Left: Capt. Tim Canoll, ALPA’s president, front, speaks to the those gathered for the commemorative ceremony in ALPA’s Remembrance Garden as Ron Rindfleisch, a member of ALPA’s Representation Department, looks on. Upper right: Capt. Joe DePete, ALPA’s first vice president, rings a bell following the reading of each crewmember’s and employee’s name. Lower right: Capt. Bob Fox (United) addresses the crowd, noting, “These ceremonies are today and will always be a remembrance and a tribute to those who survived and those who have flown west.”

Capt. Tim Canoll, ALPA’s president, opened a ceremony in the Remembrance Garden at the Association’s Herndon, Va., offices on September 11 by quoting from former poet laureate of the United States Billy Collins, who in the poem recalled the names of the citizens, workers, mothers, and fathers who lost their lives on that terrible day.

“He assures us that the victims’ names will be forever remembered,” said Canoll, “saying that they are ‘written in the pale sky’ and ‘printed on the ceiling of the night.’” And Canoll then promised, “No matter our bearing in the sky or whether it’s day or night when we fly, the members of the Air Line Pilots Association will never forget the family members, friends, and colleagues who fell that September day 17 years ago.”

Speaking before a crowd of ALPA pilots and staff, as well as colleagues from across the industry, Canoll honored the victims’ memories and ultimate sacrifice and discussed ALPA’s ongoing work to ensure that such an attack never happens again. Since 9/11, Canoll stated, “Our more than 60,000 ALPA members have worked together with others across our industry to advance safety and security for our passengers, cargo, crews, and communities.”

Those advances include the Known Crewmember^® and Federal Flight Deck Officer programs, the ongoing efforts for hardened cockpit doors on passenger and cargo airliners, and the installation of secondary cockpit barriers. Capt. Bob Fox (United), who was invited to address the gathering, recalled flying with Capt. Victor Saracini and Capt. Jason Dahl, two United pilots who lost their lives that day, and pledged to continue the fight in their honor for secondary cockpit barriers and one level of safety and security for cargo operations.

“These solemn ceremonies on September 11 will always be more than a remembrance of the past, more than a tribute to lives lost,” explained Fox. “These ceremonies are today and will always be a remembrance and a tribute to those who survived and those who have flown west.” He stated, “We also remember once again how ordinary human beings living ordinary lives reacted with extraordinary heroism when, without warning and in an instant, they were thrown face to face with the most fundamental questions of human existence.”

Fox highlighted the bravery of those on United Flight 93; the example of “humanity at its finest” in the generosity of Gander, Newfoundland, as the community hosted 6,700 passengers stranded by the grounding of all flights; the loyalty of New York City Fire Department as firefighters searched for fallen colleagues; and the courage of those pilots and flight attendants who took back the skies and returned to flying the line.

The ceremony included honoring each crewmember from the four flights with a bell toll by Capt. Joe DePete, ALPA’s first vice president, and the laying of a memorial wreath by Capt. Bill Couette, ALPA’s vice president–administration/secretary, and Capt. Randy Helling, ALPA’s vice president–finance/treasurer. Also in attendance were members of ALPA’s Executive Board and ALPA Canada, former national officers, and representatives from the Association of Flight Attendants–CWA and the Association of Professional Flight Attendants.

Jody Krazeise, an ALPA Communications Department staff member, led the group in singing both “Amazing Grace” and “America the Beautiful,” while Ron Rindfleisch, a Representation Department staff member, spoke to the crowd, urging them to let love and respect triumph over hatred before sharing a prayer he adapted for the occasion.

“The names of our states, our provinces, our cultures, and our languages may differ,” said Canoll. “But this day is an opportunity for unity in its elemental form. By coming together, we are acting to truly make certain the future is safer and more secure. This is our timeless eulogy for our fallen family, friends, and colleagues.”

• Read When We Flew Again: Memories from Sept. 14, 2001
• Watch When We Flew Again.
• View photos of the 2018 remembrance ceremony.
• Watch the video of the 2018 remembrance ceremony below.