“By their deeds they continue to inspire us.”

That line was from the opening prayer given by Carl Haydt, the chaplain of the Lehighton United Veterans Organization at the 24th annual Sept. 11 Memorial Service held at the Lehighton Amphitheater Thursday evening.

Guest speaker Ronald Rabenold, local historian and educator at the Lehighton Elementary Center, referred to that line as he spoke of the heroism of the many first responders and others at the World Trade Center terrorist attacks, those at the Pentagon, and those on Flight 93.

Rabenold mentioned the heroism of the passengers aboard Flight 93, the one that crashed in Shanksville, to keep the plane from whatever its final destination was.

“The American people that were on Flight 93 didn’t allow that (terror attack) to take place, based on information that they got,” Rabenold shared. “Then they did a very democratic thing, a very American thing; they voted. ‘Should we fight back?’ There is no prouder moment in American history.”

He spoke about U.S. Air Force Lt. Heather “Lucky” Penney and Lt. Gen. Marc H. Sasseville, who were the two F16 pilots who were dispatched at Cheney’s orders to shoot down Flight 93 to keep it from reach its target, somewhere in Washington, D.C.

“What most people didn’t realize at the time, we did not arm our domestic fighters with weaponry. So they went up without weapons. She was the rookie of the two, he was a more seasoned veteran. He said, ‘I’ll bump into the cockpit, you bump into the tail of the plane. When they referred to ‘bumping’ into the plane, they knew it meant it was a suicide mission, they would fly their jets into the aircraft. They were putting themselves on the line.”

Rabenold told the story of a man named Bob Clark, a 54-year-old Canadian who worked for a financial company in the south tower.

He had been designated as a fire marshal after the World Trade Center bombing in 1993.

“Bob kept his wits; they’re starting to go downstairs, as some were coming up the stairs, saying the steps were impassible, and they were going up tot the roof for a helicopter rescue. One of Bob’s coworkers got all the way out, then decided to go back into the building to finish a sales call. He never made it out again.

“Bob continued down the stairs, aiding a person who was injured, and Bob was the second last person out of the tower. His whistle and flashlight are in the 9/11 museum.”

Lehighton Mayor Ryan Saunders offered his thoughts.

“Each year on this anniversary of this horrific act of terrorism, we gather together to pay our respects and to remember the almost 3,000 individuals that lost their lives as a result.

“This number includes not only the unsuspecting, innocent people just going to work that day; but the hundreds of emergency responders including firefighters and law enforcement officers as well.”

“I am thankful to see so many people take the time to remember these events and the lives that were lost 24 years ago.” Saunders added.

Kevin Long, commander of the Lehighton UVO, said, “Through the ash and smoke, we rose as a country; and, we still rise today.

“May we always have that fire in our heart to always do what is right, and be there for one another, and treat each other with kindness and humility.”

Members of the Lehighton UVO served as the Color Guard and bore the colors during a salute to the various branches of the Military.

Other members of the UVO offered a rifle salute to the dead. Michael Muffley played taps on trumpet.

Members of the Lehighton Fire Department, the Lehighton Police Department, the Lehighton American Legion Auxiliary, and members of the public attended the service.