A tour of duty
To remember what first responders did on 9 / 11 and recover from the tragedy, all law enforcement officers should visit the 9 / 11 Memorial Museum
n BY MITCHELL KRUGEL
Pain, perplexity and pride radiate from the Last Column, the momentous steel beam that once melded into the inner core of the World Trade Center’ s South Tower. The 36-foot-tall beam still stands as the last remnant workers removed from Ground Zero at the end of the nine-month recovery period following 9 / 11. It marks every tour of the 9 / 11 Memorial Museum with a benevolence to what happened that day.
From its tribute at the top of beam to the 37 Port Authority officers lost that day, to the photos of first responders still taped to the structure, down to the etching from a NJ State PBA member who helped remove it, the Last Column at once represents why every law enforcement officer might find it painfully difficult to visit the 9 / 11 museum and why every law enforcement officer must do this tour. The Last Column forever stands as a memorial to the more than 400 first responders lost in the line of duty that day – and the hundreds who worked the recovery effort and have fallen since – and also as a tribute honoring perhaps the single greatest rescue and recovery mission in U. S. history.
And so as another September gives pause and cause to further the honor, it can also mark the time to call all cops to resolve the perplexity, heal the pain and experience the pride the museum was built to instill. Especially for first responders.
“ In terms of the work officers do and their sworn duties, in both cases it’ s an opportunity to learn and remember,” submits Liz Mazucci, vice president of research for the 9 / 11 Museum, whose department runs special programs for law enforcement officers.“ I hope officers can get over their trepidation and understand that visiting can be an opportunity to remember why you chose this line of work.”
On May 30, 2002, the Last Column was removed from the World Trade Center site on the flatbed truck in a public, televised ceremony. State PBA Special Projects Coordinator John Hulse, who served the rescue and recovery effort at Ground Zero for several months following the attack, was part of the team that helped escort the beam out of the pile. Tom McHale, a Port Authority Officer from Jersey City and a one-time iron worker, was given the honor of burning out the beam so first responders could carry it out.
Tom’ s brother Mick, also from Jersey City, had a chance to view the Last Column in July. As president of the National Association of Police Organizations( NAPO), Mick McHale, asked that a visit to the museum be part of the agenda during NAPO’ s 2017 annual conference in New York City.
The Last Column exhibit at the 9 / 11 Museum in New York City stands as an everlasting tribute to the rescue and recovery work of law enforcement officers following that tragic day.( Photo by Amber Ramundo)
“ I felt it was important for our members to have the opportunity to be here and remember why we do what we do,” McHale stated as he gazed at the Last Column.“ It’ s very emotional, but
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www. njcopsmagazine. com ■ SEPTEMBER 2017 35