U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart Commander Col. Edward J. Sanford delivers opening remarks during a Sept. 11 Memorial Stair Climb at Panzer Kaserne. Photo by Balmina Sehra, USAG Stuttgart Public Affairs

By Margarita Cambest
USAG Stuttgart Public Affairs

Service members, civilians, and German emergency response counterparts came together on Friday to honor the memory of those lost following the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States.

For the second consecutive year, U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart recognized the anniversary by conducting a 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb at the Panzer Hotel on Panzer Kaserne.

Participants included members of the local Polizei, Berufsfeuerwehr and Freiwillige Feuerwehr, highlighting the enduring partnership between the U.S. military community and its German emergency response counterparts.

The event began with a brief ceremony that included an invocation from the garrison chaplain and remarks from the garrison commander.

“Today, we climb in remembrance of the first responders who answered the call on Sept. 11, 2001,” USAG Stuttgart Commander Col. Edward J. Sanford said. “We honor the firefighters, law enforcement officers, emergency medical personnel, and countless others who ran toward danger while others sought safety.”

Following the ceremony, climbers took to the central staircase of the Panzer Hotel, completing 22 laps to symbolize the 110 stories of the World Trade Center towers.

The physical challenge was designed to provide participants with a tangible way to honor the first responders who ran toward danger. Each participant carried the name and photograph of one of the 343 New York City Fire Department firefighters, 23 New York City Police Department officers and 37 Port Authority personnel who made the ultimate sacrifice that day.

For those wearing firefighting gear or other equipment during the climb, the physical demands added another dimension to the commemoration. Step after step, they carried their equipment as well as the responsibility of remembering the courage displayed 25 years ago.

“Each step we take represents their courage, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment to others,” Sanford said. “May we never forget those we lost, those who survived, and all who continue to serve our communities today.”

• Share:
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Email