The Pentagon

While down in D.C. we also stopped over at the Pentagon to view the memorial built in honor of the 9/11 attacks. It is an outdoor memorial for the 184 people killed in the Pentagon and on Flight 77, not including terrorist.

The amount of detail and thought that went into this memorial is really amazing. To honor the 184 victims, 184 illuminated benches have been arranged according to the victim's ages, starting with Dana Falkenberg, 3, to John Yamnicky Sr., 71. Each bench is engraved with the name of a victim. The benches representing the victims that were inside the Pentagon are arranged so those reading the names will face the Pentagon's south facade, where the plane hit; benches dedicated to victims aboard the plane are arranged so that those reading the engraved name will be facing skyward along the path the plane traveled.[8] About 85 paperbark maple trees are planted on the memorial grounds.[9]

Also just across the road from the Pentagon is Arlington National Cemetery (Section 64). All service members or retirees that were killed in the 9/11 attack at the Pentagon are buried there. Section 64 not only overlooks the Pentagon Building but also the Memorial.

It was really a beautiful day to walk around these memorial benches and reflect on the loss that was suffered that day.