Ellsworth Airmen part of special 9/11 flag stitching event

  • Published
  • By Steven J. Merrill
  • 28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. --  More than 150 Ellsworth Airmen and family members had the privilege to add stitches of their own to a special patch for the National 9/11 Flag during a solemn event in the base Pride Hangar on Aug. 4.

The activity was one of many similar events across the nation designed to provide Americans with the opportunity to gather and create patches from retired American flags for the National 9/11 Flag. For the Ellsworth event, Anna Simpson, Miss South Dakota, hand delivered the flag which was previously flown over the grave of Crazy Horse Memorial founder and sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski.

"It is truly humbling to be a part of this event," Simpson said. "Ellsworth is a big part of South Dakota. These men and woman are out there serving us every single day, and the gratitude I have for them can't even be expressed in words."

One by one, Ellsworth participants filed through the line. After signing a national registry, they were given the opportunity to add their own, individual stitches to the patch. Like each unique stitch, every individual had stories of their own about the events that unfolded on 9/11.

"My dad was right across the (Brooklyn) bridge when it happened," said Kristylee Benner who participated in the stitching event with her husband, Staff Sgt. David Benner, a 28th Munitions Squadron munitions controller, and their 6-year-old daughter, Josie, and 2-year-old son, Liam. "He was a limo driver working in New York and was supposed to pick someone up near the Twin Towers. Luckily he was delayed; otherwise he would have been right there."

Sept. 11, 2001 is one of those events in history that every American can recall where they were and what they were doing when things unfolded, according to Lt. Col. John Nichols, 28th Operations Group commander. Then a captain, he had just come off of a night shift during an Operational Readiness Exercise at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas.

"I had just gotten into bed when my wife woke me up and said, 'You have got to come out and see this,'" Nichols said. "I went out to the TV and was stunned. Obviously when the first jet impacted, questions arose and some people had suspicions that it may be an act of terrorism. Then the second jet impacted and the details were pieced together, making it quite clear that we under attack. It was one of those moments in history that you will absolutely never forget."

He added that while the attacks were designed to divide our nation, 9/11 had a tremendous unifying affect on our country and the world. The same type of unity was felt by many participating in the stitching event.

"It's a great honor to be a part of something like this," said Senior Airman Francine Leyva, 28th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron debriefer. "The flag stands for so many things for us, so anything that has to do with it is just a warm spot in all of our hearts."

The patches will be added to the National 9/11 Flag to bring it back to its original format. When complete, the National 9/11 Flag will become a part of the permanent collection of the National September 11 Memorial Museum being built at the site of the World Trade Center.