10th Anniversary Observance
This month marks the 10th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States. In the attacks, hijackers commandeered four jet airliners, crashing two into New York’s World Trade Center and the third into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. The fourth crashed in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania after passengers attempted to retake control of the plane.
Commemorating the 10th anniversary of the attack on the World Trade Center, the National September 11 Memorial opens with visitors and dignitaries gathering to observe the date in a special ceremony. Among those in New York during the weekend will likely be hundreds of San Diego State alumni traveling east for the Aztecs’ September 10 football game versus Army at West Point. Although they may not know it from the information provided at the National Memorial or any other observance on that date, at least three of the 2,977 victims of the September 11 attacks were Aztec alumni.
Gerald Hardacre ('60) was a retired environmental affairs director with General Dynamics. |
Gerald F. Hardacre (’60), 1940 - 2001
Gerald Francis (Gerry) Hardacre, 61, of Carlsbad, died in the attacks on the World Trade Center. He was a passenger aboard United Airlines Flight 175 out of Boston heading for Los Angeles, the hijacked plane flown into the south tower.
Hardacre graduated from San Diego State’s College of Sciences in 1960 with a degree in chemistry. A retired environmental affairs director with General Dynamics in San Diego, he was a founding member of the San Diego Industrial Environmental Association and belonged to the Aztecs Parents Association. His daughter, Kristen, received her bachelor's and master's degrees as well as her teaching credential from SDSU.
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Timothy Ward ('87) was a projects manager and systems administrator for Rubio's Baja Grill. |
Timothy R. Ward (’87), 1963 - 2001
Timothy Ray Ward, 38, of San Diego was also on Flight 175, the second hijacked plane to hit the World Trade Center towers.
Ward graduated from SDSU in 1987 with a degree in computer science. He spent his career with Rubio’s Baja Grill, beginning as manger of the College Avenue location and advancing to the position of projects manager and systems administrator. A lifetime member of the SDSU Alumni Association, Ward participated in many alumni functions and worked as a volunteer for the university.
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Renee May ('87) was an American Airlines flight attendant. |
Renee A. May (’87), 1962 - 2001
Renee Ann May, 39, of Baltimore, Maryland was a flight attendant aboard American Airlines Flight 77 out of Dulles Airport bound for Los Angeles, the plane that crashed into the Pentagon. On 9/11 she called her parents in Las Vegas from the plane to say that hijackers had taken control, instructing her mother to contact authorities.
May graduated from SDSU in 1987 with an English degree from the College of Arts and Letters. She became a flight attendant to explore the world and her love of art led her to become a docent at the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore where she gave tours to school children. Her name will be included in the 9/11 Memorial of Maryland which is currently seeking donations to fund a tribute to that state’s residents who perished in the attacks. |