A fire engine sounded while University President Lou Hencken placed his right hand over his heart.

Dan Nadler, vice president for student affairs, and Jill Nilsen, vice president for external relations, followed suit.

The trio formed a half circle around the flagpole in the South Quad, along with University Police, members from the Charleston Police and Fire Departments, who saluted the descending flag.

The flag was lowered to half-staff just after a brass quintet, made up of Eastern band students, played “America the Beautiful.”

A crowd of Eastern students and staff also gathered in the quad for Monday morning’s ceremony, commemorating the five-year anniversary of the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

Hencken spoke after a moment of silence for lives lost.

He mentioned the victims of 9/11, the men and women who worked in the World Trade Center and the members of Flight 93.

“Without their courage, death and destruction would have been worse,” he said.

Hencken said if he asked the people at the ceremony where they were and what they were doing five years ago, everyone would be able to tell him.

“You will always remember, until the day you die, what you were doing,” he said.

Hencken continued, saying that Sept. 11 is one of those days people will always remember and should always remember.

“We must remember what occurred on that day, every day,” he said. “Keep those in our hearts who died that day. Let us always remember.”

Behind the podium, students held more than 40 flags of countries that also lost civilians that day.

Not many students attended the 15-minute memorial – at least not compared to reported hundreds in attendance at the first anniversary memorial.

“People too soon forget,” said Matt Bower, a Charleston firefighter. “And when you forget, it’ll happen again.”

Sandy Cox, director of the counseling center, said the turnout met her expectations.

“It’s not just the anniversary, it’s the fact that people remember it,” she said.

Cox wanted something that was really simple, but had an effect on people, she said.

And some say it’s the effect that counts.

Capt. Mark Woodsmall from the ROTC said Monday’s memorial refreshed the feelings he had five years ago.

Woodsmall also said that in today’s information-filled society, we’re busily continuing on with our lives. But that’s OK, he said, following what President Bush told the country to do.

“That’s kind of the way it really should be,” Woodsmall said. “Yes, we remember 9/11. But by pressing on with our daily activities, we’re showing the terrorists and the world that we, as Americans, will not be intimidated.”

A ROTC cadet salutes the flag as it is lowered to half-staff during the 9/11 Memorial Service in the south quad Monday morning. Eric Hiltner/The Daily Eastern News

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