World News
Oklahomans pause to remember victims of 1995 bombing
Before 9/11, there was the Oklahoma City bombings, which is still the deadliest act of domestic terrorism in US history.
Today marks the 13th anniversary of the deadly attack.
168 people were killed in the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building.
People in Oklahoma paused today to remember the victims at the Oklahoma City National Memorial.
"The evil act perpetrated here illustrated the depths of human depravity," Gov. Brad Henry said. "But Oklahomans met tragedy with triumph. From such a horrible crime came tales of astounding goodness."
At 9:02 a.m., the moment of the bombing, people attending the service observed 168 seconds of silence for each of the bombing's victims. Victims' names also were read aloud.
Before the ceremony, relatives of the victims placed wreaths and mementos on the memorial's symbolic glass and bronze chairs, each one representing a victim of the bombing.
Deb Hodges, wife of bombing victim Gene Hodges Jr., a Department of Housing and Urban Development worker who was killed on the seventh floor of the building, looked at a picture drawn by their granddaughter that had been placed on his chair.
Time has allowed her to move on, but "it doesn't get better. It gets different. You adjust. But you never forget," Hodges said.
Rudy Guzman of Castro Valley, Calif., is the brother of Marine Capt. Randolph A. Guzman, who died on the sixth floor of the building in the U.S. Marine Corps recruiting office.
"Day by day you think of the good things," he said as he stood by a chair bearing his brother's name.
Guzman said family members and survivors have developed a sense of family over the years. He said, "It's a family brought together in tragedy, but we're here to help each other out."
One of the participants in a national media symposium held later in the day was ABC anchorman Bob Woodruff, who suffered a traumatic brain injury in January 2006 when his vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb in Iraq.
Woodruff said he teared up when he visited the memorial Saturday for the first time.
"It was about as emotional a moment as I have felt in a long time," he said.
Source: news.yahoo.com
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Comments (10)
I visited the Memorial for the first time in March 2008. I had no idea how truly powerful and moving the Memorial would be. Walking through the site brought back memories of the fear I felt while waiting to hear from my father, who worked in the downtown OKC area at the time. I can only imagine the true horror that the survivors and their families felt on that day.
The picture is of part of the Field of Empty Chairs. Each chair honors one of the 168 people who died that day. These five chairs pay tribute to the victims who died outside of the building.
blk3953 has contributed a photo to this story.
This memorial is beautiful and emotionally moving.
Megs has contributed a photo to this story.
amyjudd, I like this story. It's good stuff. Thanks for the story on this very important anniversary.
I took these photos on a calm spring evening recently...knowing some of those who died here and some who survived. It is a beautiful and timeless memorial...open to the sky and the wind and the sun...giving those who were crushed under the tons of rubble a breath of air and an eternal view of the heavens.
ranedge has contributed a photo to this story.
I had originally gone to Oklahoma City to do photos for a wedding, but the night of the wedding, I decided that I had to go to this site. I remember that it was extremely cold (it was December 28, 2007). I was so overwhelmed by the impact of this memorial that I had to read each and every name of each chair there.
This is a beautiful and powerful memorial and I encourage anyone who has a chance to go there and remember those who lost their lives that day.
I was in OKC for a wedding at the church seen in the background of the picture. It was a week before the anniversary of the bombing. This was shot from the 'survivor tree' looking back across the memorial. The Survivor Tree was a tree across the street that survived the bombing. At the time it was in the middle of a parking lot, now it part of the memorial.
yeasty123 has contributed a photo to this story.
Went across the states for two months and came by Oklahoma City. For me it was important to see the memorial and make a thought for the victims.
MaulPhotography has contributed a photo to this story.
This is such a somber place. Even many years after the tragedy, no one must be told it is hallowed ground. It's simply obvious.
Wild Ideas has contributed a photo to this story.
I was actually in the USAF at the time, stationed at Tinker AFB, OKC, OK, and was working on that fateful morning. Even from the base, the explosion was heard, although it sounded more like a sonic boom from an aircraft at that distance.
Rescue and cleanup teams were assembled on base, all volunteers, and we were sent downtown to help where we were needed. Some were sent into the building, some set up "camps" for the workers.
The sight was unreal. Nothing that could have been caught on film could ever come close to the reality of that day, night, or the days that followed. The photos and videos were disturbing, but in person, it was gruesome.
The writing on the wall caught the attention of many over the days and weeks that followed. Now these words are forever immortalized as part of the memorial.
As with NYC and 9-11, OKC and 4-19 will forever be remembered.
berns_75 has contributed a photo to this story.
I'm from Newfoundland. Visiting the memorial was surreal, because I watched the events on live tv. The memorial is a beautiful tribute to the innocent.
nfkiller has contributed a photo to this story.