“The skies were blue, the clouds puffy, the speakers long-winded and the military choppers loud. Dozens of police officers turned out for an awards ceremony at Liberty State Park, a sea of blue beside the Hudson. Both officers and civilians received awards for their work on 9/11 and after, and across the river Battery Park stood sentinel over the hole that was once the World Trade Center.... It was beautiful, and inspiring, and reminded me all over again that the WTC is gone, and we’re at war. The Lincoln Tunnel closed a while today, and they were searching all cars endeavoring to cross into Manhattan from the Brooklyn Bridge. The Statue of Liberty stood with its gold flame against the blue sky, and more ships eased slowly into the bay. What a wonderful country. What a terrifying situation.” (Susanna Cornett, cut on the bias, May 23, 2002.)

Later, May 25: “What I don’t say below, because I didn’t learn it until afterward, is that the helicopters in the photograph are flying a lost wing formation, in honor of the Jersey City police officer killed in the line of duty last year. The photo captures them in front of the WTC center site which, to me, makes the tribute even more poignant.”

Photo used with permission.