When Navy Commander Dan Shanower lost his life at the Pentagon 25 years ago during the September 11th attacks, the tragic impact hit close to home for Naperville.
“For a day or two, there was hope that he would emerge, but eventually his body was found,” said longtime Naperville resident Charles Johanns, and friend of the Shanower family.
Naperville community rallies to remember
A grieving community rallied to honor the Naperville native and the nearly 3,000 victims from that day. Johanns co-chaired a commission to create a memorial alongside then-Mayor George Pradel.
“My wife thought, ‘Maybe a plaque and a flagpole.’ But it really snowballed,” said Johanns.
Two years and nearly $300,000 in donations later, the city of Naperville had an official dedication ceremony for the Commander Dan Shanower Memorial, one of the nation’s first major 9/11 monuments.
“This place represents pain, but also triumph and celebration,” said Commander Shanower’s mother, Pat, during the 2003 dedication. “Today is a celebration of things our son believed in, first of all freedom, for we celebrate the building of a memorial designed by free people.”
“As we stand here today in view of this beautiful memorial, it should be noted that the true memorial resides in the hearts and souls of each and every one of us,” said Joe Dittmer, a World Trade Center Tower 2 survivor, who also attended the dedication.
Physical pieces of history
The commemorative site in Naperville brings together three physical pieces of history: granite from Pennsylvania, where Flight 93 went down, rubble from the Pentagon, and a twisted World Trade Center steel beam brought back from New York by local firefighters.
“This is something that people can touch and see and understand when they see the twist in this beam and the way it’s broken off, some of the violence of what happened,” said Johanns.
Sculpted into the work are an outline of Commander Shanower’s boot print, insignias of New York area rescue workers and the number 93 in memory of the Flight 93 Pennsylvania crash victims. The centerpiece was designed by artist Bill Cooper of Benton Harbor, Michigan.
“It’s just something for everybody to remember. It’s part of our history,” said Chuck Wehrli. “That’s our pride for the United States and the people that died.”
Wehrli is a former Naperville Fire Department captain who took part in the search and rescue at ground zero.
“My time down there was very overwhelming but the next day, when all the flags were out, September 12 was a better day,” said Wehrli. “Everybody was supporting the United States.”
A “Wall of Faces” created by local schoolchildren’s artwork symbolizes the casualties and serves as a backdrop to the memorial, complete with an eternal flame.
Keeping the promise to never forget September 11
For a quarter-century, hundreds have continued to gather there every September 11 for a Remembrance Ceremony, marked by the tolling of the fire bell and tributes from veterans and first responders.
Inspired by their stories and a veteran firefighter himself, Marty Walker has led the annual event since 2010 and has no plans to stop.
“We all took an oath to never forget. Here in Naperville, this is alive and well in a lot of people’s hearts and minds,” said Walker. “As far as I’m concerned, I want to keep this going as long as possible.”
25 years after the attacks in New York, the Naperville monument remains a permanent fixture on the Riverwalk and a daily reminder of ultimate sacrifice, local pride, and national resilience.
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