09/11/2026
Every remembrance carries countless stories of courage, service, and sacrifice. One of those stories comes from Amy Dillon, a member of the GATORZ team who was serving as a Marine on September 11, 2001.
For Amy, that morning marked the moment her military service, and the country she served, shifted from peacetime to wartime.
Amy was a Corporal on active duty and working the night crew at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort. She was home when she was urgently called back to base.
“All aircraft were grounded. Marines were issued weapons, and we secured a perimeter around the base. We were told we were under attack and that military bases might be hit next." Amy recalls.
In the years that followed, Amy deployed in support of the various conflicts that emerged after 9/11. The Marines in her unit were the same people beside her when they received briefings about the first Marines killed in action in the war. Over time, that unit became more than a group of fellow Marines.
“It became a familial bond I will never be able to explain in words.”
Her squadron later conducted bombing missions in the Middle East. Amy went on to serve as a Drill Instructor, where she trained the next generation of Marines. She remembers asking young recruits why they wanted to become Marines. Their answer was often the same:
“Because of 9/11.”
Those moments filled her with pride, and sorrow. They were a reminder that the events of September 11 shaped not only the people who lived through that day, but also an entire generation who chose to serve in its aftermath.
In the face of hatred and violence, we chose to stand together with courage, conviction, and resolve. We have proven to be fighters. We continue to stand. We refuse to let our spirit falter. We are Americans.
We remember those who never made it home.
We honor those who ran toward danger.
We recognize those who answered the call in the years that followed.
Twenty-five years later, we will never forget.