NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Police Cmdr. William Drossman urged some 300 people gathered at a service earlier tonight at VFW Post 4250 to commemorate the seventh anniversary of 9/11 to not lose sight of America's purpose as the leader of the free world.
"I fear the nation has forgotten the freedom we're fighting for," said the 53-year-old, who attended the U.S. Naval Academy and as a Marine was a liasion advisor in a country bordering Vietnam in 1973.
He said Americans need to remember the troops who have made the ultimate sacrifice in Afghanistan and Iraq and support the brave American men and women who continue to fight for freedom on the two fronts.
Dossman said he visited Ground Zero in July where the Twin Towers stood until terrorists in hijacked planes took them down as well as a third plane that struck the Pentagon and a fourth that crashed in a field in Pennsylvania when passengers stormed terrorists in the cockpit, averting what could have been an attack on the White House or the Capitol.
Drossman said his heart goes out to the police and firefighters who endured the misery inside the World Trade Center, as their colleagues were lost forever.
"I can't even begin to explain -- to describe the pain that they suffered that day and they still feel that pain seven years later," he said, adding people who haven't been to Ground Zero could not begin to understand why it has taken so long for the rebuilding effort.
"They've just begun the infrastructure -- they're on the bottom layers of the new (Freedom Tower) that's going to take the place of the towers," Drossman said.
Drossman urged the array of veterans from different wars and military branches and their families to make this day of remembrance a time to encourage the greater New Smyrna Beach community to engage in "dialogue" to "get us on a path this country needs to be." He closed his message with "God bless America. God bless you."
Minutes earlier, a color guard contingent burned old American flags and played "Taps" while dozens of people held lit candles during the 7 p.m. 9/11 remembrance ceremony at the VFW on Sunset Drive.
Ralph Lampie, vice commander of AL Post 285 in Edgewater said he and the other veterans were pleased with the turnout.
"It's great and it's only going to get better," he said of the patriotic respect shown here tonight.
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Clarification posted Monday, Sept. 15, 2008: William Drossman called to clarify that he attended the U.S. Naval Academy, and did not, in fact, graduate from it as was originally reported. He also stated the mission near Vietnam was not secret per se, but was not supposed to be publicized, even though he mentioned it during the 9/11 remembrance service. The story is updated to reflect the changes.