Sept. 11 attack remembered at 21st memorial service

Sept. 13, 2022 | Matt Conway
mconway@thereminder.com


A combined Springfield Police and Fire color guard escorted the flag into the ceremony.
Reminder Publishing photo by G. Michael Dobbs

SPRINGFIELD – Despite the event being 21 years ago, the memories of heroism, duty and sacrifice exhibited by first responders and the military on 9/11 are still at the top of many people’s minds, as shown in the remarks made at the city’s annual observance of the attack on this nation.

Taking place at the city’s 9/11 monument at Riverfront Park, Col. David Halasi-Kun, commander of the 104th Fighter Wing at Barnes Air National Guard Base, recalled how as a young pilot he was in the air after the attack escorting airliners to their destinations. “We were uncertain who was the enemy and was not sure of the next threat,” he said.

Halasi-Kun added, “If you don’t know our enemies, our enemies will let us know.”

He said the photos of firefighters sifting through the rubble of the World Trade Center was an inspiration to him and other members of the military.

Springfield Police Deputy Chief Rupert Daniel also related the experience personally. He was in the Army as a Green Beret and remembered with emotion in his voice how he lost a friend, a fellow Green Beret, in an operation after the attack in Afghanistan.

He said wounded members of the unit begged doctors to address their wounds and let them return to their missions.

Others who spoke included Congressman Richard Neal, Springfield Fire Commissioner BJ Calvi, Patrick Pickering, regional director for American Medical Response and Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno. There was also an invocation by Father Gary Dailey, chaplain for the Springfield Fire Department, and two performances by singer Vanessa Ford

Following the addresses, a wreath was laid at the 9/11 memorial, a rifle salute was made and “Taps” was performed.

Attorney General Maura Healey spoke in the capacity of her office, although several officials noted her status as the Democratic gubernatorial candidate. She said in a brief speech about that day she “thinks about the immeasurable loss of that day… thinks about the sacrifice of those who rushed the buildings.”

She then noted how the event inspired people to go into public service.

Healey at Union Station

Preceding her appearance at the 9/11 ceremony, Healey and Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll, the Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor, gathered for an event that was part victory lap after the primary and part discussion about her stance on transportation.

Standing behind the two candidates at the microphone were state Sens. Eric Lesser, Jo Comerford and Adam Hinds, Congressman Richard Neal, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, Holyoke Mayor Josh García, state Reps. Bud Williams, Jake Olivera, and Orlando Ramos and candidate for state representative Shirley Arriaga, Springfield City Council Chair Jesse Lederman and Springfield School Committee member LaTonia Monroe Naylor, among others.

Healey believes with the federal money available for transportation and with the commonwealth being in good financial condition “this is the opportunity to invest.”

She stressed she is “absolutely on board” with the east-west passenger rail project.

Healey sees the project as not just being about rail, bus also privately owned bus lines as well as the Regional Transit Authorities (RTA), such as the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority, working together to improve transportations options.

She declared, “We will get this done.”

When asked about funding holes for the RTA, Healey did not commit to immediate action if elected, but instead said, “We’ve got to take it a step at the time.”

As far as managing the development of the new rail system along with fixing the issues facing the MBTA (Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority) in eastern Massachusetts, Healey said, “We can do two things at once, or three to four things at once.”

She called the safety concerns at the MBTA a “debacle” and they need to be fixed.

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