Ceremony honors 9/11 victims, POW/MIAs, and the cost of freedom

Community members, veterans, and local officials gathered Sept. 11 on the Owen County Courthouse lawn for the annual POW/MIA and 9/11 Remembrance Day ceremony, marking the solemn 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The event honored the nation's fallen, prisoners of war, those missing in action, and the victims of that tragic day.

The evening program featured ceremonial traditions, military honors, and heartfelt addresses from veteran leaders who reflected on the high cost of freedom and the enduring resilience of the American spirit.

The ceremony opened with a welcome by VFW Post #1405 Commander Brian Nash. Introductions were then led by VFW Auxiliary Post #1405 POW/MIA Chairwoman Sharron Barger. The invocation was delivered by Post #1405 Chaplain Charlotte Broerman, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by VFW Auxiliary Post #7850 President Joanna Wall. County councilwoman Polly Chesser performed the National Anthem.

Following the opening presentations, VFW Post #1405 Past Commander Ted Mangin served as the guest speaker and challenged how administrative language coldly labels captives, emphasizing the human beings behind the terms.

“POW/MIA, acronyms describing the current state of being held captive or having been lost to effects of combat operations,” Mangin said. “Terms very efficient for administrative and forensic accounting, yet so insensitive and impersonal. I prefer using, respectfully, the full wording when describing our men and women, living or deceased, who waited, or are waiting to be repatriated.”

Detailing the harrowing environments prisoners often face, Mangin spoke about inhumane confinement and intense interrogation.

“You cannot imagine what many faced in captivity. Usually, confinement is less than humane or comfortable, with many more hardships possible as time goes on, such as torturous interrogation, sometimes ending in all-out torture,” he explained.

Recognizing the ongoing mission to bring service members home, Mangin praised the military and government support provided to veterans.

“Our government and military continue to locate our confined and lost brothers and sisters of service and return them home, providing the support needed for any health-related issues or making adjustments for their return to a normal life,” he said.

Concluding his remarks, Mangin offered a prayer for the peace of missing service members and a blessing for Owen County.

“I make a thankful plea that our beloved prisoners of war and those missing in action, upon ending their time with us in this world, may find peace and comfort in the outstretched arms of our Lord after experiencing time in hell,” he said. “God bless you for supporting our troops like you always do in Owen County. God bless the men and women in uniform who are serving and protecting this great Republic we call home."

Continuing the program, a folding of the flag was presented by the Owen Valley High School Air Force Junior ROTC. The Missing Man Table followed, featuring a presentation by VFW Auxiliary Post #1405 President Sharron Barger and table pointer duties handled by Post #1405 Quartermaster Gabriel Del Fierro.

The keynote 9/11 address was then delivered by U.S Army veteran James Rooney of the Gosport VFW Post #7850. Rooney, who served on active duty for almost nine years, three of those years spent in Iraq, reflected on his own service and the purpose of fighting overseas to protect the homeland.

“We fought for years so this wouldn't happen here,” he said. “When I went over myself, that's what I thought. I'm going there so it's not here. That's what we go there for. That's what we do as Americans, as citizens, as soldiers, Marines, airmen, Navy, our new Space Force. We're doing this for all of you.”

Shifting his focus to the extraordinary heroism displayed amidst the tragedy of 9/11, Rooney underscored the courage of the first responders who rushed toward danger.

“In the darkest hours of the day, we witnessed the absolute best of human spirit,” he said. “While the towers burned, first responders, firefighters, police officers, and medics ran towards the danger. They didn't ask who the person next to them was. They only knew they had a duty to save them.”

Highlighting how the tragedy redefined service for military members, Rooney spoke of the grief and resilience that followed in the wake of the attacks.

“That same call to duty rippled across the entire nation, for those of us who wore the uniform or who put on the uniform in the days and years that followed, 9/11 redefined our service,” he said. “We honor every veteran who answered that call, who stood watch, and sacrificed pieces of their minds, bodies, and hearts to protect our freedoms. The true legacy of September 11th is not just found in the tragedy we endured, but in the resilience that followed. America was struck, but we did not bow.”

Concluding his address, Rooney offered a message of remembrance to affected families and closed with a blessing.

“To the families who still bear the empty seat at the dinner table, and to the veterans and the first responders carrying lingering burdens and health struggles from that day, your nation remembers you,” he said. “We stand with you today and always. Let us carry forward the unity, the selflessness, and the profound courage of September 11th into our everyday lives.”

Following the keynote, a memorial poem was read, wreath layers honored WWI, WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War, Gulf Wars, All Other Wars, and 9/11, and Chesser sang "God Bless America."

Military honors continued with a 21-gun salute by the Owen County Honor Guard and the playing of Taps, performed on a ceremonial bugle by Ed Roy. Closing remarks were delivered by Nash, and the benediction was offered by VFW Post #1405 Chaplain Warren Havenor. The formal program concluded with a candle lighting at the Owen County War Memorial wall.

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