Sep. 11—JAMESTOWN — Americans need to remember the victims of 9/11 as well as the actions of those who answered the call to protect and defend the U.S. and its value and inspired others to do the same in the future, said Scott Edinger, Jamestown chief of police.
“The victims of Sept.11 need to be remembered, but tragedies like Sept. 11 shouldn’t be measured just by the hateful acts of our enemies,” Edinger said. “They should also be remembered and measured by the response and resolve of our citizens, military and first responders.”
Edinger was the featured speaker during a Patriot Day remembrance ceremony, which was organized by the Jamestown Patriotic Council, on Thursday, Sept. 11, at the Hansen Arts Park in Jamestown. About 100 people attended the event, including first responders, veterans and the public.
On Sept. 11, 2001, 19 terrorists hijacked four commercial airplanes in the U.S., crashing two into two World Trade Center towers in New York City and one into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. Flight 93 crashed in Pennsylvania after passengers tried to regain control of it from hijackers.
Edinger said there were 2,977 victims from one of the most “horrendous” attacks in U.S. history. Among those victims were 343 firefighters, 72 law enforcement officers and 55 military personnel, he said.
“The casualties from that attack continue to climb by the hundreds each year,” he said.
Edinger said many people selflessly put the safety of others ahead of their own.
“After the dust cleared and a better picture of the events became apparent, we heard stories of life-saving actions of ordinary citizens, first responders and military personnel, all total strangers but fellow Americans,” he said. “For years afterwards, thousands of workers dug, searched and recovered the victims and rebuilt even stronger.”
The Rev. Kerry Boese kicked off the remembrance ceremony with a short prayer. The Jamestown Choralaires sang the national anthem and Theresa Haag, Jamestown Drum and Bugle Corps, performed taps. The program concluded with a short prayer by Boese and the American Legion Post 14 Color Guard, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and Cub Scouts leading the Freedom Walk several blocks to the end at the All Vets Club where a meal was served.
Tom Thrift, commander of the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 31, said a presidential proclamation every year on Sept. 11 calls all departments and agencies in the U.S. to display the American flag at half staff on Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance to honor individuals who lost their lives during 9/11.
Edinger said he remembers people asking whether the country could come together for its common cause ever again in the years prior to Sept. 11, 2001.
“There was a lot of doubts and seemingly an equal amount of divide amongst us,” he said. “Our latest generations were compared not so favorably to those of the greatest generation and the tremendous sacrifices they made for our country. Thankfully, those doubts were unfounded, and for almost two and a half decades since, men and women have stepped up and served our country. Despite our challenges, America remains the greatest country in the history of the world.”
The Jamestown Quilters Guild also honored James “Jim” Johnson with the Jamestown Fire Department and Sgt. Cory Beckman with the Jamestown Police Department with Quilts of Honor.
Jamestown Assistant Fire Chief Dennis Barton said Johnson has attended the most calls for 27 years for the Jamestown Fire Department since he joined in 1985.
Edinger said Beckman was honored for his response on Dec. 3 to a report of a man armed with a gun and a knife standing in the parking lot behind Fred’s Den, 113 1st Ave. S.
Beckman was in an officer-involved shooting in the parking lot behind Fred’s Den. Beckman, a five-year veteran of the Jamestown Police Department, shot Devin Quinn Fontenot, 27, Jamestown. Fontenot died from injuries he sustained from the gunfire.
As officers responded, a 911 caller reported a man was shooting at a building, firing many rounds. The man later identified as Fontenot was still firing rounds in the parking lot when the first officer arrived on the scene.
Fontenot refused to comply with repeated commands to drop his weapon, jeopardizing the safety of Beckman and others, Edinger said.
In December, Stutsman County State’s Attorney Fritz Fremgen said the use of deadly force by Beckman was justified when he shot and killed Fontenot.
“Sgt. Beckman showed extraordinary bravery and no doubt saved many lives that night,” Edinger said.