It’s been 15 years since tragedy struck our country, and people are honoring and remembering those lost in several different ways. College Station, specifically, remembers the attack through the George Bush Library ‘s 9/11 exhibit. The exhibit features pictures, video, and newspaper accounts of 9/11, along with information of Texas’s specific involvement.
According to the exhibit, 74 Texas personnel were sent to the site over a period of 16 days, including four rescue squads, two technical search teams, and two canine search teams. When the Texas Task Force was called upon, personnel began to gather right here in College Station. In the action, the Texas Task Force was responsible for removing a precariously placed piece of steel that was slowing down search efforts. The exhibit is definitely worth a visit as it combines the solidarity of thee American people with the innate desire to help others.
The history channel is also playing a special documentary tribute called “15 Septembers Later.” The documentary reveals footage and pictures that had never previously been released to the public, and it brings several different perspectives of that terrible day to the screen. Interviews from President Bush, his secretary of defense, his chief of staff, the New York Police Commissioner, the Mayor of New York, and many others paint the day in a detailed light that has never before been seen. The film brings you through moment-by-moment of the Nation’s most influential leaders on 9/11.
But beyond that, the documentary still holds onto all of the emotional loss of that day. Instead of simply giving information, “15 Septembers Later” includes texts from family members and memories from loved ones to remind viewers that 9/11 is more than just a terrorist attack, but a day where we lost far too many of our own.
9/11 was the largest emergency response in the history of our nation and the largest attack on American soil since Pearl Harbor. The documentary uses the accounts of first responders to truly allow viewers to see into their memories. The decisions and conversations between US officials that happened behind closed doors come to light, including the suspenseful moments while Flight 93 was headed toward the White House.
By learning about 9/11 we pay tribute to those we’ve lost. By learning, we are remembering them.
