TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- Team Tinker members, first responders and community partners gathered Sept. 11, 2026, to honor the memory of lives lost during the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and recognize the first responders as well as those who answered the nation's call in the years that followed.
The ceremony included the presentation of the colors by the Tinker Air Force Base Honor Guard, a singing of the national anthem, and an invocation and military honors. The honor guard firing party rendered three volleys, followed by the playing of taps by Navy Aviation Machinist's Mate 2nd Class Arielle Jackson.
Maj. Keenan Kelley, the ceremony's emcee and Tinker’s Fire and Emergency Services training specialist, opened the event by recognizing the lasting effect Sept. 11 had on the United States and its armed forces.
Four memorial bell tolls were incorporated into the ceremony to mark key moments from the attacks, each one followed by a moment of silence.
The first bell toll marked 7:46 a.m. Central time, when American Airlines Flight 11 struck the World Trade Center's North Tower in New York City. The next rang 17 minutes later marking when the second tower was hit, then again to represent when the Pentagon was hit at 8:37 a.m. Central time.
At 9:03 a.m. Central time, United Airlines Flight 93 crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers and crew members fought the hijackers in an attempt to regain control of the aircraft.
The attacks killed 2,977 people: 2,753 in New York, 184 at the Pentagon and 40 aboard Flight 93.
The bell also carried significance beyond marking the timeline of the attacks. In fire service and military traditions, the tolling of a bell can represent a final call for those who died in the line of duty.
Col. Cisco Harris, 72nd Air Base Wing and installation commander, delivered opening remarks and spoke about the importance of remembering the victims while recognizing the service members and first responders whose lives and missions were shaped by the attacks.
“That fateful morning reshaped our military, redefined the defense of our homeland, and forged 285 million individuals into one unified United States of America,” said Harris. “Here at Tinker Air Force Base, that resolve is our daily mission. We exist to generate readiness; to sustain and project combat air power globally to ensure an attack like 9/11 remains in our history, never to be repeated.”
Oklahoma City Fire Chief Richard Kelley also addressed attendees, representing the first-responder community and reflecting on the firefighters, police officers, emergency medical personnel and others who responded to the attacks.
Kelley had been one of the first responders during a terrorist attack that hit Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995, and later in 2001 responded to the attack in New York so for him, 9/11 carries a deeply personal meaning.
“It was real heart wrenching but also made me proud of our first responders,” said Kelley. “I don't want the enduring image of September 11th to simply be America under siege. ... I want it to be of the rising people’s perseverance, the strength of a helping hand, and the resilience of a nation that stands together.”
Lt. Col. Rudy McIntyre, 72nd Security Forces Squadron commander, followed with remarks recognizing the law enforcement and military personnel who responded on Sept. 11 and those who served during the conflicts that followed.
“We often talk about the selfless firefighters, police officers and first responders who ran to danger,” said McIntyre. “[They] ran into the collapsing, burning buildings or dug through twisted metal and rubble to find, save or recover the bodies of complete strangers and end up calling those strangers brothers or sisters.”
For attendees, the anniversary provided an opportunity to remember both the scale of the loss and the individual acts of courage that occurred that morning.
Twenty-five years after the attacks, Team Tinker's remembrance focused on preserving the memory of those killed, honoring those who responded, ensuring the events of 9/11 remain part of the history passed to future generations to never forget.