Photo Gallery: Montville Township Honors 9/11 Victims

Members of the Montville Township committee, VFW Post 5481, the Montville Police Department and Montville, Towaco and Pine Brook fire departments were on hand at the community park Saturday to honor and pay tribute to those residents who were killed in the Sept. 11 attacks.

The ceremony featured speeches by Major Jim Sandham and VFW post commander Frank Warholic. The event also featured commendations from Rev. Mike McKay of the Montville United Methodist Church and Rev. David Kabush of the Church of the Transfiguration.

Victims of the attacks were honored with a name reading and a laying of flags and wreaths at the township's freedom plaza.

"This is not a happy day," Sandham said. "Nine years later, the wounds have still not healed, will never heal."

Warholic shared the mayor's somber attitude.

"Let us reflect on the ideals of…freedom, the foundation of this unique American citizenry," he said. "This day should remind us of the toughness of American culture. May peace prevail on this earth.

The township's six residents killed in the attacks, Gayle Green, Thomas Linehan, James Martello, James Romito, Paul Skrzypek and Dennis Taormina, had American flages placed in the park in their honor. John Flynn and William Gledler Jr, who were killed in the Lockerbie bombing in 1988, were also honored.

The event ended with Warholic reading an anonymous poem entitled "We Will Remember," which, according to him, was written in honor of not only those killed in the Sept. 11 attacks, but the police, fire and emergency services that died in the aftermath.

"We are indebted to all police, fire and emergency departments for the job they did on that day," he said.