From the rubble
J. Fletcher Smoak ’58, M ’64
Summer 2003
Ceramic engineer Fletcher
Smoak of Roanoke, Va., knew he wanted to do something in memory of those who
died on 9/11. The Army veteran also wanted to honor the American spirit that
survived. He decided to build a memorial made with two beams from the World
Trade Center.
As chairman and CEO of Old Virginia Brick in Salem, Smoak was well
experienced in building. Still, handling the two beams of 14,000 pounds
was a challenging
feat that encompassed months. Now, the work of what Smoak calls his “very
patriotic company” stands tall in Salem.
The main body of the tower reaches 36 feet into the sky with the two
14-inch square beams set on a concrete base. It has another 20 feet
of flagpole extending above the beams. A gold eagle with a 3-foot wingspan “flies” atop
the flagpole. A circular brick wall and a V-shaped walkway surround
the base.
The American flag is lit from dusk to dawn, seven days a week, and a
bronze plaque pays homage to the victims of 9/11 with Psalms 91.
Approximately 700 people attended the memorial’s dedication in
April, including Capt. Richard Rotanz of the NYC Fire Department, who
was among the first responders to the World Trade Center.
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