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Pentagon opens for memorial tours
SEPT. 11:
If not for the military guides pointing to where the plane struck, few visitors would ever know. Only a few key reminders have been left in place
AP, WASHINGTON
Monday, Sep 11, 2006, Page 7
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Army Sergeant Matt Gordon, right, leads members of the public on a tour of the crash site at the Pentagon in Washington on Saturday.
PHOTO: AP
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More than 1,000 people from across the US and the globe took a tour of the Pentagon to honor the 184 people who perished when a hijacked jetliner slammed into the symbol of the US military, marking only the second time the site has been made available to the general public since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
Werner Gutermuth came from Germany to see the memorial.
"There's no difference in countries," he said. "No matter where it happens, it hurts."
The tour began outside the building, where American Airlines Flight 77 slammed into the side, and continued inside to a chapel and memorial. Reconstruction has made the impact point impossible to detect.
Ethan and Debbie Fleischman of Cincinnati, Ohio, made the memorial tour their first stop in Washington. While it lasted only about 15 minutes, they said they came away with lasting memories of the building and of the others who came to pay tribute.
"They didn't forget their country," Ethan said, nodding toward the crowd. "It really touches the heart."
If not for the military guides pointing to where the plane struck, few visitors would have known exactly where it hit. The rebuilt wall includes just a couple of vivid reminders of that day. The first is a stone charred by burning jet fuel that reads "September 11, 2001."
About 15m to the left of the stone, between the second and third floors, is where the hijacked jet struck. Just to the right of the stone is a US flag that resembles the one that firefighters draped over the southwest wall during rescue efforts.
Inside the building is a simple memorial room and chapel. Black panels in the room contain the names of all who died in the attack. The words "America's Heroes" separate the panels.
The adjacent chapel contains stained-glass windows, and 184 rose chips encircling the flag, an eagle and the Pentagon. The rose chips represent each victim of the attack.
Just outside the building, a 0.8 hectare memorial park is under construction. The park will feature benches set over small reflecting pools commemorating the victims.
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