Township To Hold 9/11 Memorial Service Sunday

South Whitehall officials are holding an outdoor memorial service at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 11, to honor those killed 10 years ago in the 2001 terrorist attacks.

The public is invited to the ceremony in front of the administration building, 4444 Walbert Ave.

South Whitehall police officer David Jones will play bagpipes, and a flag will be lowered to half-staff.

Board President Brad Osborne and township Manager will offer remarks. A deacon from in Orefield will deliver a eulogy.

The ceremony is expected to be 20 to 30 minutes.

Here is a timeline of events from that fateful day:

* The first terrorist strike was at 8:46 a.m., when American Flight 11 crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center.

* United Flight 175 crashed into the south tower at 9:03 a.m.

* American Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon at 9:40 a.m.

* crashed in a Pennsylvania field at approximately 10:07 a.m. when heroic passengers fought the terrorists to prevent an attack on the Capitol or White House.

Nearly 3,000 people were killed in the Sept. 11 attacks, including South Whitehall resident Alan Merdinger, who worked as an accountant for Cantor Fitzgerald on the 102nd floor of the north tower of the World Trade Center. Merdinger was 47.

At his memorial service held at shortly after his death, Merdinger was described as a man always willing to help family and friends, according to this report in The Morning Call.