Remembering Sept. 11 Nine Years Later

Today marks the ninth anniversary of Sept. 11. As a major suburb of the Washington, D.C. area it is hard for residents to remain unaffected nearly a decade after the events. Woodbridge and Prince William County Residents gathered with state and local elected officials yesterday at the Liberty Memorial Ceremony to remember those who had lost their lives in the tragic event. 

Prince William County Board of Supervisors Chairman-at-Large Corey Stewart lead the event.

"What happened at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and the field in Pennsylvania, that changed history," said Stewart. "You can ask almost any person where they were on that day and they'll tell you. Many of you gathered here to recall the stories of friends and loved ones that you lost."

Stewart referenced that many community members witnessed the Sept. 11 events firsthand and risked their own lives to tend to the wounded and save others.

"Some are too young to remember," said Stewart. "Regardless, 9/11 changed all our lives. May we never forget that day, Sept. 11, 2001."

At Liberty Memorial, a flagpole stands near the pentagon-shaped fountain and flies the American and 9/11 commemorative flags. That flagpole once belonged to James T. Lynch, who lost his life on Sept. 11. His wife, Brenda, donated the flagpole to the memorial.

Stewart presented a commemorative 9/11 flag to Lynch in memory of her husband.

Attendee Barbara Diehl was there for personal reasons.

"I thought the ceremony was appropriate, beautiful and well done," said Diehl. "My only regret is that is wasn't publicized enough so people could come."

After a few words by the Fire & Rescue Chaplain Reverend Jeff Carter and Chairman Stewart, the 22 names of fallen Prince William County residents were read aloud.

Attendees were given red or white carnations to lay at the memorial after the reading of the names.

"I thought it was a lovely and moving event," said Daphne Van Tiem.

Names of the fallen Prince William County residents are also inscribed on the Liberty Memorial:

• Sergeant First Class John J. Chada, U.S. Army, Retired
• Specialist Jamie L. Fallon, U.S. Navy 
• Amelia V. Fields
• Lt. Col. Robert J. Hymel, U.S. Air Force, Retired
• Sergeant Major Lacey B. Ivory, U.S. Army
• Judith L. Jones
• David W. Laychak
• James T. Lynch, Jr.
• Gene E. Maloy
• Robert J. Maxwell
• Molly L. McKenzie
• Craig J. Miller
• Diana B. Padro
• Rhonda S. Rasmussen
• Edward V. Rowenhort
• Judy Rowlett
• Donald D. Simmons
• Jeff L. Simpson
• Cheryle D. Sincock
• Chief Information Systems Technician Gregg H. Smallwood, U.S. Navy
• Sergeant Major Larry L. Strickland, U.S. Army
• Sandra L. White