Eighth grade student Rolando raises the American flag flown at Forward Operating Base Camp Bucca in Iraq on 9/11/09. Colonel Daniel J. Lund, USMC (Ret.), the Commander of the Camp five years ago, presented the flag to The De La Salle School. The Camp was named in honor of first responder Ronald Paul Bucca, FDNY who died in the attacks of 9/11/01. Albert, also an eighth grader, plays The Star Spangled Banner on the trombone as the flag is hoisted up the flag pole in front of the school’s entrance.
Freeport, NY – Eighth graders of The De La Salle School in Freeport, New York prepared and led a memorial service for the school community and invited guests. They commemorated the lives lost, the heroism displayed, and the generous service associated with 11 September 2001. And they prayed for peace.
Marine Colonel Daniel J. Lund (St. Raphael Academy, Class of 1976), Commander of Forward Operating Base Camp Bucca during operation Iraqi Freedom, was a special guest at the school. In the context of a prayer service planned and carried out by the eighth graders he presented the school with an American flag that flew over Base Camp Bucca five years ago, on 11 September 2009. The entire school community assembled around the flag pole as the “Stars and Stripes” which once flew over the Iraq desert was raised in the parking lot. Also in attendance were veterans of various branches of the armed services as well as firefighters and police officers, some of whom had been first responders at the World Trade Center site in 2001.
Marine Colonel Daniel J. Lund, Commander of Forward Operating Base Camp Bucca during operation Iraqi Freedom, was a special guest at the school.
“Remembering those who passed was a nice thing”, said Kenneth, one of the eighth graders leading the commemoration. Fellow eighth grader Orlando, reflecting his hope for the world commented, “It was good to work together on this project.”