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Piece of steel from one of the Twin Towers makes stop in Statesville
Bruce Matlock
Beverly Houston adds her signature to the two-ton beam from the North Tower of the World Trade Center on Monday in Statesville. The almost 10-foot-long section of steel and its escort of motorcyclists from Rolling Thunder and other motorcycle clubs stopped in Statesville for fuel and rest on the journey from New York City to Fort Benning, Ga., where the beam will become part of a Veteran’s Memorial.
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Published: September 15, 2009
A simple piece of steel, formed into the shape of a cross, evoked powerful memories and heartfelt responses.
The piece of steel came from the north tower of the World Trade Center, which along with its twin, was demolished in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
It made a stop in Statesville Monday as it was escorted from New York City to Fort Benning, Ga.,where it will become a part of the U.S. Infantry Museum.
The piece of steel will rest next to a statue dedicated to Vietnam veteran Rick Rescorla, who was chief of security for Morgan Stanley and died leading the evacuation of employees from the towers.
The Iron and Steel New York to Fort Benning ride, began Saturday in New York City, and rolled into Statesville Monday for a fuel stop at the Shell Station at Exit 54 before continuing to Georgia.
Proceeds from the ride will benefit the Fire Family Transport Foundation, which assists FDNY firefighters and their families with transportation in the event of death, illness or injury.
It also benefits the Wounded Warrior Project, which supports wounded members of the military and their family.
About 60 motorcycles escorting the two-ton I-beam, which was being carried on a trailer at the rear of a sport utility vehicle.
J.R. Bedford of Warner Robins, Ga., rode up to New York last week and plans to be a part of the motorcycle contingent escorting the piece of the World Trade Center to Fort Benning.
He said it's a way to pay tribute to people he called heroes — firefighters, law enforcement, paramedics and members of the military.
Bedford said the ride has encountered a lot of rain, but he is glad to be taking part. "It's a wonderful thing," he said.
Paddy Concannon, a retired lieutenant with the Fire Department of New York, drove the SUV carrying the I-beam.
When the ride arrived in Iredell County on Monday, a contingent of N.C. Highway Patrol troopers and Iredell County sheriff's deputies on motorcycles rode in front of the group, blue lights flashing.
As the ride pulled into the parking lot at the Shell Station, the Statesville Fire Department's tower truck was in the parking lot, a large American flag hanging from the upraised tower.
At various bridges all along the route, fire departments, law enforcement and paramedics stood and paid tribute.
Concannon said this was typical of the response the ride has received all along the route.
"This is unbelievable for a piece of steel," he said.
Concannon stood in the sun telling visitors about that piece of steel.
"It's from the north tower," he said. "It's been in my back yard for about eight years."
He showed visitors the rough edges on the bottom of the piece of steel and said it was originally part of a four-story tall section that remained standing after the collapse.
Concannon said the pieces of the World Trade Center that have traveled to locations such as Shanksville, Pa. — the site where one of the four planes hijacked on Sept. 11, crashed - are tightly regulated.
"You have to get a letter from the city (New York) and take a picture of it," he said. A number is assigned to the piece of steel.
"They want to make sure it doesn't end up on eBay," he said.
Concannon said he wasn't with the fire department on Sept. 11, having retired six months earlier.
But as a heavy equipment operator, he headed into Manhattan to help.
"I loaded up to help rescue firefighters and civilians. There weren't any to rescue," he said.
He did see his former engine company - Engine 214 - at Ground Zero. Concannon said five of the six-man crew perished. The only survivor was the firefighter whose job it was to operate the truck.
"He drove in from Brooklyn with five guys and drove back alone," he said.
Firefighters from Iredell County showed Concannon and the other organizers of the ride a bit of Southern hospitality.
Ebenezer firefighters offered to take the SUV towing the piece of steel down to the department and give it a wash so it would be clean for the rest of the ride.
After learning he had the time, Concannon quickly unhitched the trailer and took the firefighters up on the offer.
The ride also includes a fire truck dedicated to the 343 firefighters who lost their lives on Sept. 11.
The engine, called Engine 343, is pulled on a flat -d tractor-trailer. Inside the open compartment on the back of the truck are the names of those 343 firefighters.
Visitors to the fuel stop Monday crawled onto the back of the truck and read the 343 names, which took up all of the room on three sides of the truck.
Jim Snead of Statesville stopped by to see the piece of the World Trade Center and to look at the fire truck.
His son-in-law, Robert Forsack, is a volunteer firefighter and an avid motorcycle rider.
As a former drill sergeant, Snead said, seeing the piece of steel and the fire truck stirred feelings of loss and admiration for those who lost their lives that day.
But, he said, he was more impressed with the show of support for the ride.
"It's amazing," he said. "It's just amazing how people, still after eight years, come together. It's a real reflection of how Americans still stand together."
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