When planes flew into the World Trade Center, Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania 24 years ago, the nation was filled with emotion — awash in shock and fury, followed by an outpouring of patriotism.

Former Marine Cpl. Garret Gold, who now lives in Fountain, was in boot camp on 9/11. He had just finished shooting his M-16 from the 500-yard line when a captain called the recruits over to tell them the news.

In that moment Gold said he was filled with fury over the attacks and he poured that anger and sadness into his training.

"After that day, every time I sighted in down range, every time I squeezed the trigger, I was picturing that round going into bin Laden," he said. The founder of the terrorist group Al Queda, Osama bin Laden was killed by Navy SEALs in 2011.

Air Force veteran and

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