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12 Noon, SUNDAY, September 23 NEW YORK, NY
World Trade Center Support

Fifers & Drummers gathered and playing patriotic tunes in front of statue of Abraham Lincoln, Union Square, NYC, September 23, 2001.

Marching along "The Sidewalks of New York". A 38-block stroll from Union Square to Grand Central Station. (Marching without a permit!!!!)

The parade took us by this beautiful NYC landmark, the Empire State Building

On the 23rd of September, at high noon, a group of fifers, drummers, & Color Guard people, met in Union Square (corner 14th & Lexington), to play and show support for the people of this wonderful city and for America. The Circle of friendship was formed in front of the statue of Abraham Lincoln, where we opened with the National Anthem, followed by the Battle Hymn of the Republic, followed by numerous patriotic and traditional tunes. We took the liberty of renaming a traditional favorite. The "Downfall of Paris" somehow became the "Downfall of Terror" to the delight of our audience! Our little group (about 50) included members from the NY Ancients, Black River, Connecticut Rebels, Ancient Mariners, Quahogs (sp??), the Posse, Liberty Fifes & Drums of St. Petersburg, Florida, Nathan Hale Ancient Fifes & Drums.
(I was there representing the last TWO corps.) I am sure that there were other corps represented here beyond those named and I apologize if I missed naming your corps.

A second "concert " was then played at a different location in the park. We then formed up and marched an impromptu parade to the south end of the park where a kind of "peace vigil" was very much in evidence ...candles, posters, signs, a group that looked like Buddist monks sitting and thumping on a single drum.

At the risk of stealing their "thunder", we march through this area raucously playing Yankee Doodle & Battle Hymn. We stopped (briefly) to let off those who were NOT going back to Grand Central Station (28 blocks to the North). Then, the parade re-formed and went the distance to Grand Central Station, playing everything we could think of ... right past the Empire State Building. It felt so good to just SEE that building, that I broke out the camera from my haversack and snapped the photo shown above (at a little tipsy angle) as we went along playing.

I just received this information from Roberta Allen in Colorado:

Greetings From Colorado. We also were part of a musical tribute to those casualties of the WTC attack. It was a four hour event and all funds collected were donated to the Red Cross.

A tip of the Tri-Cornered Hat to our friends in Colorado.

We will Remember the WTC !!!

Rescue Workers on Roof of Pentagon during visit from President Bush,
Kevin Lamarque, Reuters Photo

Passing the Colors.
This was drawn by a young GI waiting to deploy.

12/21/01 - WASHINGTON-Aircraft nose art with the words "Let's roll!" America's two-word marching order in the fight against terrorism will be displayed on various aircraft throughout the Air Force as a way of recognizing the heroes and victims of the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States. The words were made famous by Todd Beamer, a passenger on Flight 93. Beamer, a 32-year-old businessman, Sunday school teacher, husband, father and hero, led other passengers in fighting terrorists for control of Flight 93 before it crashed into a field in western Pennsylvania. He was overheard on a cellular phone reciting the Lord's Prayer and saying "Let's roll!" as passengers charged the terrorists. "'Let's roll!' has served as a rallying cry for this nation as we go forward in our war on terrorism," said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper. "We are proud to display this new nose art on our aircraft." The passengers of Flight 93 won one of the first victories in the fight against terrorism. There has been much speculation about the terrorists' intentions for Flight 93, but it is widely believed that either the White House or the U.S. Capitol building was the intended target. The nose art design depicts an eagle soaring in front of the U.S. flag, with the words "Spirit of 9-11" on the top and "Let's roll!" on the bottom. The design was created by Senior Airman Duane White, a journeyman from Air Combat Command's multimedia center at Langley Air Force Base, Va. The Thunderbirds and other Air Force demonstration teams will apply this nose art on all aircraft, while major commands and wings will be authorized to apply the nose art to one aircraft of their choice. For thousands of years, warriors, such as the vikings, Zulus, Native Americans, samurai and many others, have followed a tradition of decorating their instruments of war. These instruments could include the warriors or their weapons. The Air Force has used nose art through out much of its history, and for a variety of reasons. The "Let's Roll!" nose art is being used to continue the remembrance of the events of Sept. 11, spur on the nation's current patriotic spirit and pay tribute to the heroes and victims in the war against terrorism. It is anticipated that the art will start to appear on Air Force aircraft around Jan.15.