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COLUMBIA, S.C. - South Carolina National Guard members, along with first responders from around the Midlands, gathered for a ground-breaking ceremony July 5, for the construction of a “First Responders Remembrance Memorial” at the Convention Center in downtown Columbia.
The memorial, which integrates two historic beams from the New York World Trade Center Tower #1, will include the names of firefighters, law enforcement, emergency medical personnel, and military members from South Carolina, who have lost their lives while serving since Sept. 11, 2001.
At exactly 8:46 a.m., the time when the first plane hit the World Trade center on 9-11, eleven children who have lost a parent in the line of duty, each picked up a shovel and lifted dirt to symbolize the breaking of ground on the memorial site.
Congressman Joe Wilson, who attended with numerous other civic leaders from around the state, thanked all of the first responders and reminded everyone that the nation was still in a war against terrorism and must have resolve.
Guard members, along with The Adjutant General for S.C., Maj. Gen. Robert Livingston, stood along with more than 100 other uniformed personnel. The area was surrounded by fire trucks, ambulances and police vehicles. The ceremony also included a helicopter flyover from the Sherriff’s department to pay tribute to the fallen.
“Throughout this past July 4th weekend, we had troops going to and returning from the theater of operations, as well as first responders battling wildfires in Horry County,” said Livingston. “It is significant we did this ground-breaking for the first responder memorial and remember those who served and who continue to serve every day.”
To date, 27 military personnel and 29 police, emergency medical services or firefighters from South Carolina have lost their lives while serving since Sept. 11, 2001.
More information on the memorial can be found at www.SCRemembers911.com.
| Date Taken: | 09.11.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 10.16.2011 13:14 |
| Story ID: | 78561 |
| Location: | COLUMBIA, SC, US |
| Web Views: | 48 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, South Carolina National Guard joins first responders at ground-breaking ceremony, by COL Cindi King, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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