05/18/07 Ground zero salute

Many ceremonies and remembrances have been held at Ground Zero, but this one is especially moving to me. I'm Jeff Keane; I'll be right back to relate it to you. September 11, 2001 one sadly gave us that hallowed piece of our country known as Ground Zero. I can still remember a tough New Yorker talking to a TV camera, saying "go get whoever did this, we'll take care of what needs to be done here." He then turned and headed to help wherever he could. Ceremonies and memorials have since paid respect to those killed on that fateful day, but the one I just read about has to be the most fitting to me. An article in America's Horse by Kimberly French relates the details. In September 2006, a mounted police competition was held in Morristown, New Jersey. At the end of the competition a tour was held at the site of the World Trade Center. These officers weren't bused to the site, they hauled their horses in a convoy to upper Manhattan. New York City police actually stopped traffic on the highway into the city, curtained operation of the Holland Tunnel and blocked city side streets for the convoy. One hundred twenty four horses were then ridden to Ground Zero. That would be 496 steel-shod horse hooves ringing their unique rhythm on route to a very special place. At Ground Zero, the riders formed two lines facing the memorial. For thirty minutes, not one horse miscued or moved. Somewhere down deep in me something says this silent 124-horse mounted police tribute is the ultimate salute. I'm Jeff Keane.