Iowa to Remember 9/11 Victims as Flags Are Lowered for 25th Anniversary
Everyone remembers where they were on September 11th, 2001. For me, I happened to be sitting in photography class at Monticello High School. At some point, our teacher was told to turn the television on in the classroom. We watched as the second tower was hit live on television. At the time, we didn't have the answers. We were left trying to understand who caried out this atrocity, why it had happened, and what would come next.
For our generation, September 11th became something much like the Kennedy assassination had been for generations before us. It became one of those moments in history where people could remember exactly where they were when the world seemed to change in an instant.
The stories, photographs, and audio recordings from that terrible day continue to echo through history. They give us glimpses into the lives of the nearly 3,000 people who were simply going about their lives when terrorism struck the United States.
Now, 25 years later, Iowa will once again lower its flags in remembrance.
Governor Kim Reynolds has ordered flags to be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Friday, September 11th, 2026, in honor of Patriots Day and in memory of those who lost their lives in the September 11th terror attacks.
The order will apply to the State Capitol Building and flag displays throughout the Capitol Complex. Flags will also be lowered at half-staff at public buildings, grounds, and facilities across Iowa. Individuals, businesses, schools, municipalities, counties, and other government subdivisions are also encouraged to participate.
For Iowans, the anniversary carries a scar and the loss of life, even here. According to the governor's office, eight known victims of the September 11th attacks had connections to Iowa.
- James Cleere, 55, of Newton
- Karen Ann Kincaid, 40, of Waverly
- Mari-Rae Sopper, 35, formerly of Ames
- Michael Tinley, 56, formerly of Council Bluffs
- SPC Craig Scott Amundson, 28, of Cedar Rapids
- Lt. Col. Gary F. Smith, 55, of Council Bluffs
- Timothy Aaron Haviland, 41, formerly of Ames
- Sandra Dawn Teague, 31, formerly of Des Moines and West Des Moines
These are more than names on a list. Each name represents a person with family, friends, coworkers, and a story of their own. Twenty-five years can pass, but the loss carried by the people who knew them doesn't simply disappear.
“Twenty-five years ago, a targeted attack against America shook the foundation of our country and tested its resiliency. Nearly 3,000 innocent lives—including at least eight Iowans—were tragically lost that day. On this solemn anniversary, we remember and honor them, and reaffirm our resolve to stand together against those who threaten our people and our ideals.”
-Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds
The lowering of the flags is a simple gesture that carries significant meaning. For one day, across Iowa, the flags that normally fly proudly above public buildings will be lowered as a reminder of the people who were lost and the country that stood together in the aftermath.
September 11th is a part of our shared American history, but remembering it is not simply about looking backward. It is about remembering the people behind the numbers, the families who were changed forever, and the extraordinary response of ordinary Americans who came together during one of the darkest moments in our nation's history.
Twenty-five years later, many of us still remember that classroom, that television screen, that phone call, or the first moment we realized something was terribly wrong. And that is why we remember; Never Forget.
NEVER FORGET: Images from 9/11 and the days after
See 20 Ways America Has Changed Since 9/11
Gallery Credit: Madison Troyer