As the 10-year anniversary for the Sept. 11 tragedy approaches, the five North Hudson towns prepare their memorials to honor the fallen.
North Bergen, Guttenberg, Weehawken, West New York, and Union City all lost residents on Sept 11, 2001, the day hijackers associated with Al-Qaeda crashed two airliners into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, killing more than 2,000 people.
Two other planes were also hijacked and crashed, one in Pennsylvania and one in Washington, D.C. The plane that crashed in Pennsylvania was carrying William Cashman of West New York, who was slated to go on a hiking trip at Yosemite National Park.
Many of the victims commuted from Hudson County to New York City every day to work for financial firms in the World Trade Center such as Cantor Fitzgerald. Others, like Port Authority police officers, lost their lives during their heroic rescue efforts.
Each of the five North Hudson towns will hold a memorial ceremony in order to honor the victims and heroes who lost their lives.
North Bergen to remember its high school graduates
North Bergen will invite all residents to the High School memorial plaque at 76th and Kennedy Boulevard on Monday, Sept 12 at 10 a.m.
Mayor Nicholas Sacco, Schools Superintendent Robert Dandorph, and other local officials will speak at the event. Members of the North Bergen High School band will perform the National Anthem, a flag salute, and “Taps.”
The three North Bergen High School victims were Christopher Amoroso, class of 1990, Sal Edward Tieri, class of 1978, and Lt. Robert Cirri, class of 1980, a Port Authority police officer who was killed attempting to help people in the South Tower of the World Trade Center.
Lt. Cirri is survived by his son, North Bergen Police Officer Anthony Cirri, who is 24.
North Bergen will also honor Sgt. Marcos Gorra, class of 2006. Gorra was a paratrooper in the 2nd Battalion, 82nd Aviation Brigade and 82nd Airborne Division, who died roughly two years ago after sustaining injuries from a training exercise.
Guttenberg to hold candlelight vigil
Guttenberg will hold a memorial and candlelight vigil commemorating the two fallen residents who lost their lives. It will be held Sunday, Sept 11.
The town will honor natives Rebecca Kaborie and Lt. Robert Cirri in front of the Municipal Town Hall at 6808 Park Avenue.
“Basically this is a day that we urge all the residents of Guttenberg to join together in remembrance,” said Public Safety Director Michael Caliguiro.
The ceremony will involve traditional patriotic and memorial music, as well as words from the families of the victims. A bell will also be rung in remembrance during the day.
Two events planned in Weehawken
On Wednesday, Sept 7 at 11 a.m., Weehawken will dedicate the new waterfront memorial that initially broke ground on April 20, 2011.
The memorial incorporates steel that was collected by the Port Authority from the Twin Towers.
The memorial will honor fallen Weehawken residents as well as approximately 60,000 evacuees that passed through Weehawken on boats, NY Waterway ferries, and even private yachts during the 9/11 rescue effort.
According to Mayor Richard Turner, it was possibly the largest rescue effort in the history of the state of New Jersey.
The site is behind the RiversEdge building at 1500 Avenue at Port Imperial.
The town will also hold the traditional memorial and ecumenical service behind the RiversEdge building at 1500 Avenue on Sunday, Sept 11 at 8:30 a.m.
“We always do it on the time that the planes struck the buildings,” said Turner, adding that the ecumenical ceremony will begin at 8:46 a.m.
Weehawken’s victims are Chris Gray, Eric Evans, Peter Klein, Juan Pablo Alvarez Cisneros, and Robert Vicario. Each left for a day’s work in Manhattan on the morning of Sept. 11, and never returned.
Motorcade and memorial slated for West New York
On Sunday, Sept 11 at 8:15 a.m., West New York will hold a motorcade starting at Town Hall at 428-60th St. and ending in Donnelly Park at 60th Street and Kennedy Boulevard East.
The motorcade will include members of the West New York Police Department, North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue, and the West New York EMS.
The ceremony will begin with a remembrance address given by Mayor Felix E. Roque and the Board of Commissioners, followed by moments of silence for the four flights that were hijacked.
West New York’s victims include William Joseph Cashman, 59, Michel Paris Colbert, 39, and Paul Robert Eckna, 28. Each will have their name read, which will be followed by a prayer for the victims and her or his family.
The Memorial High School band will perform “Taps” and the National Anthem during the ceremony.
Union City ceremony will be at Liberty Plaza
Union City will hold a tribute to its lost residents on Sunday, Sept 11 at 7 p.m. at Liberty Plaza on 30th Street between New York Avenue and Palisade Avenue.
Gary L. Bright, 36, Jorge Luis Leon, 43, Alejo Perez, 66, and Nancy E. Perez, 36, will be remembered at the ceremony.
What are your Sept. 11 memories? How has it changed you? E-mail Stephen LaMarca at slamarca@hudsonreporter.com.