The memories feel fresh for many even 23 years later.
About 75 people gathered last week on 9‐11 to remember a day that forever changed the country. The crowd included members of law enforcement, fire fighters, city and county officials, school teachers and administrators, students, families and individuals from the community.
They were there “to honor the courage and sacrifice” of the many who died serving others, said Bethany Ross, master of ceremonies for the event. The annual remembrance is held on the southwest corner of the Clinton square, which is home to a 9‐11 memorial that includes a piece of metal from the World Trade Center buildings.
Ross, who was in third grade at the time of the terrorist attack, recently visited New York City and said she was struck by the silence at the memorial at Ground Zero and by the sheer number of names etched in bronze.
“Even if you didn’t lose a loved one, the impact is felt by all Americans,” she said.
As a student, Ross helped secure a piece of the World Trade Center and create the permanent memorial on the courthouse lawn with support from her mother, Debby VanWinkle at the Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce, and with a grant from the Truman Lake Community Foundation.
In the opening prayer, Pastor Justin Wright from Allen Street Baptist Church expressed gratitude for the people who responded on Sept. 11, 2001.
“We’re thankful for those who ran in when so many wanted to run away,” he said.
Members of the Clinton High School JROTC presented the colors, and Boy Scouts from Troop 430 led the Pledge of Allegiance. Xavier Mason, a senior at Clinton High School, sang the national anthem.
The guest speaker was Clinton native and decorated war veteran Colonel Paul Howerton. The colonel said he was in his final semester at the University of Missouri‐Columbia and an ROTC cadet when he watched the twin towers fall.
“I knew my future in the army was now going to be be vastly different than it had been just hours before,” he said.
“In the aftermath of the attack, we saw America united in a way that quite frankly seems impossible in today’s ultra‐polarized environment,” Howerton said.
Following 9‐11, Howerton spent time on the ground as a U.S. Army officer in Afghanistan. During a second deployment, he served in Baghdad helping protect its residents. He was in the Missouri Army National Guard and in aviation for his final of three deployments to the region.
Howerton praised the bravery and patriotism of the men and women with whom he served, noting that a difference from previous wars was that the soldiers were “an all‐volunteer force.”
“We stand on the shoulders of giants, and those giants are those who paid the ultimate sacrifice in defense of this great nation,” he said.
He said the rate of suicide among active military and veterans troubles him. Three individuals Howerton knew well, including a brother‐in‐law, have died by suicide in the past two years because they “are losing hope,” he said.
“We have a sacred oath and a solemn vow to do everything within our power to ensure that we stop this epidemic,” he said. “Our nation’s finest have sacrificed so much to lose the hope they require to continue their journey with us here on this planet. We owe them our best to support them through these challenges.”
A member of the Clinton JROTC played Taps at the close of the service, followed by a benediction from Dan Beebe, chaplain for the Clinton Fire Department.
In her closing remarks, Ross called for cooperation among citizens.
“Today, as we pause to remember, let us also renew our commitment to fostering unity and to embracing the values of empathy and solidarity as Americans,” she said. “Let us ensure the legacy of those we lost is one of hope and strength rather than division and despair. May we continue to honor their memory by standing together in times of trouble and striving to make the world a better place for future generations.”
