By Jenny Wells-Hosley
The UK Army and Air Force ROTC programs will continue the annual tradition of placing flags in front UK’s Main Building and reading the names of those who lost their lives in the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. Mark Cornelison | UK Photo
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 9, 2024) — This Wednesday will mark the 23-year anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States. University of Kentucky Army ROTC and Air Force ROTC programs will remember those who lost their lives with a campus ceremony beginning at 8:30 a.m.
Members of the UK Perishing Rifles program will set up approximately 8,000 flags on the front lawn of UK’s Main Building to honor lives lost in the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks and in the wars that followed.
The ceremony will begin with remarks at 8:30 a.m. by Lt. Col. Alan Overmyer, UK professor of military science. From a podium, cadets will then read the name of each victim throughout the day. They will begin reading the names at 8:46 a.m., when the first attack occurred. They will also raise the American flag at this time. The ceremony is expected to conclude around 5 p.m.
A cadet will continually march in front of the flag carrying a replica rifle until all names have been read.
Army ROTC Cadet Samuel Campbell, a senior majoring in history from Oldham County, Kentucky, is helping organize this year’s event.
“Even after 23 years, it remains important to carry on this tradition of remembrance — it’s about honoring the lives we lost and ensuring their names and stories are never forgotten,” Campbell said. “For me, leading this event is both a privilege and a responsibility to the fallen and their families. It reminds us all the shared strength and unity that emerged from tragedy, and why it’s so important to pass this legacy on to future generations. By honoring the lives lost, we not only pay tribute but also find resilience and hope in their memory.”
Although students and community members are welcome to observe and take photos, organizers ask they do not disturb the cadets reading the names or performing guard duty.
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