We like to think of ourselves as the defenders of freedom.

In the wake of the destruction of the World Trade Center many Americans have asked why these terrorists hate the United States and why they don't believe that we are resolved to defend our own people. The men and women who defend the United States, here and abroad, need our unconditional support. They need to know that we are with them today and that we will not abandon them when the going gets tough. If you want to make a difference, seek out someone who is going in harm's way - they're not hard to find these days. Tell them that you are proud of the job that they are doing. Give them your steadfast support on each and every day as if your freedom itself depends upon it - because it does.

CONFIRMED DEAD: World Trade Center

— Godwin Ajala, 33

— Gary Albero, 39, Emerson, N.J., Aon Corp.

— Eric Allen, 41, firefighter, New York Fire Department

Telmo Alvear, 25

— James Amato, 43, Ronkonkoma, N.Y., firefighter, New York Fire Department

— Joseph Angelini Sr., 63, Lindenhurst, N.Y., firefighter, New York Fire Department

— Louis Arena, 32, firefighter, New York Fire Department

— Adam Arias, 37

— Michael Asciak, 47, Ridgefield, N.J.

— Ezra Aviles, Commack, N.Y., Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

— Evan Baron, 38

— Alvin Bergsohn, 48, Baldwin Harbor, N.Y., Cantor Fitzgerald

— David S. Berry, 43, New York, N.Y., chief of research, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods

— William Biggart, 54

— John P. Bocchi, 38, New Vernon, N.J., managing director of interest rate options, Cantor Fitzgerald

— Gennady Boyarsky, 45

— Pamela Boyce, 43, New York, N.Y., assistant vice president of accounting, Carr Futures

— Alfred Braca, 54, Leonardo, N.J., bond broker for eSpeed, Cantor Fitzgerald

— Capt. Daniel Brethel, 40, firefighter, New York Fire Department

— Jonathan Briley, 43

— Keith Broomfield, 49

— Andrew Brunn, 28, firefighter, New York Fire Department

— Dennis Buckley, 38, Chatham, N.J., bond broker, Cantor Fitzgerald

— Stephen Bunin, 45

— Milton Bustillo, 37, Colombian

— Vincent Cangelosi, 30

— Michael Canty, 40

— Peter Carroll, 35, firefighter, New York Fire Department

— Paul Cascio, 23, Manhasset, N.Y.

— Swede Joseph Chevalier, 26, Middletown, N.J., equities trader, Cantor Fitzgerald

Wai Chung, 36

— Stephen J. Colaio, 32, Montauk, N.Y., senior managing director, Cantor Fitzgerald

— Thomas Collins, 36, Sandler O'Neill & Partners

Denease Conley, 43

— Kevin M. Cosgrove, 46, West Islip, N.Y., claims vice president, Aon Corp.

— Martin Coughlan, 54

— Timothy John Coughlin, 42, New York, N.Y., senior managing director, Cantor Fitzgerald

— Christopher S. Cramer, 34, Manahawkin, N.J., assistant vice president of tax department, Fiduciary Trust International

— John Crisci, 48

— Dennis Cross, 60, Islip Terrace, N.Y., firefighter, New York Fire Department

— Robert Cruikshank, 64, executive vice president, Carr Futures

— Joyce Cummings, 65

— Robert Curatolo, 31, firefighter, New York Fire Department

— Jack L. D'Ambrosi Jr., 45, Woodcliff Lake, N.J., vice president of operations, Cantor Fitzgerald

Clinton Davis, 38

— Lt. Andrew Desperito, 44, Patchogue, N.Y., firefighter, New York Fire Department

— Capt. Martin Egan Jr., 36, New York, N.Y., firefighter, New York Fire Department

— William F. Fallon Jr., 53, Rocky Hill, N.J., general manager of strategic analysis and industry relations, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

— William Feehan, 72, first deputy commissioner, New York Fire Department

— George Ferguson, 54, Teaneck, N.J.

— Henry Fernandez

— Julio Fernandez, 52

— Louis V. Fersini Jr., 39, Basking Ridge, N.J., bond trader, Cantor Fitzgerald

— Stephen J. Fiorelli, 43, Aberdeen, N.J., civil engineer, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

— John Fiorito, 40, Cantor Fitzgerald

— Carl Flickinger, 38

— David Fodor, 38, Garrison, N.Y., accountant and volunteer fire marshal, Fiduciary Trust International

— Thomas Foley, 32, West Nyack, N.Y., firefighter, New York Fire Department

— Jeffrey L. Fox, 40, Cranbury, N.J.

— Pauline Francis

— Peter J. Ganci Jr., 55, North Massapequa, N.Y., chief of department, New York Fire Department

— Robert J. Gerlich, 56, Monroe, Conn.

— Evan Gillette, 40, Sandler O'Neill & Partners

— Steven Lawrence Glick, 42, Greenwich, Conn., Credit Suisse First Boston

— Rosa J. Gonzalez, 32, Jersey City, N.J.

— Jose Guadalupe, 37, firefighter, New York Fire Department

— Geoffrey E. Guja, 54, Lindenhurst, N.Y., firefighter, New York Fire Department

— David Halderman, 40, firefighter, New York Fire Department

— Sean Hanley, 35, firefighter, New York Fire Department

— Thomas Hannafin, firefighter, New York Fire Department

— Melissa Harrington, 31

— Timothy Haskell, 34, Seaford, N.Y., firefighter, New York Fire Department

— Brian Hennessey, 35, Ringoes, N.J.

— William Henry, 49, firefighter, New York Fire Department

Nuberto Hernandez, 42

— Neal Hinds, 28

— Patrick Aloysius Hoey, 53, Middletown, N.J., executive manager of tunnels, bridges and terminals, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

— Joseph Hoffman, 43

— John Holland, 30

— Joseph Francis Holland III, 32, Glen Rock, N.J., trader, Cantor Fitzgerald

— Thomas Holohan, 36, firefighter, New York Fire Department

Uhuru Houston, 32

— George Howard, 45, Hicksville, N.Y., police officer, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

— Thomas Hughes, 46

— Robert Hussa, 51

— Capt. Walter Hynes, 46, firefighter, New York Fire Department

— William Iselepis Jr., 33

— John Iskyan, 41, Wilton, Conn., financial analyst, Cantor Fitzgerald

— Aaron Jacobs, 27, Cantor Fitzgerald

Hweidar Jian, 42, East Brunswick, N.J.

— The Rev. Mychal Judge, 68, New York, N.Y., fire chaplain, New York Fire Department

— Andrew Kates, 37, New York, N.Y., senior managing director, Cantor Fitzgerald

— John Keohane, 41, Jersey City, N.J.

— Victor Kwarkye, 35

— Eugene Lazar, 27

— Neil Leavy, 34, New York City, N.Y., firefighter, New York Fire Department

— Richard Y.C. Lee, 34, Great Neck, N.Y., managing director of equities, Cantor Fitzgerald

— Joseph Livera, 67

— Michael Lynch, 30

— Joseph Maggitti, 47

— Joseph Maloney, 46, Farmingville, N.Y., firefighter, New York Fire Department

— Edward Martinez, 60

— Joseph Mathai, 49, Arlington, Mass., managing partner, Cambridge Technology Partners

— Walter Matuza, 39, New York, N.Y., analyst, Carr Futures

Kaaria Mbaya, 39, Nairobi, Kenya, senior computer analyst, Cantor Fitzgerald

— Brendan McCabe, 40

— Michael McCabe, 42, Rumson, N.J., Cantor Fitzgerald

— Michael Desmond McCarthy, 33, Huntington, N.Y., trader, Carr Futures

— Robert Garvin McCarthy, 33, Stony Point, N.Y., trader, Cantor Fitzgerald

— Michael McDonnell, 34, Red Bank, N.J., accounting manager, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods

— John F. McDowell Jr., 33, New York, N.Y., vice president in equities, Sandler O'Neill & Partners

— William J. McGovern, 49, Smithtown, N.Y., firefighter, New York Fire Department

— Patrick J. McGuire, 40, Madison, N.J., Euro Brokers Inc.

— Keith McHeffey, 31, Monmouth Beach, N.J., equities trader, Cantor Fitzgerald

— Robert G. McIlvaine, 26, New York, N.Y., assistant vice president of media relations, Merrill Lynch & Co. Inc.

— Daniel McNeal, 29, analyst, Sandler O'Neill & Partners

— Martin McWilliams, 35, firefighter, New York Fire Department

Yamel Merino, 24, Yonkers, N.Y., emergency medical technician

Domenick Mircovich, 40, Closter, N.J.

— Lt. Dennis Mojica, firefighter, New York Fire Department

— Manuel Mojica, 37, Bellmore, N.Y., firefighter, New York Fire Department

— Justin Molisani, 42

— Brian Patrick Monaghan, 21, New York, N.Y.

— Carlos Mario Munoz, 43, Windows on the World, Colombian

— Patrick O'Keefe, 44, Oakdale, N.Y., New York Fire Department

— Capt. William O'Keefe, 49, firefighter, New York Fire Department

— Gerald O'Leary, 34

— John P. O'Neill, 50, director of security, World Trade Center

— Kevin O'Rourke, 44, firefighter, New York Fire Department

— Timothy O'Sullivan, 68, Albrightsville, Pa., financial consultant, Cultural Institution of Retirement Systems

— Emmett Parks, 47

— Robert E. Parks Jr., 47, Middletown, N.J., bond broker, Cantor Fitzgerald

— Michael Pascuma, 50

— Manuel Patrocino, 34, Windows on the World

— Mark Petrocelli, 29, New York, N.Y., commodities broker, Carr Futures

— Dominick Pezzulo, 36, New York, N.Y., police officer, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

— Matthew Picerno, 44

— Anthony Portillo, Washington Group International

— Richard Prunty, 57, Sayville, N.Y., battalion chief, New York Fire Department

— John Puckett, 47

— Maria Isabel Ramirez, 25, New York, N.Y., executive secretary, Lanagan Engineering and Environmental Services

— David Rice, 31, New York, N.Y., investment banker, Sandler O'Neill & Partners

— Michael Richards, 38

— Paul Rizza, 34, Park Ridge, N.J., investors services officer, Fiduciary Trust International

— Antonio Augusto Rocha, 34, East Hanover, N.J., bond broker, Cantor Fitzgerald

— John M. Rodak, 39, Sewell, N.J., Sandler O'Neill & Partners

— Scott Rohner, 22, Cantor Fitzgerald

— Daniel Rossetti, 32, Bloomfield, N.J., carpenter, Certified Installation Services

— Nick Rowe, 29, Hoboken, N.J., UME Voice

— Gilbert Ruiz, 45

— Scott Saber, 38

— Hernando Salas, Colombian

— Eric Sand, 36, Cantor Fitzgerald

— Herman Sandler, 57, chief executive, Sandler O'Neill & Partners

— John Santore, 49, New York, N.Y., firefighter, New York Fire Department

— Jackie Sayegh, 34

— Gerard Schrang, 45

— Mark Schwartz, 50

Hagay Shefi, 34, Israel

— David Silver, 35, Cantor Fitzgerald

— Frank J. Spinelli, 44, Short Hills, N.J., Cantor Fitzgerald

— Capt. Timothy Stackpole, 42, New York, N.Y., firefighter, New York Fire Department

Corina Stan, 31, Cantor Fitzgerald

— Andrew Stern, 45, Cantor Fitzgerald

— Daniel Suhr, 37, Neponsit, N.Y., firefighter, New York Fire Department

— Joann Tabeek, 41

— Michael Taddonio, 39, Huntington, N.Y., bond broker, Euro Brokers Inc.

— John J. Tobin, 47, Kenilworth, N.J., senior vice president, Marsh & McLennan Companies Inc.

— Doris Torres, 32

— Luis Torres, 31, Colombian

— Jon C. Vandevander, 44, Ridgewood, N.J.

— Christopher Vialonga, 30, Demerest, N.J., foreign currency trader, Carr Futures

— Melissa Vincent, 28, N.J.

— Lawrence Virgilio, firefighter, New York Fire Department

— Gabriela Waisman, 33

Weibin Wang, 41

— Lt. Michael Warchola, 51, Middle Village, N.Y., firefighter, New York Fire Department

— Michael Weinberg, 34, firefighter, New York Fire Department

— Simon Weiser, 65

— William J. Wik, 44, Crestwood, N.Y., Aon Corp.

— Lt. Glenn Wilkinson, 46, firefighter, New York Fire Department

— Lt. John Williamson, 46, battalion commander, New York Fire Department

— Martin P. Wohlforth, 47, Greenwich, Conn., managing director, Sandler O'Neill & Partners

— Patrick Woods, 36

— Jupiter Yambem, 41, Beacon, N.Y., banquet manager, Windows on the World

— Raymond York, 45, firefighter, New York Fire Department

— Elkin Yuen, 32

— Joseph Zaccoli, 39, Valley Stream, N.Y., broker, Cantor Fitzgerald

CONFIRMED DEAD: Pentagon

Spc. Craig Amundson, 28, Kan., U.S. Army

— Melissa Rose Barnes, 27, Redlands, Calif., yeoman second class, U.S. Navy

— Kris Romeo Bishundat, 23, Waldorf, Md., information systems technician second class, U.S. Navy

— Lt. Col. Canfield D. Boone, 54, Ind., U.S. Army

— Christopher Lee Burford, 23, Hubert, N.C., electronics technician third class, U.S. Navy

— Sharon Carver, 38, Md., civilian employee, U.S. Army

— Rosa Maria (Rosemary) Chapa, Springfield, Va.

— Lt. Cmdr. Eric Allen Cranford, 32, Drexel, N.C., U.S. Navy

— Capt. Gerald Francis Deconto, 44, Sandwich, Mass., U.S. Navy

— Lt. Col. Jerry D. Dickerson, 41, Miss., U.S. Army

— Capt. Robert Edward Dolan, 43, Florham Park, N.J., head of strategy and concepts branch, U.S. Navy

— Cmdr. William Howard Donovan Jr., 37, Nunda, N.Y., U.S. Navy

— Cmdr. Patrick Dunn, 39, Fords, N.J., U.S. Navy

— Edward Thomas Earhart, 26, Salt Lick, Ky., aerographer's mate first class, U.S. Navy

— Lt. Cmdr. Robert Randolph Elseth, 37, Vestal, N.Y., U.S. Navy

— Jamie Lynn Fallon, 23, Woodbridge, Va., storekeeper third class, U.S. Navy

— Amelia V. Fields, 36, Dumfries, Va., civilian employee, U.S. Army

— Matthew Michael Flocco, 21, Newark, Del., aerographer's mate second class, U.S. Navy

— Sandra N. Foster, 41, Clinton, Md.

Cortz Ghee, 54, Reisterstown, Md., civilian employee, U.S. Army

— Diane M. Hale-McKinzy, 38, Alexandria, Va., civilian employee, U.S. Army

— Maj. Wallace Cole Hogan Jr., 40, Fla., U.S. Army

— Angela Houtz, 27, La Plata, Md., civilian employee, U.S. Navy

— Brady Howell, 26, Arlington, Va., civilian employee, U.S. Navy

Peggie Hurt, 36, Crewe, Va., civilian employee, U.S. Army

— Lt. Col. Stephen Neil Hyland Jr., 45, Calif., U.S. Army

— Robert J. Hymel, Woodbridge, Va.

— Sgt. Maj. Lacey B. Ivory, 43, Woodbridge, Va., U.S. Army

— Lt. Col. Dennis M. Johnson, 48, Wis., U.S. Army

— Judith Jones, 53, Woodbridge, Va., civilian employee, U.S. Navy

— Lt. Michael Scott Lamana, 31, Baton Rouge, La., U.S. Navy

— David W. Laychak, 40, Manassas, Va., civilian employee, U.S. Army

— Maj. Steve Long, 39, Ga., U.S. Army

Nehamon Lyons IV, 30, Mobile, Ala., operations specialist second class, U.S. Navy

— Shelley A. Marshall, 37, Marbury, Md., budget analyst, Defense Intelligence Agency

— Teresa Martin, 45, Stafford, Va., civilian employee, U.S. Army

Ada L. Mason, 50, Springfield, Va., civilian employee, U.S. Army

— Lt. Col. Dean E. Mattson, 57, Calif., U.S. Army

— Lt. Gen. Timothy Maude, 53, Fort Myer, Va., deputy chief of staff for personnel, U.S. Army

— Robert J. Maxwell, 53, Manassas, Va., civilian employee, U.S. Army

— Patricia E. (Patti) Mickley, Springfield, Va.

— Maj. Ronald D. Milam, 33, Md., assistant to the Secretary, U.S. Army

— Odessa V. Morris, 54, Upper Marlboro, Md., budget analyst, U.S. Army

— Brian Anthony Moss, 34, Sperry, Okla., electronics technician second class, U.S. Navy

— Ted Moy, 48, Silver Spring, Md., civilian employee, U.S. Army

— Lt. Cmdr. Patrick Jude Murphy, 38, Flossmoor, Ill., U.S. Navy

— Michael Allen Noeth, 30, New York, N.Y., illustrator/draftsman second class, U.S. Navy

— Diana B. Padro, 55, Woodbridge, Va., civilian employee, U.S. Army

— Lt. Jonas Martin Panik, 26, Mingoville, Pa., U.S. Navy

— Maj. Clifford L. Patterson Jr., 33, Alexandria, Va., U.S. Army

— Lt. J.G. Darin Howard Pontell, 26, Columbia, Md., U.S. Navy

— Scott Powell, 35, Silver Spring, Md., BTG Inc.

— (Retired) Capt. Jack Punches, 51, Clifton, Va., civilian employee, U.S. Navy

— Joseph John Pycior Jr., 39, Carlstadt, N.J., aviation warfare systems operator first class, U.S. Navy

— Deborah Ramsaur, 45, Annandale, Va., civilian employee, U.S. Army

— Edward V. Rowenhorst, 32, Fredericksburg, Va., civilian employee, U.S. Army

— Robert E. Russell, 52, Oxon Hill, Md., civilian budgetary supervisor, U.S. Army

— William R. Ruth, 57, Md., Chief Warrant Officer 4th Class, U.S. Army

— Charles E. Sabin, Burke, Va.

— Marjorie C. Salamone, 53, Springfield, Va., civilian employee, U.S. Army

— Lt. Col. David M. Scales, 45, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. Army

— Cmdr. Robert Allan Schlegel, 38, Gray, Maine, U.S. Navy

— Cmdr. Dan Frederic Shanower, 40, Naperville, Ill., U.S. Navy

— Antoinette Sherman, 35, Forest Heights, Md.

— Gregg Harold Smallwood, 44, Overland Park, Kan., chief information systems technician, U.S. Navy

— (Retired) Lt. Col. Gary F. Smith, 55, Alexandria, Va., civilian employee, U.S. Army

— Edna L. Stephens, 53, Washington, D.C., budget analyst, U.S. Army

— Maj. Kip P. Taylor, 38, McLean, Va., U.S. Army

— Karl W. Teepe, Centreville, Va.

— Lt. Cmdr. Otis Vincent Tolbert, 38, Lemoore, Calif., U.S. Navy

— Lt. Cmdr. Ronald James Vauk, 37, Nampa, Idaho, U.S. Navy

— Lt. Col. Karen Wagner, 40, Texas, U.S. Army

— Staff Sgt. Maudlyn A. White, 38, St. Croix, Virgin Islands, U.S. Army

— Sandra L. White, 44, Dumfries, Va., civilian employee, U.S. Army

— Lt. Cmdr. David Lucian Williams, 32, Newport, Ore., U.S. Navy

— Maj. Dwayne Williams, 40, Jacksonville, Ala., U.S. Army

— Kevin Wayne Yokum, 27, Lake Charles, La., information systems technician second class, U.S. Navy

— Donald McArthur Young, 41, Roanoke, Va., chief information systems technician, U.S. Navy