East Greenbush remembers 9/11 victims in ceremony, last call

EAST GREENBUSH, N.Y. (NEWS10) - Memorial ceremonies took place throughout the day on Wednesday all across the country and around the Capital Region. The Melvin Roads American Legion Post 1231 in East Greenbush hosted a remembrance ceremony with those from the community, including the Clinton Heights Fire Department, Rensselaer County officials, as well as state officials, to memorialize those who perished during the terrorist attack that happened just 23 years ago.

Adjutant of Melvin Roads American Legion Post 1231, Hugh Blake, like many at the ceremony, remembers the day as if it were yesterday.

"I was going over reports, and the announcer on the radio broke in, saying a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center," Blake said. "I was stationed down in Long Island at the time. So, I went to the major and told him. He said, start getting ready with beans and bullets, and that we were going to end there one way or another, and we did."

That heroism following the 9/11 attacks was remembered by people who came together at the legion to make sure this sacred day is not forgotten. Blake emphasized the need to keep this day in the minds of all Americans.

"It reminds everybody," Blake said. "We bring the fire department in because of the 343 that lost their lives. And we bring the sheriff's department and the East Greenbush Police Department because we want everyone to understand this."

The Clinton Heights Fire Company was there to pay tribute to their fallen brothers and remembered them by flying the American flag from their aerial ladder truck. This all was followed by the last call, which was the ringing of a bell.

"For us, the last call symbolizes, or the last alarm that we were able to respond to in this life," Racine said. "Most fire departments, firemen, firefighters, get into this job to help people, and on that day there was a lot of people helping everybody."

State officials, like New York State Senator Jake Ashby, spoke at a podium memorializing those who perished as heroes just 23 years ago. They aimed to spread the message of coming together as the nation did on September 12th.

"That should inspire us to become better leaders, to become better neighbors, to become better citizens because their memory and their legacy is living on today because of what they did for us," Senator Ashby said.