Photo by Robert Davi, New York 1L

An American flag stands a lonely vigil over the site of what was once two 110-story skyscrapers at the World Trade Tower complex in lower Manhattan. Almost 6,000 persons were buried in the wreckage from the Sept. 11 terrorists' attack.

The first terrorist-controlled attacks on the United States with commercial airliners on Sept. 11 killed several members of the GCIU family.

Commenting on the Sept. 11 attacks and the losses in the GCIU family, GCIU Pres. George Tedeschi noted that many expressions of sympathy and support had come through his office for those affected in Washington and New York, including contributions from Canadian GCIUers who wanted to help in whatever way they could.

"The GCIU and the rest of the labor movement have always preached solidarity and sticking up for one another," Tedeschi said. "Now is the time to renew our solidarity to fight against the hatred and terrorism that take innocent lives."

The International has contributed to the AFL-CIO relief effort and is directing any checks sent in by locals to the proper agencies, he added.

New York GCIU losses

New York 1L member Carlos Santos, lost his mother Carmen Millie Gonzalez. She was working on the 93rd floor of a trade tower building in lower Manhattan when terrorists piloted their hijacked passenger-aircraft into the twin towers.

Louis Curioli, another 1L member, lost his brother Paul, 48, who was on a business visit to the trade towers complex.

New York 2N member Eddie Stackpole lost his son Timothy, a 42-year-old New York City Fire Department captain and father of five. Timothy died in the collapse of the World Trade Towers while directing firemen during the early rescue effort.

About 400 other police and firemen died when the twin towers collapsed on the rescuers as they were trying to save those trapped in the buildings.

Ironically, Capt. Stackpole refused offered retirement after he suffered severe burns from fighting a 1998 fire that killed two of his fellow firefighters.

Another 2N member, Peter Fegan, who retired only Jan. 1, 2001, lost his son Sean, who was employed in a financial industry firm in the World Trade Towers complex.

According to Local 2N Secy.-Treas. Roger Carbo, Sean had also worked as a casual worker in the GCIU pressroom of the New York Daily News in the past and continued to do so on days off.

Pentagon GCIU losses

Herman Halmon, a 28-year member of Washington 713S, lost his wife Carolyn, 49. She was working at her job as a budget analyst for the U.S. Army in the Pentagon building when terrorists crashed American Airlines flight 77 into the United States' military command center. A whole section of the headquarters building in Arlington County, Va., just across the Potomac River from the Capitol building, was demolished.

Another Pentagon casualty was Scott Powell, 35, the brother of Newsday sports columnist Shaun Powell, a member of Nassau County 406C.

Shaun wrote a tribute to his younger brother in Newsday. Apparently Scott, a computer technician at the Pentagon, was at his desk when the aircraft slammed into the building. A coworker saw him near his desk before smoke and debris filled the area. Scott was not seen again.

He leaves three children, aged 10, 7, and 5, who live in Silver Spring, Md.