5,501 reasons to remember

‘Remembering Our Fallen’ wall now on display in Slayton

A large crowd that included veterans and Five Star families fell silent as Slayton American Legion Commander Brad Pagel brought them back to the day when America was attacked by terrorists nearly 25 years ago.

From 5:45 a.m. on Sept. 11 when two hijackers passed through airport security in Maine, to the minutes of the attacks on 9/11, Pagel detailed the events that no one will forget during the opening ceremony for the “Remembering Our Fallen” traveling tribute.

“From the Pentagon and the World Trade Center, to a field outside of Shanksville, Pennsylvania, the attacks left 3,400 people dead,” Pagel said. “The events of that day also spawned a new era in U.S.

foreign policy — one that would lead to thousands more American deaths in the coming decades.”

The lives of 5,501 military members — those killed or who took their own lives after 9/11 — are memorialized on the 35 towers that make up the memorial. The individual towers come in three colors: beige represented a death during combat; red for training accidents; and blue for those that succumbed from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Less than one month after the attacks, the War on Terror began when the U.S. and Nato allies started military strikes in Afghanistan. In 2003, it escalated further when the U.S. launched an invasion in Iraq.

“Though the War on Terror achieved several goals, including the killing of Al-Qeada leader Osama bin Laden and a regime change in Iraq, the results came at a steep price,” said Pagel. “Since the first American was killed in Afghanistan in October 2001, nearly 6,900 American servicemen and women from all 50 states have died in the wars of Iraq and Afghanistan.”

Pagel said no corner of the country was untouched by the wars of the last two decades. Across the U.S., the number of Americans who have died serving in the War on Terror ranges from 17 to 75, depending on the state — 109 in Minnesota alone.

Pagel also paid special tribute to three locals who lost their lives during and after 9/11, and wreaths and memorials were set up near the tribute towers to honor the three.

The first was Cheryle (Thedans) Sincock, a 15-year civil service employee who was working at the Pentagon when it was attacked; she was one of 125 people killed inside the building. The mother of four was born in Currie, the third of 13 children. She was 53 when she died.

“Her dedication to her job and her family best describes her place in life,” Pagel said. “She was well-loved by her family and all who knew her for her many kind acts. Her spirit of giving will not be forgotten.”

Next was Army 1st Lt. Jason Timmerman of Cottonwood and Tracy. Timmerman was killed on February 21, 2005, while serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Timmerman was killed when an improvised explosive device detonated as he was assisting injured soldiers in Baghdad. Also killed in the blast were fellow Minnesotans Army Staff Sgt. David Day of St. Louis Park and Army Sgt. Jesse Lhotka of Alexandria.

Finally, Pagel recognized Trevor Gould, whose mother, Sheri, was in attendance. At the age of 25, Gould took his own life at his home in Fulda on June 21, 2012, the victim of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. He attended Fulda High School and entered the U.S. Army after basic training and attained the rank of specialist.

“They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but the photos on these towers mean so much more,” said Pagel. “The uniqueness of this display is that the family members are the ones who submitted the names and pictures of their loved one so that we never forget what the actual cost of freedom truly means.”

Michele Fischbach, who represents the 7th Congressional District, also spoke at Tuesday’s ceremony. She said as we approach the 25th anniversary of 9/11, everyone can remember what it felt like watching the events of that fateful morning unfold.

“We didn’t know what was happening with our country; it brought us together — that horror brought us together for a time. But in those days after the attacks, those sons and daughters, and moms and dads stepped up. This is about remembering them and the freedoms that we enjoy. Those 5,501 men and women will not be forgotten.”

Veteran Rod Schuur of Slayton, who served in Germany from 1961-64 as a mechanic, was touched by the tribute.

“It’s really nice that they do this,” he said. “You realize how many nice, young people fought for freedom. We fought against Communism is what we did. I’m against Communism, and that’s what I sacrificed for.”

The memorial arrived in Slayton just hours before Tuesday’s ceremony, and many volunteers worked to unload it and set it up at the soccer fields. The towers will be on display throughout the Murray County Fair and will be taken down Sunday.