John Vinson stands amid the West Sacramento 9/11 memorial at the corner of Jefferson Boulevard and Locks Drive. 

WEST SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) – John Vinson remembers the shock and sorrow he felt 25 years ago, when he and Americans across the nation were stunned by terror attacks in New York, Virginia and Pennsylvania. 

That afternoon, Vinson went to the O Street overpass over Interstate-5 during the afternoon rush hour and unfurled an American flag. 

“As I started waving the flag, there was a barrage of horn-blowing,” he said. “I knew then that this was something that was important to do.”

Since then, Vinson has made sure there has been a memorial in West Sacramento on Sept. 11. 

This year, thanks to the assistance of dozens of volunteers, he oversaw the placement of thousands of flags at the corner of Jefferson Boulevard and Locks Drive, to honor those killed a quarter century ago. Vinson and hundreds of others turned out to remember the 9/11 attacks, starting well before sunrise.

“I’m not going to let 9/11 be forgotten,” he said.

On Sept. 11, 2001, 19 Islamic terrorists hijacked four commercial jetliners and perpetrated suicide attacks against U.S. targets, killing nearly 3,000 in the deadliest act of terrorism in history.

Two of the planes were flown into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, which collapsed within a short time. Another plane was crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., while a fourth jet went down in a field near Shanksville, Pa., after passengers and crew fought back against the hijackers.

West Sacramento 9/11 memorial at the corner of Jefferson Boulevard and Locks Drive showing replica of World Trade Center towers and flags representing each person killed during the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.

Vinson, who funds the memorial out of his own pocket and through donations, said this will likely be the last year he oversees the memorial. Now 72, he’s ready to hand it off, likely to someone in his family.

“It takes a lot to keep this going, and the heat takes a toll on me,” he said, standing in 103-degree weather.

The display featured 2,977 small flags – one for each life stolen on 9/11. There were thousands of small American flags representing U.S. citizens, including hundreds of first responders who died. There were also hundreds of foreign flags, denoting foreign nationals who were killed, some from as far away as Uruguay, Uzbekistan and Zambia.

Vinson, who worked for decades in the construction industry before retiring, moved from West Sacramento south to Acampo several years ago, yet still made the 70-mile round-trip trek to set up and oversee the memorial.

“Somewhere along the way this became a calling,” he said. “I do this because I’m proud of America, and I want other people to be proud of America.”