9-11 Ceremony Invitation to Retires
Honorable Retiree of the Syracuse Fire Department,
On September 11, 2001, at 8:46 a.m. on a clear Tuesday morning, an American Airlines Boeing 767 loaded with 20,000 gallons of jet fuel crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. The impact left a gaping, burning hole near the 80 th floor of the 110-story skyscraper, instantly killing hundreds of people and trapping hundreds more on higher floors.
As the evacuation of the tower and its twin got underway, television cameras broadcast live images of what initially appeared to be a freak accident. Then, 17 minutes after the first plane hit, a second Boeing 767—United Airlines Flight 175—appeared out of the sky, turned sharply toward the World Trade Center, and sliced into the south tower near the 60th floor. The collision caused a massive explosion that showered burning debris over surrounding buildings and onto the streets below. It immediately became clear that America was under attack.
You are cordially invited to attend as the City of Syracuse observes 17 minutes of silence on Thursday, September 11, 2025. The ceremony will be held at Forman Park, located at 717 E. Genesee St. between E. Genesee St., Almond St., and Forman Ave. in Downtown Syracuse, with opening remarks at 8:30 a.m. Please RSVP to cbalduzzi@syr.gov by Thursday, September 4th.
Sincerely,
Michael J. Monds
Chief of Fire