'Remember the impact': Military members in North Bay commemorate 9/11 victims with march

Canadian and American military men and women from Canadian Forces Base Wing 22 in North Bay, Ont., are ruck marching all day Wednesday to remember all who were impacted by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in the United States in 2001.

Starting at the crack of dawn, military men and women began ruck marching at the sports track on Guelph Street.

American and Canadian military members from 22 Wing in North Bay commemorate 9/11 with an 11-hour ruck march. Sept. 11, 2024 (Eric Taschner/CTV Northern Ontario)

A ruck march is described by the Wounded Warriors of Canada as "a relatively fast march over distance carrying a load."

The group will be marching for 11 hours to remember the victims and to raise money for a charity called 'Tuesday’s Children,' which supports children and families who are victims of the Sept. 11 attacks and terrorism worldwide.

As some of the names of the thousands of victims were read out at the northeastern Ontario track Wednesday morning, flags from both countries being carried by uniformed soldiers were seen billowing in the breeze.

It was on this day 23 years ago when two hijacked airplanes slammed into New York City’s twin towers, one into the Pentagon and a fourth into a Pennsylvania field after the passengers onboard bravely fought back.

• Archive Photo Gallery: Inside the U.S. command centre on 9/11

Nearly 3,000 people, including 24 Canadians and 127 servicepeople perished as the world watched in horror.

With a large contingent of U.S. Air Force members on base, the anniversary hits home for them.

American and Canadian military members from 22 Wing in North Bay commemorate 9/11 with an 11-hour ruck march. Sept. 11, 2024 (Eric Taschner/CTV Northern Ontario)

The 9/11 attacks inspired U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Madison Wilke to join the military, she said.

American and Canadian military members from 22 Wing in North Bay commemorate 9/11 with an 11-hour ruck march. Sept. 11, 2024 (Eric Taschner/CTV Northern Ontario)

Her father was deployed to Iraq following the attack.

"That really inspired me to join. He got orders as soon as 9/11 happened. He had to go to the ground to get on a C-5 and get out to the Middle East," she told CTVNewsNorthernOntario.ca in an interview.

"This day is really just about remembrance and remembering those victims."

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American and Canadian military members from 22 Wing in North Bay commemorate 9/11 with an 11-hour ruck march. Sept. 11, 2024 (Eric Taschner/CTV Northern Ontario)

"There's an employee here at 22 Wing who has direct family who was in the World Trade Centre," Acting 22 Wing/CFB Cmdr.-Lt.-Col.Ken Bedley said.

"They, fortunately, escaped."

The unprecedented attack strengthened the bond between Canada and the U.S.

American and Canadian military members from 22 Wing in North Bay commemorate 9/11 with an 11-hour ruck march. Sept. 11, 2024 (Eric Taschner/CTV Northern Ontario)

"What we do here at 22 Wing is directly linked to the events of 9/11," Bedley said.

"At the Canadian Air Defence Sector, we are the only place in Canada that directly supports Operation Noble Eagle, which is the operation in defence of the events of 9/11."

The Sept. 11 attacks even impacted North Bay.

Aircraft that were still in the air when the attack happened were diverted and ordered to land at the city’s Jack Garland Airport because the 10,000-foot runway could support larger jets.

"The Canadian-U.S. relationship is one of our strongest relationships," Bedley said.

American and Canadian military members from 22 Wing in North Bay commemorate 9/11 with an 11-hour ruck march. Sept. 11, 2024 (Eric Taschner/CTV Northern Ontario)

"We work really hard to keep the North America airspace safe here."

Wilkes wants people to remember the impact of that day.

"Remember how much it changed our world," she said.

American and Canadian military members from 22 Wing in North Bay commemorate 9/11 with an 11-hour ruck march. Sept. 11, 2024 (Eric Taschner/CTV Northern Ontario)