Team Misawa Remembers 20 Year Anniversary of 9/11 Attack

Photo By Staff Sgt. Caroline Parks | Chief Master Sgt. Joseph Meininger, 35th Fighter Wing command chief, participates in the 9/11 stair climb at Misawa Air Base, Japan, Sept. 11, 2021. Meininger worked as a firefighter for 10 years, a fire chief for five and finally became the command chief for the 35th Fighter Wing in June 2020. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Caroline Burnett)  

JAPAN

09.11.2021

Story by Senior Airman Caroline Parks 

AFN Misawa

MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan -- Members of the 35th Civil Engineer Squadron fire department, 35th Security Forces Squadron, 35th Medical Group and others from the Misawa community came together to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attack on Sept. 11, 2001 and the sacrifices that victims and emergency responders made on that day.

The event began with a ceremony where two Airmen place a wreath onto the warrior’s cross and members of Team Misawa who lost loved ones and friends shared their stories. After the ceremony, members participated in a stair climb of 12 continuous up-and-down laps consisting of 9 flights of stairs totaling the 110 stories that first responders climbed in an attempt to rescue those that were trapped in the Twin Towers.

“It has been 20 years since we lost almost 3,000 people in the World Trade Center,” said Chief Master Sgt. Joshua Horton, 35th Fuels Squadron non-commissioned officer in charge. “On that date, many felt an immense fear across the nation.”

Members of Team Misawa had the opportunity to equip themselves with full firefighter individual protective equipment to experience the intensity of climbing the flights with added weight and increased temperatures due to the baggage.

As participants completed 9 flight of stairs, a lanyard was placed around their neck, each adorned with an identification card of one of the 343 first responders whose lives were lost in the Twin Towers collapse. Participants remembered those sacrificed as they gained more cards throughout the challenge.

Military first responders and volunteers hold events like these to remember that “the only way though this tragedy is together,” said Horton.

“Our thoughts went from what happened and how did this happen to what do we do,” said Horton. “We turn to each other for answers… and the one thing that spoke to many of us standing here today is unity.”

• Date Taken: 09.11.2021
• Date Posted: 10.21.2021 22:54
• Story ID: 407762
• Location: JP