Photo By Shelby West | Secret Service Dog Trainer Christopher Willingham, USMC Retired and President of the...... read more read more
Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) Sailors and civilians came together for the annual Patriot Day Fall-In for Colors and Remembrance Ceremony Sept. 11 to honor the lives lost during the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
The NNSY Chief Petty Officers Mess led the ceremony and provided a timeline of the events that transpired that day, as well as provided the workforce a moment to honor the memory and sacrifice of the more than 2,900 individuals who lost their lives in New York City, at the Pentagon, and onboard Flight 93 during what is considered the deadliest terrorist attack on American soil. In addition, the team came together to echo stories of that fateful day and how it impacted their lives.
Secret Service Dog Trainer Christopher Willingham, USMC Retired and President of the U.S. War Dogs Association, was the keynote speaker for the event and shared his personal story of how that fateful day has impacted his life. “9/11 taught us that tomorrow is not guaranteed, that life is precious, and we need to live every day to its fullest,” he said. “One service member that had an impact on my life was Firefighter Stephen Siller who worked with Brooklyn Squad 1. He had recently gotten off his shift and was going to go play golf with his brothers when he received word of a plane hitting the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Without a second thought, he went back to his post, grabbed his gear, and went to the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel. At that point they had closed the tunnel off due to safety concerns but he went anyway with his gear strapped to save as many lives as he could before he passed away.”
Willingham went on to share his opportunity to meet Siller’s widow Sally through his time stationed in Quantico, Virginia and his efforts working with members from Walter Reed. “In 2013, myself and my retired military working dog who had lost a leg in Afghanistan joined about 75 wounded veterans to do a run to Freedom Tower through those same tunnels that Stephen Siller had traveled to save lives during 9/11,” he said. “I get chills thinking about it. We had a platoon of soldiers who started calling cadence. Everyone was working together, gritting through the pain to make it through this jog to the Freedom Tower. And as I was running, I was running by Ms. Sally who was wearing Stephen’s old fire jacket. As we made it to Freedom Tower, we had 343 firefighters lined up in dress uniform holding up pictures of the fallen. And that was the first moment I saw the crossroads and impact of 9/11, seeing the families affected, innocent lives being remembered, first responders being honored, and those who rose their hand to defend the constitution of the United States.”
He continued, “A whole generation was affected by 9/11 and the impacts that started on that one day. My message to the service members here today is to stay vigilant and ready – you don’t know when your time is going to come. Let us never forget 9/11 and let’s continue to serve with pride and do our part to protect our Nation.”
In addition, MARMC Chaplain Lt. Tosha Arrington provided the invocation and benediction for the ceremony, and the U.S. Navy band as well as bagpiper Lt. Col. (Ret.) Thomas Metz provided musical accompaniments as the workforce took a moment to pause in reflection.
Commanding Officer, NNSY Industrial Operations Capt. Lawrence Brandon Jr. said, “24 years ago marked a day of profound tragedy and a turning point in our Nation’s history. A day when terror sought to cripple our Nation. But instead of crippling us, it ignited a fire of resolve, a commitment to defend our freedom and protect our way of life. As employees of Norfolk Naval Shipyard, we understand that commitment intimately. We maintain the warships and vessels that safeguard our shores and protect our strength across the globe. Our work is a direct response to the events of 9/11. Today, as we pause to remember the victims and honor the heroes of that day, we also recognize the ongoing sacrifices of those who have served in the war on terror.”
| Date Taken: | 09.11.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 09.12.2025 14:51 |
| Story ID: | 548007 |
| Location: | PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 63 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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