Contemplate this: a place where time stands still. This is the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial. It is a permanent tribute to the 184 lives lost. They perished at the Pentagon and on American Airlines Flight 77.
The Pentagon Memorial is located just southwest of the Pentagon. It sits in Arlington County, Virginia. The memorial is across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. It opened on September 11, 2008. This was seven years after the attacks.
Julie Beckman and Keith Kaseman designed this outdoor space. Their design firm was Kaseman Beckman Advanced Strategies. Engineers from Buro Happold helped. The memorial captures a moment in time. That moment is 9:37 a.m. on September 11, 2001. At that instant, 184 lives became forever linked. The age and location of each victim at the time is inscribed here.
The Pentagon Memorial has 184 illuminated benches. They are arranged by the victims’ ages. Dana Falkenberg was the youngest at age 3. John Yamnicky Sr. was the oldest at age 71. Each bench is engraved with a victim’s name. Each bench also has a shallow pool of flowing water beneath it.
The benches are arranged to honor where the victims were. Benches for those inside the Pentagon face the Pentagon’s south facade. This is where the plane hit. Benches for those on the plane face skyward. They point along the plane’s flight path.
If multiple family members died, their names are together. Family names are listed in the reflecting pool under the bench. Separate benches exist for each individual too. A wall borders the memorial. It starts at 3 inches high. It rises to 71 inches high. These heights represent the ages of the youngest and oldest victims. Around 85 crepe myrtle trees grow on the grounds.
The Pentagon Memorial is a place for reflection. It is open every day. It welcomes visitors year-round. It is the only place on the Pentagon grounds where the public can take photos.
Each year on the anniversary, a flag hangs on the damaged section of the Pentagon. Blue lights illuminate this section at night. The Pentagon Memorial serves as an everlasting tribute. It honors the 184 souls who perished. The memorial reminds us to reflect. It encourages us to renew faith in shared American values.