Katy and Fulshear residents can mark the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks at two local events on Friday, Sept. 11, according to My Neighborhood News.
In Katy, American Legion Jonathan D. Rozier Post 164 will host a Patriot Day observance from 5 to 8 p.m. at 22125 Kingsland Blvd. In the Fulshear area, the Fulshear Regional Chamber of Commerce is running its Red, White and Boom! Chamber Classic Clay Shoot from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at American Shooting Centers, 16500 Westheimer Pkwy. in Houston. All raffle proceeds from the clay shoot will go to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF), which supports families of firefighters killed in the line of duty.
The Katy post carries a name with deep local roots. It honors 1st Lt. Jonathan D. Rozier, a Katy resident who was killed in Baghdad on July 19, 2003, at age 25. Rozier, a Dallas native who moved to Katy with his family in 1991, graduated from Texas A&M University in 2001 with a degree in economics, according to Military Times. He was assigned to Company B, 2nd Battalion, 70th Armor Regiment, 1st Armored Division, deployed from Fort Riley, Kansas.
Rozier died three days after his 25th birthday when his unit came under attack by rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire outside a municipal building in Baghdad. He had earned a Bronze Star for valor during the battle of Al Hillah on March 31, 2003, when he positioned his platoon's tanks between foot soldiers and enemy fire. His was one of only 15 Bronze Stars out of 4,000 awarded during Operation Iraqi Freedom given for valor. He also received the Purple Heart.
He is survived by his wife, Jessica, and their son, Justin, who was 9 months old at the time of his death. Rozier was buried at Houston National Cemetery.
"There were no limits to his aspirations," his father, David Rozier of Katy, told the Associated Press after his son's death in 2003. "He wanted to have a career in the military, clear through to retirement."
The American Legion post that bears his name traces its beginnings to an organizing meeting in June 2001, months before the Sept. 11 attacks. The Sept. 11 observance will bring veterans, first responders and community members together at the post.
The Fulshear Regional Chamber is presenting this year's clay shoot in recognition of the 25th anniversary. The sporting clays event includes competition, food, networking, raffles and prizes. The chamber said 100% of raffle proceeds will be donated to the NFFF, which works to honor fallen firefighters and support their families. Participants can register a team, sponsor the event or contribute a raffle item through the chamber's website.
The Sept. 11, 2001, attacks killed nearly 3,000 people after terrorists hijacked four commercial airplanes. The 9/11 Memorial & Museum estimates about 100 million Americans are too young to remember the attacks.
Upcoming events — Sept. 11
- Patriot Day observance: 5–8 p.m., American Legion Post 164, 22125 Kingsland Blvd., Katy. Contact: 713-446-7642 or [email protected].
- Red, White and Boom! Clay Shoot: 8 a.m.–3 p.m., American Shooting Centers, 16500 Westheimer Pkwy., Houston. Benefits the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. Info: fulshearregional.com.
