Join us September 11th for a remembrance ceremony for the 25th anniversary of 9/11. Below is a letter written by Nell Calloway.

“Why We Must Remember September 11, 2021 – 25 Years Later  

Remembering the Past. Honoring the Sacrifice. Protecting the Future. 

Every September 11, we pause to remember a day that changed America forever. On September 11, 2001, our nation experienced one of the darkest days in its history. Nearly 3,000 innocent people lost their lives. Families lost loved ones. First responders ran toward danger while others were running away. Many Americans answered the call to military service in the years that followed. Their stories remind us that service is not always about being in the spotlight. It is about being willing to do what needs to be done when your country or your fellow citizens need you. That lesson is as important today as it was in 2001.

But 9/11 is not only a story about tragedy. It is also a story about courage, sacrifice, service, and Americans coming together. That is why we must remember.

For those of us who lived through September 11, 2001, the memories remain vivid. We remember where we were when we heard the news. We remember watching the events unfold and wondering what would happen next. We remember the fear, uncertainty, and sadness. But we also remember something else. We remember Americans helping one another.

We remember firefighters, police officers, paramedics, doctors, nurses, military personnel, and ordinary citizens answering the call to help. We remember people standing in line to donate blood, communities supporting grieving families, and Americans displaying the flag and coming together as one nation. In the days following 9/11, the differences that often divided Americans seemed much smaller than the things we shared. We were Americans first.

There is another important reason to remember 9/11 today. A growing number of young Americans were born after September 11, 2001. To them, 9/11 is history—not a memory. That makes our responsibility even greater. For some, not even a memory, we have visitors today ask, “What’s 9/11?”

September 11 did not end on September 11. Its effects continue to influence national security, military service, aviation security, public safety, law enforcement, building safety, foreign policy, and the lives of countless families.

Remembering can bring us together. Perhaps one of the most important lessons of September 11 is the importance of unity. For a brief time, Americans remembered that we were all part of something bigger than ourselves. Neighbors helped neighbors. Strangers helped strangers. Communities came together. The American flag appeared everywhere. That spirit should not have to wait for another tragedy. We can choose to carry it forward. We can disagree without being divided. We can serve our communities. We can respect the sacrifices made by others.

And we can teach our children that being an American comes with responsibilities as well as freedoms.

At the Chennault Aviation & Military Museum, we believe deeply in the responsibility to preserve history. We tell the stories of Americans who served in conflicts throughout our nation’s history—from the Revolutionary War to the conflicts of today. We do this because we understand that freedom is never free.

Every generation has a responsibility to remember the generations that came before it. September 11 is no different. We owe it to the victims. We owe it to the first responders. We owe it to the military men and women who served and those who made the ultimate sacrifice. We owe it to their families who carried the weight of that sacrifice long after the headlines faded.

And we owe it to the young people who will inherit the responsibility of protecting and preserving the freedoms we enjoy.

This September 11, take a moment to remember. Remember the lives lost. Remember the heroes.

We remember because they mattered. We remember because their stories matter. We remember so that they are never forgotten.”