9-11 Memorial Groundbreaking

Texas Task Force One Director, Jeff Saunders

On this Patriot’s Day, groundbreaking took place for a new 9-11 memorial at the headquarters of Texas Task Force One in south College Station.

Speakers included Task Force director Jeff Saunders, who worked for New Mexico’s agency when he responded after the terrorist attack at the Pentagon.

Jeff Saunders
Jeff Saunders

“The men and women of Texas Task Force One, I promise that we’re going to do two things. The first one is be good stewards of the memorial that is going to be on the grounds here and the second thing is we will always, always answer the call,” said Saunders.

Former TEEX Director, Dr. G Kimbell Bennett, was a member of the Texas team who reported to ground zero in New York City.

“Walking into ground zero, and I looked up at that rubble, I can’t explain how you’re just grabbed, your heart and your stomach, it just stops you in your tracks. You cannot believe you are looking at such destruction,” Bennett remembered.

The focal point of the memorial will be a section of steel recovered from the World Trade Center and donated to the task force, which is the most active urban search and rescue team in the country.

Saunders was presented with a Texas flag, a United States flag and a plaque for their work with the Texas floods in May.

Click below to hear all of the speakers from Friday’s groundbreaking.

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