Memorial ceremony honors 9/11 victims 25 years after the attack

On Saturday morning, local officials and citizens gathered on the lawn of the historic Hopkins County Courthouse to honor those who died in the 9/11 terrorist attacks, as werll as military members of the wars that followed. The Fort Campbell Military Brass Quintet performed, and several speakers were present, including Madisonville Mayor Kevin Cotton, representatives from both Madisonville's Police and Fire departments, and Kentucky Ambassador for the Freedom Flag Foundation Jane McKnight. Members of the Muhlenberg County High School JROTC performed a table ceremony for Prisoners of War (POW) and Missing in Action (MIA) for all branches of the military. They also raised the Freedom Flag while McKnight explained its elements. 'The blue background symbolizes all Americans on that day,' she explained. 'The white star symbolizes all those who live and die for our freedom.' The flag's other elements include five white bars representing both the Pentagon and the organized protection of American freedom, and three white stripes for rescue workers during the attacks. The flag has two broader red stripes in the middle which represent the twin towers and those who perished there. There are also two more narrow red stripes on both the top and bottom, the top representing those who died at the Pentagon, and the bottom representing those who died on United Airlines Flight 93. Friday marks the 25th anniversary of the deadliest terrorist actions on U.S. soil. The attacks claimed the lives of 2,977 victims, including 2,606 in the World Trade Center towers in New York City, 125 at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, and 40 passengers on board United flight 93, some of whom fought back against the hijackers and forced the plane down in a Pennsylvania field. A total of 246 passengers and crew members on the four airplanes perished.