Sunday, September 11, 2011

The Pentagon 9/11 Memorial

I love Washington DC. Being a history nut, I always enjoy visiting historical sites and monuments. But on my last trip, there was one memorial I wish wasn't needed at all: The Pentagon Memorial honoring the 184 people who lost their lives on 9/11.

We finally got to see it last October. It was our last day of our trip and it was raining pretty heavily. But I didn't even consider skipping it. It's something we needed to see.

It's surprisingly tranquil there considering that it's set against the epicenter of our nation's military. And even though there are roads and freeways nearby, you don't seem to hear anything else other than your feet walking on the gravel.

Each bench represents one of the victims. If the bench is facing towards the Pentagon, it represents one of the victims on the plane. If the bench faces outward from the Pentagon, it represents one of the victims on the ground.

I think the saddest benches were those dedicated to Zoe and Dana Falkenberg, ages 9 and 3 respectively. The Falkenberg sisters were among the youngest of the victims, having been on the plane with their mom and dad.

May all the victims rest in peace.

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