National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial

It’s the first national memorial to mark the horrific events of that tragic day — events that also claimed thousands of other lives around the United States. And it’s also dedicated to future generations to reflect upon and renew their faith in shared American values.

The Tragic Event

The events of Sept. 11, 2001, are forever etched into the hearts and minds of the family members and loved ones of those who died, of our nation and the world. The United States experienced the worst terrorism incident in its history: the coordinated hijacking of four commercial planes, the attack on symbolic targets and the tragic murder of innocent people. The 184 souls lost in the attack on the Pentagon were mothers, fathers, husbands, wives, children, brothers, sisters, coworkers, flight crew, friends and patriots.

The Design

Designed by architects Julie Beckman and Keith Kaseman, the Pentagon Memorial is a quiet place of reverence and remembrance. Their design was unanimously selected from more than 1,100 entries submitted from 65 countries. Natural elements like trees, stone and flowing water create a peaceful and welcoming environment for visitors.

Dedicated in 2008, the memorial captures that moment in time at 9:37 a.m. when 184 lives became intertwined forever. Visitors can explore the outdoor, two-acre memorial and pause for a moment of reflection, while planes fly off in the distance from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

Simple yet elegant, it serves as a timeline of the victims’ ages — spanning from the youngest victim, 3-year-old Dana Falkenberg, to the oldest, John D. Yamnicky, 71, a Navy veteran, both of whom were aboard American Airlines Flight 77 that morning. Each victim’s age and location at the time of the attack are inscribed into the memorial by the unique placement and direction of the 184 Memorial Units. Each unit commemorates the life of one victim, located on the age line according to the year the victim was born.

The age lines, represented by stainless steel strips that cross the memorial, begin at the zero line, which stretches from the Memorial Gateway to the entrance. Etched into the granite zero line is the date and time of the attack: “SEPTEMBER 11, 2001 9:37 A.M.”

Visitors to the memorial can look up a victim’s name and birth year on the locator stone within the Memorial Gateway. On age lines with multiple victims, the Memorial Units are organized by birth date along that line.

Memorial Units

Each Memorial Unit combines a cantilevered bench, a lighted pool of flowing water and a permanent tribute to each victim, by name, in one single element. The benches are fashioned of stainless steel and inlaid with smooth granite. In the evening, each pool of water reflects light onto the bench and surrounding gravel field, creating a dramatic effect.

The Memorial Units are thoughtfully and symbolically positioned. For example, they are placed to distinguish victims who were in the Pentagon from those who were on board American Airlines Flight 77. At the 125 Memorial Units honoring the victims of the Pentagon, you can see the victim’s name and the Pentagon in the same view. At the units honoring the 59 lives lost on Flight 77, you see the victim’s name and the direction of the plane’s approach in the same view. Victims from the same family are linked by a plaque at the end of the pool of water, which lists their family members who also died in the attack, forever binding the family together.

Pentagon Memorial with The Pentagon in the background

The Landscape

Beautifying the grounds are 85 crape myrtles, clustered around the Memorial Units. As they grow up to 30 feet, they will provide a canopy of shade for years to come.

The memorial’s stabilized gravel surface is bordered by an Age Wall, which grows one inch each year in height above the perimeter bench relative to the age lines. The wall gets higher as you move through the memorial, growing from 3 inches (the age of Dana Falkenberg) to 71 inches (the age of John D. Yamnicky). It also ensures solitude for visitors, while attracting the attention of drivers passing by on Washington Boulevard and cyclists on the adjacent Arlington County Bike Path. Ornamental grasses mark the memorial’s boundaries.

How to Visit

The memorial is accessible by walking from the Pentagon or Pentagon City Metro stops. To deepen the experience, you can listen to the 24-minute Pentagon Memorial Audio Tour that provides a sequential narrative of the events of Sept. 11, 2001 at the Pentagon, the history of the Pentagon, and insight into Pentagon Memorial's design.