Sunday marks the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks that took nearly 3,000 lives in New York City, Arlington, Va., and Shanksville, Pa. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen will host a private remembrance ceremony on Sunday at the Pentagon for families that lost loved ones there. President Obama and the First Lady will attend the commemoration ceremony at the national memorial at the World Trade Center site in New York. The President also will participate in the ceremony in Shanksville. “As tragic as 9/11 was . . . we have drawn tremendous inspiration from that day,” said Panetta in remarks Tuesday at the WTC site. He said those events, “brought this nation together in the commitment that what happened” must “never happen again.” The United States has “achieved significant success going after al Qaeda,” but must “forever remain vigilant,” he said. “Our greatest strength lies in those that have been willing to serve this nation to defend it,” added Panetta. See also:
Air Force leadership anniversary message;
Airmen on 9/11 from Air Force Magazine’s September issue;
Sept. 11, Minute by Minute from the Air Force Magazine archives; and
FoxNews.com report on Operation Noble Eagle, the enduring mission securing US skies.