Remembering September 11th, 2001
New York City, NY – September 11th, 2001. A date that will be remembered in the United States forever. No single event in the past half century has had a greater impact on the nation's security policies than that of September 11th. As we remember this devastating date in America's history, we pause to cherish the lives we have and those men and women who protect us each day.
Thousands of men in Tau Kappa Epsilon have served in the military for the United States or Canada. Their selflessness and sacrifice have made our fraternal experience possible. The Offices of the Grand Chapter would like to thank all Fraters who have served in the military. We remember September 11th as a day that the United States grew stronger. We remember September 11th so that we all might learn to live our lives at the highest level possible in the future.
Thousands of lives were lost in the attacks in New York City, Washington, D.C. and the crash in Pennsylvania, and among the victims included five members of Tau Kappa Epsilon: Fraters John C. Willett (Kappa-Nu, Rockhurst University), Sgt. Major Larry L. Strickland (Chi, University of Washington), Douglas A. Gowell (Mu-Epsilon, University of Lowell), Steven D. Jacoby (Zeta-Tau, Shippensburg University) and Michael J. Mullin (Sigma-Epsilon, SUNY Oneonta).
In fall of 2001, Tau Kappa Epsilon's THE TEKE wrote a powerful piece titled "Answering the Call" in memory of those Fraters who lost their lives.
John C. Willett was on the phone in his 101st-floor World Trade Center office when the first American Airlines jetliner crashed into his tower Tuesday morning. Sgt. Major Larry Strickland was in the Pentagon after giving up a day off to attend a meeting. Douglas A. Gowell was an unsuspecting passenger when his United Airlines flight was hijacked in midair.
Click here to read letters in memory of John C. Willett, Sgt. Major Larry Strickland and Douglas A Gowell.
And now, thousands of men and women, across the continent and the world, remember. We remember those we have lost. We remember those who strive to make the world a better place.
As our Fraternity strives to be Better Men for a Better World we will always remember our past, and we will always remember September 11, 2001.
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