President Proclaims September 11, 2002

“Patriot Day”

Governor McGreevey Calls for Flags to Fly at
Half-Staff and Houses of Worship to Ring Bells

On Wednesday, September 4, 2002, President Bush issued a Proclamation officially designating September 11 as Patriot Day. That Proclamation calls for all flags to be flown at half staff on that day as a sign of respect for all who perished in the attacks. The Proclamation can be accessed at:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/09/20020904-10.html

“In observance of the first anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks, Governor James E. McGreevey is calling on all State offices and public buildings to fly the United States and New Jersey flags at half-staff.

It is appropriate for all public buildings and State offices to fly the National and State flags at half-staff on the one-year anniversary of September 11th in honor of New Jersey’s heroes who perished that day,” said McGreevey. “The American flag is the symbol of our national unity. As the banner of hope for a free America, the flying of the American flag sends a message both throughout our neighborhoods and all over the world that we are part of a great nation.”

McGreevey is also asking that all houses of worship in New Jersey ring their bells in commemoration of the moments that each hijacked plane took the lives of so many. The first two planes - which would eventually destroy the World Trade Center - struck the Twin Towers at 8:46 a.m. and 9:03 a.m., respectively; Flight 77 struck the Pentagon at 9:43 a.m.; and Flight 93 was brought down in a Pennsylvania field at 10:10 a.m.

Approximately 691 New Jersey residents died on September 11, 2001 -- over one-quarter of the total number of heroes who lost their lives in New York, Pennsylvania and Washington D.C. that day.