9/11 Memorial

The War Memorial Center 9/11 Memorial honors the nearly 3,000 people who lost their lives as a result of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a third planned attack on Washington, D.C. The WMC 9/11 Memorial pays special tribute to the 343 firefighters, police officers and other first responders who died during the attacks, and U.S. military members who have been killed in the ensuing wars on terrorism.

In 2011, after a lengthy application process initiated by the War Memorial Center Board of Directors, the War Memorial Center was granted this piece of “9/11 steel” and K2011, then War Memorial Board Member and Vietnam veteran Joe Campbell and retired Milwaukee Fire Battalion Chief Mark Fox drove to New York City to pick up the steel beam. On their way back to Milwaukee, they were met at the Wisconsin border by hundreds of Patriot Guard motorcycle riders, and area firefighters flew flags from their trucks and saluted from overpasses. The piece of steel was installed at the War Memorial Center and dedicated on September 11, 2011, the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

“[This memorial] represents what freedom is all about. It is not free,” said Campbell. “We have to defend it. We have to preserve it and obviously, unfortunately, we have to fight for it.”