforts with the United Nations. Those antennas at the top of those buildings, when it collapsed, completely cut off a majority of our communications in the area. I remember when I got home, my mom was devastated because she knew I was underneath that trade center – and she didn’t know if I was going to make it home. I entered the house, pure white from the debris. And I didn’t realize until that moment my mother told me that we had just been involved in a terrorist attack. So when we think of Patriot Day, we need to ask ourselves, how did this event change our lives? It took me a week to finally get back for my deployment and we were deployed until August the following year. We were involved with numerous evolutions, pulling into ports had completely changed, and even standing watch had become different for all of us. The terrorists attacking on United States soil made this country different for many of us and still affects us today. So I ask you all to remember where you were 23 years ago and how it’s impacted you today.”

Machinist’s Mates (MMNC) Chief Tim Barth was the second keynote speaker and provided his own personal story of where he was that day. “I was working in Southern Pennsylvania as a substitute teacher. I got up early that morning for breakfast and to prepare to head to class for my certifications. I turned on the radio to a comedy show and I remember getting into my car to drive to my class at 8:46 a.m. when the first plane hit the World Trade Center. I remember the hosts kept saying on the radio that this was not a joke, this was not a prank, this was actually happening. By the time I had gotten to my class and finished up that morning, I returned to my car and turned on the radio again to find out a second plane had hit the World Trade Center, a plane had hit the Pentagon, the towers had collapsed – I sat there thinking to myself, what was going on? The world was turned upside down.”

He continued, “I had a half-day of work that afternoon with middle-schoolers teaching science. I don’t remember a lot about that day since it was such a whirlwind; however, I do remember those students just trying to make sense of everything happening. What was going on, what happened to these people? I had a hall duty that day and usually in the school there would be a lot of noise of classes going on, students chatting through the halls. That day, it was completely silent – save for the sound of the televisions playing the news from the same station in every classroom and every student staring at what was going on. And all we could tell them was, ‘watch and pay attention, you’re watching history happen right before your eyes.’ Every single person in my generation that I have talked to knows exactly where they were and what happened on that day. Everybody has a story – so I encourage everyone to tell those stories. The motto that came out of that day was, ‘never forget,’ and I know I won’t.”

Shipyard Commander Capt. Jip Mosman said, “Today that pride we felt after Sept. 11, 2001 remains strong in all of us – as we continue on the legacy of those who we have lost. And with new challenges ahead of us as overseas entities are once again threatening our way of life. We must remember why we do what we do here at NNSY. We must continue to execute our mission to return ships and submarines back to sea in support of our Sailors going into harm’s way in support of our Nation’s defense. Each of you are a vital asset to our Nation. You make our mission happen. This command isn’t a machine running on gas and oil, it’s an organization that runs on people. With the right focus for all of us to make it more efficient and more effective for the work to get done at the deckplate, we will be successful in our mission and help the Navy to be prepared for what might come. From leadership to our support codes to our waterfront warriors – we’re all in this together to secure our fleet as mission-ready. So as we continue to honor our fallen, let’s keep that pride alive and do our best in everything we do here at NNSY.”