By Ruth Ann Ruiz
The Post Newspaper Features Editor
The voices of Texas City High School Master Chorale blended in singing a moving rendition of our National Anthem at Texas City’s 25th Anniversary Tribute to the events that shattered our nation on September 11, 2001.
Father Clint Resseler of St. Mary of the Miraculous Medal followed the chorale with a somber prayer. Texas City Mayor Able Garza came to the podium and spoke of the three significant days that Texas City will never forget: the bombing of Pearl Harbor, 9/11, and the Texas City Explosion.
The ceremony was very emotionally moving and included a video of several Texas City residents who had been in the military on that day or worked in the airline industry on that day.
A then-Continental Airlines pilot spoke about his experience learning he must land his plane full of passengers, and he must not alert them to any danger. Another airline employee spoke of the confusion and yet the sense of unity passengers were experiencing as they found themselves in airports with all flights canceled.
Bruce Clawson, a decorated Marine, reminded us all of that fateful day that many of us watched live as it unfolded. “We watched quietly until the towers began falling. We watched in sorrow and disbelief as they fell knowing that thousands of souls were in those buildings and were dying,” said Clawson.
U.S. Army Veteran Wade Johnson spoke, as did Texas City Fire Chief Dennis Harris, who is a U.S. Navy veteran, and Interim Chief of Police James Patterson.
Throughout all the speakers, two themes came across: one was that we must never forget the events of 9/11, and the other was that we must once again be unified as we were after our nation was attacked.
Indeed, many of us remember how quickly we as a nation united in our stance to support each other through the tragedy, to support the efforts for the people who were directly involved in the tragedy and to defend our nation from future attacks.
The ceremony ended with the Chorale solemnly singing “May the Lord Bless You and Keep You.”
