PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. (September 11, 2013) -- Picatinny community members gathered on this anniversary of the Sept. 11th 2001 terrorist attacks for a solemn wreath ceremony near the Visitor Center to commemorate the attacks and the sacrifices made by American service members in the 12 years that that have followed.
The wreath was placed by Picatinny Arsenal Garrison Commander, Lt. Col. Jason C. Mackay and Picatinny Arsenal Garrison Command Sergeant Major, Command Sgt. Maj. Rosalba Dumont-Carrion at a memorial marker dedicated to service members from New Jersey who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Global War on Terror.
Those in attendance heard an invocation by Picatinny Chaplain, Lt. Col. Kwon Pyo. After the wreath was placed, Mackay and Rosalba Dumont-Carrion rendered a salute while facing the memorial as "Taps" played.
The ceremony took place at 9:37 a.m., the time when United Airlines Flight 77 struck the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001.
Three red oak memorial trees for New Jersey Sailors, Cmdr. Robert E. Dolan, Cmdr. Patrick Dunn and Aviation Warfare Systems Operator Petty Officer 1st Class Joseph J. Pycior, Jr., who died in the Pentagon attack, are several feet from the GWOT Memorial Marker.
Also several feet away is a red oak tree memorial for Sgt. Steven D. Checo, the first New Jersey Soldier to die in Afghanistan. Sgt. Checo died on Dec. 21, 2002 as a result of gunshot wounds received during a firefight in Ivo Shkin, Afghanistan.
Thousands of Americans and people from other nations died as a result of two aircraft attacks that caused the collapse of the World Trade Center's Twin Towers in New York City, the aircraft attack on the Pentagon and the downing of United Airlines Flight 93 into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania on Sept. 11, 2001.
Thousands of members of the uniformed services also made the ultimate sacrifice while defending our nation during military actions around the world in the years following the Sept. 11 attacks.
At locations throughout Picatinny are 170 additional red oak tree memorials that have been planted and dedicated for New Jersey service members who have died in overseas operations since September 11, 2001.
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