Auburn Remembers: How the Community Responded After Sept. 11
When terrorists attacked the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001, the shock reached far beyond the coasts, arriving in southeast Nebraska within hours. Auburn Newspapers' coverage that fall captured a community that moved quickly to respond, then spent the following weeks processing what it meant.
Cooper Nuclear Station raised security to its highest level as a precaution, and local churches held prayer services as flags flew at half staff across Nemaha County. The most visible local response came from six Auburn firefighters, Dale Thomas, Gerrad Edwards, Russ Koerner, Brian McConaughey, Jim North and Jay VonBergen, who volunteered through the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help search the World Trade Center rubble. An estimated 150 residents turned out for their send-off before the men left Auburn by charter flight out of Kansas City. Area banks, including Auburn State Bank, Carson National Bank, First National Bank of Johnson and Union Bank & Trust, opened their doors to collect donations for the American Red Cross.
A Week of Mixed Emotions
By the Sept. 21 edition, the paper turned to how residents were processing the attack. Reactions ranged widely. Some, like Good Samaritan employee Darrold Nies, described moving from anger toward a more measured response shaped by prayer. Others were blunter about wanting swift retaliation. Cooper Nuclear employee Bob Gibson's wife, Marsha, focused instead on the grief of families who had lost loved ones and hoped rescuers would still find survivors. Auburn High School senior Kassi Koerner, whose father Russ Koerner was one of the six firefighters headed to Ground Zero, said she was proud of him for helping.
Dale Thomas said the men chose to do this because of the obvious need and a bond between firemen and rescue people whether they are in a nearby community, across the state or even across the country.
"We're really excited about going. But at the same time we're scared about what we'll see and do. Pray for us and the other victims still in the building. Please watch over our families while we're gone," Firefighter Dale Thomas said at the send off.
The paper also reported on a noon prayer service at Auburn's American Legion Memorial Park, where Kaye Krueger was among the residents who gathered as pastors from several local churches read scripture and prayed for the nation.
Back from Ground Zero
The same edition carried firefighter Jim North's account of the trip, in a story by Darrell Wellman. The six Auburn men flew out of Kansas City, connected through Philadelphia, and rode a shuttle in to the area of Lower Manhattan that had become known as Ground Zero, passing through three separate security checkpoints before they were even sure they'd be allowed on site.
Their first 12-hour shift began Friday evening, working in long lines of firefighters and volunteers who passed buckets, tools and body bags hand to hand through the wreckage. After that shift ended Saturday morning, a New York City police officer directed them to volunteer-run lodging at the Navy Home Port on Staten Island, stocked with donated food, clothing and gear for the responders. A second, more difficult shift followed Saturday evening, by then security had tightened further, and the men noticed a shift in focus on site as heavier equipment moved in to help clear debris, with hope for survivors fading. North described New Yorkers thanking the crews constantly, handing out food and water, and City residents allowed briefly back into Lower Manhattan applauding the firefighters as they passed. North called the experience one the men would never forget, saying seeing the devastation in person, even after watching it on television, "was really tough." The six flew home out of LaGuardia Sunday morning and were back in Auburn by that evening.
Sources: Coverage from The Auburn Press-Tribune and Nemaha County Herald 9/14/01, 9/21/01. Articles by Darrell Wellman and Dennis Morgan as well as unattributed coverage.
