September 13, 2007
The Kings Mountain Herald
Page 3
9/11 remember at City Ha
Be EMILY WEAVER
“% eweaver@kingsmountainherald.com
A soft breeze blew through the
concrete valley outside of City
Hall on Tuesday afternoon,
awakening the flags for the
Patriot's Day observance at
noon.
The annual ceremony, which
began after the horrific events of
September 11, 2001, when terror-
ists shook America’s soil, hon-
ored all of the brave men and
women who continue to protect
our country’s liberty and free-
dom.
Police Chief Melvin Proctor
gave the invocation. Fire Chief
Frank Burns led the crowd, gath-
ered outside of City Hall, in the
Pledge of Allegiance. Kings
Mountain vocalist Shana Adams
sang the National Anthem and
the Kings Mountain Police
Honor Guard presented the col-
ors.
“Since September 11, 2001, the
City of Kings Mountain has con-
tinued to have an observance
and remember that day,” said
Mayor Rick Murphrey. “Our
President has designated this
day today as Patriot's Day. It’s
something I feel very fond about
that we should come and
remember those who sacrificed
their lives and I salute our emer-
gency personnel and law
enforcement in our area.”
Members of the Kings
Mountain Police Department,
Fire Department, Cleveland
County Sheriff's Department,
rescue squad, and the North
Carolina Highway Patrol were in
attendance. They were all hon-
LOCAL NEWS
ored for their service.
“We thank you for your
courage, your professionalism,
your dedication, your compas-
sion as you risk your lives every-
day in performing your duties.
We are a grateful community
who thanks each one of you for
your service,” Murphrey said.
“We will never forget the heroic
action of the rescue personnel at
ground zero. They worked tire-
lessly, risking their own lives,
duty-bound with honor and
courage, some giving the ulti-
mate sacrifice.”
“We could never have imag-
ined the terrorist attacks that we
read about and watched on tele-
vision, occurring in distant
lands, could ever happen in
America. But terrorism follows
no rules,” Murphrey said.
“9/11/2001 is a day that will live
in infamy, forever. An unpro-
voked, horrific, cowardly act of
terrorism occurred when four
commercial aircrafts were
hijacked and death plunged from
the sky in New York City,
Pennsylvania and the Pentagon.
Thousands of ‘innocent people
were killed on this dark day in
America’s history. This act was
to scare and humble our nation
to surrender our freedom. But
the spirit of democracy cannot be
killed.”
Murphrey said that Kings
Mountain supports its troops
serving in Afghanistan, Iraq and
in other parts of the world who
continue to defend and protect
our freedoms today.
Sgt. Greg Thompson, of Kings
Mountain, with the NC National
KMPD Ofc. Todd McDougal leads the KM Police Honor Guard at Tuesday's September 11 obser- :
vance as Sgt. Bob Myers salutes the flag.
Guard 505th ~~ Engineering
Battalion (now the 87B
Engineering Battalion), who has
served on two fronts in
Operation Iraqi Freedom and
Operation Noble Eagle, served
as guest speaker.
Thompson also thanked the
emergency personnel and law
enforcement officers gathered for
the service, calling them “a piece
of the pie.” “We all have a mis-
sion in life we must complete
Left to right, city Councilman Jerry Muliinax, Volunteer Assistant Fire Chief Johnnie Caldwell,
Sheriff Raymond Hamrick, and city Councilman Rodney Gordon attend Tuesday's Patriot's Day
observance.
and every one has their own
individual jobs. Every one has
their own individual slice of that
pie. Without every one doing
their part we could not complete
our mission successfully.”
He thanked the city for its con-
tinued support of the NC Army
National Guard and the U.S.
Army. “On behalf of all soldiers
that have served, both here local-
ly and abroad, I want to express
my appreciation and my thanks
i
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EMILY WEAVER / HERALD
for your support,” he said.
A moment of silence was -
accompanied by the ceremonial
chiming of the bell.
County Commissioner Johnny
Hutchins said that Kings
Mountain has always been on
the forefront of patriotism, sup-
porting troops and its service
men and women here at home.
“It’s not surprising that we have
a good turnout here today,” he
said. “I'm very proud of Kings
Mountain.”
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