CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A flag raised at ground zero following the Sept. 11 attacks was brought to West Virginia on Wednesday, where it was raised above a Charleston Fire Department station.
West Virginia Patriot Guard Riders transported the flag from Beckley to Charleston to display the flag at Station 2 for nine minutes and 11 seconds.
According to ride captain Ed Peckham, the flag has been raised overseas during American military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq as well as in other states and aboard American warships. The event marked the first time the flag was displayed in West Virginia.
“We’re proud of this flag,” Peckham said. “It’s seen things that others have not seen, and it represents us.”
Peckham said part of the mission focuses on informing young people about the terrorist attacks and the impact on the United States. He noticed a few younger individuals at Wednesday’s event.
“There were a couple of people born probably after 9/11, and I don’t know if they quite know how to react,” he said. “In my opinion, patriotism is not what it once was, serving the country is not what it once was, and I think we’re pretty spoiled in having more than most countries have.”
The West Virginia Patriot Guard Riders will transfer the flag to a partner Kentucky body on Thursday.