Southport Magazine

The American Legion Honor Guard presents the flags during the 9/11 remembrance ceremony. Photo by John Muuss

By John Muuss, historian

On the morning of September 11th, 2013, at the St. James Community Center, the ladies of the St. James Service Club invited the Richard H. Stewart Jr. American Legion Post # 543 and the St. James Fire Department to join them in a 9/11 remembrance ceremony. There were approximately 150 people in attendance.

The American Legion acquired its name, Richard H. Stewart Jr., from a victim of the north tower of the World Trade Center on that fateful day in 2001 when 19 militants associated with the Islamic extremist group al-Qaeda hijacked four airliners and carried out suicide attacks against targets in the United States. Two of the planes were flown into the towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, a third plane hit the Pentagon just outside Washington, D.C., and the fourth plane crashed—control of which was regained by the passengers to avoid crashing into another building—in a field in Pennsylvania. The parents of Richard were residents of St. James. Mrs. Stewart, the mother of Richard, was instrumental in bringing the 9/11 flag to the Southport parade.

The newly formed American Legion Honor Guard presented the flag, and the St. James Fire Department rang the bell in memory of all those who lost their lives on that day.