Pentagon Memorial facts for kids
The Pentagon Memorial is a special outdoor place near The Pentagon building in Arlington County, Virginia. It was built to remember the 184 people who lost their lives during the September 11 attacks on September 11, 2001. These people were either inside the Pentagon building or on American Airlines Flight 77, which crashed into the building.
The memorial was designed by Julie Beckman and Keith Kaseman. It officially opened on September 11, 2008, exactly seven years after the attacks.
Contents
Remembering the Victims: Early Memorials
Right after the 9/11 attacks, people created a temporary memorial on a hill near the Pentagon. Many came to show their respect and leave tributes. About a month later, 25,000 people attended a special service at the Pentagon. Important leaders like President George W. Bush and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld spoke there. President Bush promised that the damaged part of the building would be rebuilt quickly. During the service, the American flag that was flying near the damaged area was lowered.
Victims of Terrorist Attack on the Pentagon Memorial
On September 12, 2002, a year after the attacks, another memorial was dedicated at Arlington National Cemetery. This memorial is a five-sided granite marker, about 4.5 feet (1.4 meters) tall. It honors five people whose bodies were never found. Parts of the remains of 25 other victims are also buried there. The memorial has aluminum plaques with the names of all 184 victims.
America's Heroes Memorial Inside the Pentagon
After the Pentagon repairs were finished, the America's Heroes Memorial and a chapel opened in September 2002. These are located right where American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the building.
This indoor memorial includes a book with photos and stories of the victims. It also has five large black panels. One panel shows the Purple Heart medal given to military members who died. Another shows a medal for civilians. Two panels have the victims' names etched into them, and a center panel displays tribute messages. A small chapel next door has stained glass windows with patriotic designs.
Designing and Building the Memorial
The Pentagon Memorial was built based on a design by Julie Beckman and Keith Kaseman from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Their design was chosen after a big competition. Over 1,100 designs were submitted from all over the world!
Their winning design features 184 special benches that light up. These benches are arranged by the age of the victims, from the youngest, Dana Falkenberg (age 3), to the oldest, John Yamnicky Sr. (age 71). Each bench has a victim's name engraved on it.
The benches are placed in a meaningful way:
- Benches for victims inside the Pentagon face the building's south side, where the plane hit.
- Benches for victims on the plane face the sky, along the path the plane flew.
Under each bench, there is a shallow pool of flowing water that lights up. If more than one person from a family died, their family names are listed in the reflecting pool under the bench, and each person still has their own separate bench.
A wall around the memorial starts at 3 inches tall and rises to 71 inches tall. These heights represent the ages of the youngest and oldest victims. About 85 crepe myrtle trees are also planted on the memorial grounds.
Building the memorial cost a lot of money, and $13.8 million was raised through donations. For example, the government of Taiwan donated $1 million. Construction started on June 15, 2006.
Opening Day: Dedication Ceremony
The Pentagon Memorial was officially opened to the public on September 11, 2008. President George W. Bush spoke at the ceremony, calling the memorial "an everlasting tribute to the 184 souls who perished." More than 20,000 people attended the event, including many important leaders. The memorial opened to the public later that evening with a special music performance.
Visiting the Memorial
The Pentagon Memorial is open every day of the year. It is the only place on the Pentagon grounds where visitors are allowed to take photos.
By 2011, about 225,000 to 250,000 people visited the memorial each year.
Yearly Anniversary Events
Every year, to remember the anniversary of 9/11, an American flag is hung on the part of the Pentagon hit by Flight 77. At night, this section of the building is lit up with blue lights. For the fifth anniversary, 184 beams of light shone into the sky from the center courtyard.
Other events held around the anniversary include the America Supports You National Freedom Walk. This walk starts at the Lincoln Memorial and ends at the Pentagon. There is also a 5K race that goes through parts of Crystal City and the Pentagon grounds.
Special memorial services are also held at the Pentagon on September 11. One service is for employees inside the Pentagon, and a smaller service is held at the memorial site for the families and friends of the victims.
Gallery
-
Dedication ceremony marking the start of construction on the Pentagon Memorial
-
Pentagon lit up for 9/11 sixth anniversary
-
Temporary chapel created on Pentagon grounds one day after the attack
-
Pentagon chapel, established inside the building as part of reconstruction following the attack
-
Crowd at the dedication ceremony on September 11, 2008
-
Just outside the Pentagon Memorial wall and fence lies 9/11 Heroes Memorial Highway (Virginia State Route 27) commemorating those who responded
Images for kids
-
Rendering of the Pentagon Memorial
See also
In Spanish: Pentagon Memorial para niños
