A Fort Riley solider salutes during Friday morning’s 9/11 Commemoration Ceremony at Fort Riley. This is the second straight year no names were added to the memorial, which honors soldiers who’ve fallen in wars since that September day in 2001. (Staff photos by Brady Bauman)
FORT RILEY — It’s been 10 years since Michael and Marcy Mazzarella lost their son, Anthony.
Anthony died at 22-years-old and was a Big Red One soldier.
For the second year in a row, no names were added to the 213 already etched on the Global War on Terrorism monument on Friday morning during Fort Riley’s 9/11 Commemoration Ceremony, which honored Fort Riley soldiers fallen in war since terrorists hijacked planes and crashed them into the World Trade Center towers and the Pentagon 14 years ago today.
Anthony Mazzarella’s name has been etched on the monument, which depicts two free-standing stone columns representing the Twin Towers, since 2005.
Still, the pain is still fresh for his parents, who where at the ceremony from Blue Springs, Mo.
Michael Mazzarella, who volunteered to speak with reporters with Marcy close by his side, began the conversation composed, upbeat and calm.
But pain has a way of attacking the soul fast and without warning — much like the events of 9/11 did to the world on a cool, clear morning by the New York City harbor in 2001.
“Today, like every other day… of course, we miss our son,” Michael said before he broke down in tears. “It’s always hard. We think of him everyday — particularly this day.”
Michael quickly fought his sadness back and said he and his wife have always enjoyed returning to Fort Riley.
“We also enjoy being invited back to Fort Riley,” he said. “Anthony was stationed here for a while and of course his name is on the monument, so it’s always a pleasure to come out here. It’s an interesting memorial, for sure. I remember when they dedicated it.
“It’s always nice to be here. And we’re glad we can make it every year.”
Maj. Gen. Wayne W. Grigsby, Jr., the newest commanding general of Fort Riley, was the keynote speaker for the ceremony and was strong in his reverence for the names of the fallen. He was equally as strong in his defiance towards those who attacked the U.S. 14 years ago and any who plan to again.
“As I was walking down here today, I was reminded that when ever I talked when I was in Iraq, Afghanistan or East Africa or where ever I was deployed, you always talked to three people, so I’m going to talk to three people today,” he said from his podium. “I’m talking to the great soldiers and the families and civilians and leaders of Fort Riley… I’m also talking to all the good people in the world out there — all our coalition partners that are helping us each and everyday to continue to fight this fight.
“But you know who else I’m talking to today? I’m talking to the enemy. I’m talking to the evil people who still want to bring harm to peaceful people like ourselves — people who want to defend liberty.”
Maj. Gen. Wayne W. Grigsby, Jr. commanding general of Fort Riley, speaks to fellow soldiers and family members during Friday morning’s 9/11 Commemoration Ceremony at Fort Riley.
“It has been 14 years since the 9/11 attacks,” he continued. “There are young soldiers in our army today who do not remember the attack because they were just babies at the time it occurred. Our army has had soldiers in the field for 14 years, and so to the veterans of the Big Red One and all the other veterans today, thank you for what you have done.”
After the ceremony, Grigsby told reporters the day brought back many emotions, including memories of soldiers he’d lost under his command and what he was doing on the day of the terrorist attacks.
“This day brings back a huge amount of emotions,” he said. “The night prior I had a hernia operation and I was a battalion commander in Schweinfurt, Germany, and we were getting ready to deploy down to conduct training, because we were getting ready to go to Kosovo.
“We didn’t do that.”
Grigsby said what he remembered most about that night was the support from the German people.
“What really struck me that night was all the flowers and all the colors and everything from the German people,” he recalled. “They just embraced us, immediately. Good people came together as one.”
Grigsby, who took over command this year after former commander Maj. Gen. Paul E. Funk II went on to serve for the U.S. Army’s assistant deputy chief of staff for operations and plans in Washington D.C., said he was glad to not add a name to the monument this year.
“It’s unbelievable,” he said while also crediting Funk. “It’s a great feeling.”
A Fort Riley firefighter holds a ceremonious ax during Friday morning’s 9/11 Commemoration Ceremony at Fort Riley.
Mazzarella said he was happy that no names joined his son’s on the monument this year.
“I still look in the paper on Sundays to look at the military deaths list,” he said. “Because we still have some friends in the service. So yes, it’s refreshing to see no names added (today) and that deaths are down weekly. That’s been wonderful and I’m happy to see that.
“I’m just sorry for the 4,000-plus that we lost. My son included.”
Sgt. 1st Class Frank McCaskill conducts the Fort Riley band during Friday morning’s 9/11 Commemoration Ceremony at Fort Riley.
Mazzarella was asked what his son would have thought about he remembrance ceremony and he answered that being in the army was something his son wanted to do.
“When he decided to join the Army — which surprised me — is what he wanted to do,” he said. “He died in that service and I can’t complain about that. It’s what he wanted to do. We’re happy for that.”
The last statement Mazzarella gave reporters was much like his first. He began with pride and calm, but pain, loss and tears understandably struck again.
“It’s unfortunate, for sure,” he said. “We’re never going to see him grow up as a man.”
For the 14th year, Fort Riley’s dedication to those lost since 9/11 was as clear as the words on the ribbon that laid across the wreath Grigsby placed on the memorial that morning.
The words said “Some gave all.”
If giving oneself completely to a cause he or she believes in fits the philosophy of the words on that ribbon, then Anthony Mazzarella and the 212 other soldiers etched on Fort Riley’s monument did just that.
