Periodically, columnist Jim Stingl hits the streets of Milwaukee. To see his latest video columns, click the thumbnails below. Wisconsinites remember Video Interactive Forum. Photos, video, archive coverage and more. The motorcade made a brief stop at Milwaukee Fire Department headquarters downtown and then headed to the Milwaukee County War Memorial Center, where the 1,pound rusted artifact will be the centerpiece of a year anniversary memorial service at a.
Mangled pieces of steel like this one have come to symbolize America's loss in the Sept. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has been giving away beams and other artifacts from the twin towers to cities, towns, colleges and fire departments across the country. A few other Wisconsin communities have received objects to display.
It's impossible to know which tower this particular piece came from, or from which floor. But you can't help but wonder. The beam, designated by the Port Authority as Ha, has concrete and rebar still attached. Gary Grunau, a member of the War Memorial board of trustees, suggested in they should apply for a piece of steel from the towers. It wasn't until earlier this year that the request was granted, according to War Memorial Executive Director Dave Drent, who filed the paperwork.
After attempts to hire a truck fell through, board member and Vietnam veteran Joe Campbell volunteered to drive his own truck to New York and pick up the artifact from a hangar at Kennedy International Airport. Running on mostly adrenaline and patriotism, the two left Milwaukee on Tuesday afternoon and drove straight to New York, arriving to pick up the precious cargo Wednesday morning.
Then, after a stop at ground zero and a firehouse nearby, they turned around and drove back to Wisconsin. Campbell said they didn't want to chance leaving the truck parked outside a hotel, so the only sleep they got was in roadside stops. Several times, people asked them, "Hey, is that steel?
