NAS Corpus Christi Fire and Emergency Services held its annual September 11 remembrance ceremony Friday morning, marking 25 years since the attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people.
The ceremony began at 8:30 a.m. at Fire Station 1 — the same hour the first plane struck the North Tower in 2001. Firefighters, sailors, and families gathered to honor those lost that day.
Inside the station's foyer stands a piece of steel from the World Trade Center. It is the Coastal Bend's only authentic relic from Ground Zero, and for the firefighters who walk past it every day, it carries a meaning that goes beyond history.
Assistant Fire Chief Nathaniel Pyle was on active duty, stationed in Germany, when the towers fell. He is now stationed just steps from that steel.
"We got called into the day room and we saw the second tower go down. Emotions kind of hit, not knowing what was going on," Pyle said.
"I don't just give it a glance, I look at it every day. I look at the prayer on the wall, the helmet, the sacrifices... and you know, that's one of the reasons why I became a fireman. I had the opportunity and I want to make sure that I can help people," Pyle said.
The ceremony drew personnel from every branch and agency on base. A ceremonial bell ringing and bagpipes marked the occasion.
Master Chief Joshua Hill, Senior Enlisted Advisor for the NASCC Security Department, reflected on the significance of the gathering.
"It's an honor to be out here with everybody and I'm grateful that everyone came out here to pay homage to everyone that either lost somebody, you know, went through the situation, or if they weren't even born, to come and carry the legacy of the firefighters, all the first responders, all the civilians that lost their lives," Hill said.
Twenty-five years later, the bells still ring, the pipes still play, and at NAS Corpus Christi, that piece of steel ensures no one forgets.
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