Rota hosts Field of Heroes rites

American flags are posted at the American Memorial Park on Saipan in preparation for today’s 2nd Annual Field of Heroes ceremony. The event seeks to unite the Saipan, Tinian, and Rota community to remember the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001. (Contributed Photo)

Rota marked its second commemoration of the tragic events of 9/11 last Friday, with particular focus on the many victims and the heroism of the first responders.

The 2nd Annual Field of Heroes ceremony commemorated the tragic events of 9/11 at the Cpl. Joe G. Charfauros Jr. Veteran’s Memorial Park under the baton of the Tan Siu Lin Foundation and in the presence of Rota Mayor Efraim Atalig, the many department heads, and executives of TanHoldings Corp.

It has been 16 years since the terrorist attacks on New York City and the Pentagon.

Present at Friday’s ceremony on Rota were the Buck Battalion, Department of Public Safety, Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services, Division of Fish and Wildlife, among others.

The ceremony began with the posting of colors by the Buck Battalion color guard of the Dr. Rita Hocog Inos Junior Senior High School and the singing of the U.S. and CNMI national anthems.

Atalig welcomed everyone who came to the ceremony and thanked those who made it possible.

TanHoldings president Jerry Tan said that 9/11 “is a day no one will ever forget. I can’t imagine the first responders running in to rescue, risking their lives, while everybody else ran out to save theirs…9/11 changed the world forever.”

DFEMS deputy director Dennis Mendiola expressed gratitude to past and present firefighters for their service, while Roger Taisacan, Ports Police assistant chief, thanked the JROTC cadets in advance as they may be future responders someday.

Dancers and singers from the Eskuelan San Francisco de Borja did a performance to honor 9/11 victims, while the Rota law enforcers performed a 21-gun salute, blasted sirens, and water hosting in honor of the fallen. The ceremony ended with the Buck Battalion color guard retiring the colors.

Individuals and companies sponsor the posting of the flags. A $10 donation sponsors a flag at the event site, with the donor’s names and the recipient’s names; a $15 donation gets you an event shirt; and a $20 sponsorship will get you a 3×5 flag that may be claimed on Sept. 18 onwards, or after the retiring of the flags. Proceeds would finance the treatment of local PTSD patients.

Those interested in donating to patients with PTSD may proceed to any Shirley’s Coffee Shop branches in Garapan and Susupe or any iShop location at the Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan, Kanoa Resort, and Paseo de Marianas. Those interested in donating on Rota and Tinian may visit their respective mayor’s offices for donations.

A ceremony remembering Sept. 11, 2001, would be held at the American Memorial Park and at Tinian’s Veterans Memorial Park on Sept. 11