News : Area residents gather to remember 9/11

Flags and firemen line the sidewalk for the 9/11 memorial ceremony in Vinton, Sunday.

American Legion Chaplain Paul Coyle leads the prayer during the 9/11 memorial ceremony.

Vinton firemen listen as Legion Commander Craig Streeter speaks about his memories of 9/11.

Remembering 9/11: Vinton fireman Dan Albert rings the bell to honor NYFD members who died.

John Kelly plays taps to honor those who died a decade ago on 9/11.

Vinton firefighters listen during the ringing of the bell that honored 9/11 victims.

Legion Riders hold the flags during the 9/11 ceremony.

Vinton firemen pull their 1893 pumper truck along 4th Street as the Vinton 9/11 ceremony begins.

Veteran Dave Dighton plays taps at the end of the Spencer's Grove Church 9/11 service.

Veterans led the outdoor part of the ceremony at Spencer's Grove Church.

The bell is rung to honor 9/11 victims.

Veterans honor the dead with a rifle salute at Spencer's Grove Church.

A couple hundred people gathered outside the Benton County Courthouse Sunday evening to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Another 75 people met at Spencer Grove Church in rural Walker to honor the heroes and victims of 9/11 during an afternoon ceremony.

Legion Commander Craig Streeter, a retired fireman, told the crowd in Vinton that he was on duty at a Cedar Rapids fire station the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, when he first heard about the attacks. He realized that fellow fighters were dying and said his first emotion was of anger and the desire to get revenge on those responsible.

The Vinton Fire Department participated in the evening ceremony, wearing their formal blue uniforms as they paraded behind the color guard to the front of the courthouse. The firemen pushed the department's 1893 tanker.

Streeter also urged the audience to honor the soldiers who have fought and died in the war on terror over the past decade. Taps and a rifle salute also honored those who died.

The Shellsburg Legion Riders participated, riding their cycles to Vinton, then lining the sidewalk and holding large flags during the ceremony.

Veterans also honored the dead with a rifle salute and Taps at both Vinton and Spencer's Grove.

Spencer's Grove service

A total of 343 firefighters died that day, along with dozens of police officers. That number was repeated both in Vinton, and at Spencer's Grove Church.

At the Sunday afternoon service at Spencer Grove Church, Chief Deputy Michael Ferguson of the Benton County Sheriff's Office honored the law enforcement personnel who died that day. Ferguson also reminded the audience to remember the sacrifice that first responders make just to become qualified to be police officers, fire fighters or paramedics.

Retired Army Col. Clyde Meyer, a Walker native, told the crowd that the people who attacked the U.S. by spending a year learning to hijacking planes were "more serious about dying than many people are about living." He advised the audience of the need to be continually vigilant in defending freedom.

Bob Bearbower, a 54-year member of the Brandon Fire Department, honored the 343 NYFD members who died on 9/11.

Lori Ferguson led the audience in singing the first verse of the "Star Spangled Banner," then sang one of the other verses of the National Anthem.