Coachella Valley marks 9/11

Americans all over the world are remembering the tragic attacks on 9/11. Across the Coachella Valley, ceremonies were held to remember one of the darkest days in U.S. history.

To honor local first responders, seven planes from the Palm Springs Air Museum did a fly over the Coachella Valley and the High Desert. The planes carried flags honoring local service members the Gold Star families lost in War on Terror. The names of local service members lost:

• Marine Cpl. Jesus A. Gonzalez of Indio, CA, 1st Tank Battalion, 1st Marine Division, 29 Palms, CA - KIA April 12, 2003 in Baghdad, Iraq – Operation Iraqi Freedom
• Marine 1st Lt. Joshua M. Palmer of Banning, CA, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, CA – KIA April 8, 2004 in Anbar Province, Iraq – Operation Iraqi Freedom
• US Air Force Staff Sgt. Jennifer Kepner, of Cathedral City, died Oct 18, 2017 from cancer as a result of exposure to Burn Pits at Camp Balad Air Base in Iraq. She served as a medic from 2001-2007 and spent 6 months at Camp Balad
• US Army Pfc. Ming Sun, of Cathedral City, 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Carlson, CO, KIA January 7, 2007, Ramadi, Iraq – Operation Iraqi Freedom
• US Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Suresh Krause, of Cathedral City, A Company, 2nd Battalion, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, KIA August 16, 2012, Kandahar Province, Iraq, Operation Enduring Freedom
• Marine Cpl. Hunter Lopez of Indio, KIA, August 26, 2021, Kabul Airport, Afghanistan

The planes that were a part of the flyover were the P-63 King Cobra, two P-51 Mustangs, C-47 Sky Train, and the T-6 Texan. 

In Cathedral City, a new 9/11 art memorial was unveiled at the new Cathedral City Fire Station 411 in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attack.

The art memorial was designed by Cathedral City Fire Captain Corey Goddard and fabricated by local businessman Jason Carlin. They said the memorial pays respect to those who lost their lives at the Twin Towers in New York City including hundreds of first responders. 

The Palm Springs Fire Department also held a ceremony to remember the tragic events and all the lives lost. People from the community gathered to pay their respects and commemorate the 20th anniversary.