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Communications
HNP Today newsletter
September 14, 2005 |
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WASHINGTON - Two days prior to marking the fourth anniversary of the September 11 attacks, President George W. Bush bestowed the Medal of Valor during a White House ceremony to the families of 442 public safety officers who perished in the attacks in New York, Pennsylvania and at the Pentagon.
Fallen N.Y. Fire Department Chaplain Mychal Judge was among those to be posthumously awarded a medal.
The 9/11 Heroes Medal of Valor was created by congress after New York congressmen Joseph Crowley pushed for the medals, citing the loss of his firefighter cousin John Moran.
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales opened the hour-long ceremony on the South Lawn by reading the names of the deceased, including 343 firefighters, 50 members of the Port Authority Police Department and assistants, 23 members of the N.Y. Police Department, three state court officers, as well as members of the FBI, Secret Service, and private ambulance workers.
Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY), Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, New York congressmen Peter King, Vito Fossella and Crowley, were also in attendance.
Lou Iasiello accepted Judge's medal on behalf of Mychal's twin sister, Dympna Judge Jessich, who was in Ireland with Chris Keenan, for the dedication of a 9/11 memorial in Keshcarrigan, Ireland, located in County Leitrim.
Mychal's parents both lived in County Leitrim before coming to the United States. His father, Michael, was born in Keshcarrigan and his mother, Mary, was a native of Drumker-rim.
Back in Washington, the families of the fallen heroes each received one medal and two lapel pins during the ceremony.
The medal consisted of a star that frames the shape of a pentagon. A keynote is included, which represents the state of Pennsylvania, where Flight 93 crashed.
The letter H, is visible, which signifies hero.
The medal contains an image of an eagle, which represents freedom. There is also an image of the Twin Towers, honoring those who perished there. Below that image, the date, 9-11-01 is etched.
The medal, which was attached to a ribbon, was presented during a ceremony of approximately 1,200 friends and family of the deceased.
