Sept. 11 remembrance, Heritage of Freedom slated for Friday

  • Published
  • By Sarah Olaciregui
  • 66th Air Base Group Public Affairs
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. --  To mark the tenth anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001, Hanscom will hold a special ceremony Sept. 9 beginning at 10 a.m. at the POW/MIA memorial near the corner of Barksdale and Grenier streets. In the afternoon, Heritage of Freedom will take place at 4 p.m. in the Minuteman Commons ballroom, where retired Air Force Lt. Col. Barry Bridger will share his experiences of the torture he endured for six years as a prisoner of war.

During the Sept. 11 remembrance, the winner of an essay contest will read their submission. The contest, which was open to any seventh or eighth grader, reflects on the theme, "How the world has changed since Sept. 11, 2001." Jonathan Elias, WBZ-TV news anchor and the 66th Air Base Group honorary commander, will serve as the guest speaker.

After the ceremony, attendees will be invited to take a photo remembrance walk from the memorial, around Schilling Circle and end at the Minuteman Commons. Once at the commons, attendees will be able to watch a video with brief interviews of people answering the question, "Where were you and how did it change your world?"

That afternoon, the Minuteman Commons will also host Heritage of Freedom. Colonel Bridger, a survivor of Vietnam's "Hanoi Hilton" prison camp, will be the guest speaker.

On Jan. 23, 1967, then-Lieutenant Bridger was shot down over Son Tay, North Vietnam, by a surface-to-air missile. He was subsequently captured by the North Vietnamese and imprisoned.

The Heritage of Freedom speaker series is a free, informal event that features speakers who discuss their experiences serving in combat or while deployed. Their presentations are followed by short question and answer periods. Refreshments will be available.