9-11 Memorial sparks memories, media interest

  • Published
  • By Brooke Davis
  • Eastern Air Defense Sector
Rome, N.Y. --  The World Trade Center steel arrived here in August.
The steel is cold, rusted and twisted. Representing the tragic impact that Sept. 11 had on many at the Eastern Air Defense Sector.
Selecting a piece of the World Trade Center for the 9-11 Memorial from Hangar 17 at the John F. Kennedy Airport in New York was an eerie experience. When Col. Dawne Deskins, EADS vice commander, and I walked into the hangar, we were immediately surrounded by the remaining destruction from the attacks of Sept. 11. Steel I-Beams spanned across the hangar as we began our guided tour.
Peter Miller, manager of special projects for the Port Authority, seemed used to the contents of the hangar. He showed us a rock-like structure that was made of four floors of the twin towers as they collapsed. The sight of the hangar left me numb with images of burned firetrucks and the crushed wreckage of taxi cabs.
Parts of the building were exposed that had never been seen since its construction years ago. Some of the I-beams had doodles from the original steel welders -- dozens of crucifixes were cut into the steel.
The Port Authority is still in the process of cataloging all of the artifacts. The piece here is catalogued as F.0021.003.
Media attention regarding the steel transfer to the unit started with a call from a reporter from the New York Times asking about correspondence between the Eastern Air Defense Sector and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
Taking more than a year, the Port Authority eventually transferred the steel to EADS. The artifacts are still considered part of a crime scene, which is partially why it took a great deal of correspondence for the artifact to be transferred to EADS to display as a part of the 9-11 Memorial.
In a recent media interview, Colonel Deskins said, "September 11 was a defining moment for this unit. Our mission completely changed on that day and the way we protect the country today is a direct result of those attacks. I will certainly never forget standing on the operations floor on 9/11 and the range of emotions I felt that morning."
Going through the Port Authority and seeing the remains from the two towers brought back many of those feelings, she continued. This memorial is a local reminder to everyone that was on duty then and today of the importance of the EADS mission.
I initially hesitated to use the photos to tell the story of selecting the WTC piece until the eighth anniversary of the attacks. I realized that these photos capture the tragic story that will always need to be told.
The display will also include a piece of the Pentagon and the crash site of United 93. That piece has not arrived yet. Despite still needing the last piece, designing and installing the memorial display is in the works and the goal is to have it ready by the Oct. 2 ribbon cutting ceremony.