Almost 300 members of the Marine Corps and the Coast Guard took part in the first event, a three-mile run around lower Manhattan followed by a wreath-laying ceremony beside the former World Trade Center site.
As they stood under a cloudless sky at the site of the terrorist strikes, the group let out a shout that reverberated across the 16-acre gap where the towers once stood.
"The Marine Corps like to be loud when they do this, it's a pride thing," explained Sgt. John Hoellwarth, 24, of Antioch, Calif. "They want New York City to hear them."
Thank you for your services!