Sept. 11 Commemoration Planned Aboard U.S.S. Constitution

BOSTON, MA – The crew of the USS Constitution has planned a commemorative event Sunday to mark 15 years since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack, held aboard "Old Ironsides" in the Charlestown Navy Yard.

The ceremony will commence with an invocation by Lt. Ian Underhile, Portsmouth Naval Ship Yard chaplain, followed by opening remarks by Constitution’s 74th Commanding Officer, Cmdr. Robert S. Gerosa, Jr. Guest speaker remarks will be given by retired Air Force Col. Margaret C. Lazeros, followed by witness accounts read by Constitution chief petty officer crewmembers.

Throughout the morning, Constitution crew members will be firing one-gun salutes from a saluting battery located near USS Cassin Young along Pier 1 in Charlestown Navy Yard and playing taps aboard Constitution at the following times:

8:46 a.m. – Firing one-gun salute marking the impact of American Airlines Flight 11 into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York.

9:03 a.m. - Firing one-gun salute marking the impact of United Airlines Flight 175 into the South Tower of the World Trade Center in New York.

9:37 a.m. - Firing one-gun salute marking the impact of American Airlines Flight 77 into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.

9:59 a.m. – Taps played from the stern of USS Constitution marking the collapse of the South Tower of the World Trade Center in New York.

10:03 a.m. – Firing one-gun salute, immediately followed by the playing of taps marking the crash of United Airlines Flight 93 in Somerset County, Penn. 10:10 a.m. - Taps played from the stern of USS Constitution marking the primary collapse of the stricken section of the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.

10:28 a.m. - Taps played from the stern of USS Constitution marking the collapse of the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York.

More is information available here.

Photo by Tony Hisgett via Flickr/Creative Commons