Bronxites across the borough gathered once again on Wednesday, Sept. 11, to remember those who were killed and injured during the September 11th attacks on America in 2001.

 

Outside the 49th Precinct stationhouse on Eastchester Road in Morris Park, NYPD Captain Tawee Theanthong, the recently appointed commanding officer of the precinct, gathered with more than a dozen police officers and members of the 49th Precinct Clergy Council, for the occasion. Theanthong read the names of the 23 police officers from across New York City who died that day in the line of duty.

They were Sgt. John Coughlin, Sgt. Michael Curtin, Sgt. Rodney Gillis, Sgt. Timothy Roy, Det. Claude Richards, Det. Joseph Vigiano, Police Officer John D’Allara, Police Officer Vincent Danz, Police Officer Jerome Dominguez, Police Officer Stephen Driscoll, Police Officer Mark Ellis, Police Officer Robert Fazio, Police Officer Ronald Kloepfer, Police Officer Thomas Langone, Police Officer James Leahy, Police Officer Brian McDonnell, Police Officer John Perry, Police Officer Glen Pettit, Police Officer Moira Smith, Police Officer Ramon Suarez, Police Officer Paul Talty, Police Officer Santos Valentin, and Police Officer Walter Weaver.

 

Many more law enforcement officers from other New York agencies also perished on 9/11, along with other members of law enforcement across the country. Elsewhere, at the September 11th Memorial at Jacobi Hospital, also in Morris Park, hospital officials were once again joined by staff members, local elected officials, and members of the public as they paid homage to the Bronxites killed in the attacks.

In Allerton, on the same day, at St. Catherine Academy on Williamsbridge Road, the entire student body was taking part in a flag-raising ceremony when a police officer cruising past the school decided to stop and join the students.

 

On Thursday, Sept. 12, Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson joined members of the FDNY, the NYPD, family members, elected officials and others for her office’s annual “9/11 Day of Remembrance” ceremony held on Lou Gehrig Plaza in the Concourse section of the borough.

The September 11th attacks were a terrorist attack on the United States that occurred on Sept. 11, 2001. As widely reported, 19 al-Qaeda hijackers seized control of four jetliners. Two of the planes were flown into the World Trade Center in New York City, a third into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, and the fourth into a field in western Pennsylvania. The attacks killed almost 3,000 people and injured over 6,000 more.

 

The FDNY lost 343 firefighters from across New York City in the attacks. On Sept. 4, the FDNY added the names of 32 additional members to the FDNY World Trade Center Memorial Wall at FDNY headquarters in Brooklyn. The total number of firefighters who have died from 9/11-related illnesses now stands at 360. The FDNY ceremony can be viewed online at https://www.nyc.gov/site/fdny/index.page.

During his address, Theanthong said in part, “The NYPD responded to the World Trade Center Buildings in a show of strength and courage that earned us the respect of the world. Twenty-three brave members did not return from Ground Zero. We honor them daily by protecting the American way of life, for which they did on that day. They, and each of you, personify what is best about this city, this country, and our ideals.”

He added, in part, “Take pride in knowing that history will remember that the New York City Police Department demonstrated the highest principles of service and humanity in our response that day. May events never require us to do so again.”