Chad Lundquist/Nevada Appeal Sgt. Maj. Johnny Herzburg of the Nevada Army National Guard salutes during 'Taps' at a commemorative ceremony marking the fifth anniversary of September 11, 2001, at the Nevada State Veterans memorial at the Capitol on Monday.
Dozens of residents came to the Capitol, then to Mills Park, for three short, understated commemorations marking the fifth anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001
"We wanted to take a break, come over, and remember," said Jeff Callister, who works for Edward Jones.
"It's important we don't forget," said Phil Brown, first vice-commander of American Legion Post 4. "And it's important to honor the victims."
Brown said he knows a man who survived the Pentagon attack. His friend was fortunate to be going "left not right" while fleeing the complex after a hijacked commercial airliner was flown into it kamikaze-style.
"It made the difference between his living and dying," Brown said.
Last year, he visited the site in Shanksville, Penn., where another hijacked passenger plane crashed into a field. Being at the location proved "quite an emotional experience," he said.
Two other planes were flown into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York. Nearly 3,000 people died as a result of the four hijackings by al-Qaida.
"It's something that has to be acknowledged," said Zina Donoho-King, who works at the Capitol. "No matter how far we are from New York, it was family. We're all Americans."
P.J. Degross, the Carson City resident who helped create Web of Support Soldier Adoption Program, was there.
"I was surprised more citizens didn't come," she said. She said watching television Monday morning as the names of those who died in the attacks were read one by one made her "teary-eyed."
"These people need to be remembered," she said. "It's like the Holocaust. People need to remember so it won't happen again."
Gov. Kenny Guinn and other dignitaries kept the ceremonies simple. Wreaths were placed at the Nevada Law Enforcement and Nevada State Veterans memorials on the Capitol grounds then, after a short drive, on the Nevada Firefighters Memorial at Mills Park.
"Taps" was played, and a moment of silence was observed at each location.
"The governor didn't want to do a speech," said Steve George, Guinn's public information officer. "People have their own memories of 9/11, and they didn't need to hear from him about what happened. It would have been inappropriate."
• Contact reporter Terri Harber at tharber@nevadaappeal.com or 882-2111, ext. 215.