September 11, 2001 was one of the most tragic&nbsp;days in American history, as terrorist attacks led to the death of over two thousand civilians. The attack on the Pentagon began when five terrorists boarded American Airlines
Flight 77 at Dulles International Airport.&nbsp; The flight was scheduled to travel to&nbsp;California, but
the five terrorists gained control of the aircraft and&nbsp;crashed it into the Pentagon killing 184
men, women, and children. This memorial honors those victims.&nbsp;

The contract to build and design the memorial was awarded to
Centex-Lee, LLC, initially, but then Balfour Beatty, PLC, gained ownership of
Centex-Lee, LLC.&nbsp; The construction of the
Pentagon Memorial began on June 5, 2006 and was completed by September 11,
2008.&nbsp; There lays 184 cantilevered bench,
each with the individual’s name engraved.&nbsp;
Beneath the benches is a stream of water that flows throughout the day,
and at night it illuminates.&nbsp; However, every
day the flow of water stops at 9:37 a.m. to remember the time the attack
occurred and to share a moment of silence with those who has lost their
lives.&nbsp; There are also 85 Crape Myrtle trees
to provide shade over the memorial. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Pentagon Memorial is the historic place
where visitors from all around the world come to pay tribute to the 184 victims
who lost their lives during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on the
Pentagon.&nbsp; Some of the victims were on
board the plane and some were workers or visitors to&nbsp;the Pentagon. The age of the victims&nbsp;range from as young as 3-years-old
to 70-years-old.

Flag pole w/ an inscription that reads, "We claim this ground in remembrance of the events of September 11, 2001. To honor the 184 people whose lives were lost, their families, and all who sacrifice that we may live in freedom. We will never forget."

Inscription on the memorial grounds that indicate the date and time of the attack on the Pentagon. Photo courtesy of Terry Hall


Picture at night displaying the illuminating pond that reflects light below each bench. Photo courtesy of Terry Hall


More Info

Primary Sources from Columbia University Libraries 

The National September 11th Pentagon Memorial is located on the southern side of the Pentagon and was constructed in remembrance of the 184 people who lost their lives in the terrorist attack on the Pentagon. The Pentagon Memorial was the first memorial of its kind to be completed and was dedicated on September 11, 2008. Since that time, many other memorials have been created throughout New York, the District of Columbia, and Pennsylvania. 

The National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial

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This tour includes historic sites throughout Arlington National Cemetery and the surrounding area that commemorate the history of the United States military.

Japan began to capture a number of islands throughout the Pacific in the early years of World War Two&nbsp;to maintain control of oil and other resources they needed. Each island served as a buffer against the United States so that they could build their fighting forces to a level that would match the United States. On December 7, 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in Oahu, Hawaii.&nbsp;The U.S. Navy's main fleet&nbsp;survived the ill-fated attack because it was at sea during the raid.&nbsp;A retaliatory attack against&nbsp;Japan was ordered by U.S. officials. Subsequently, U.S. forces began to recapture each island that the Japanese had taken and by 1945 were poised to take the island of Iwo Jima as a staging ground for an assault against the Japanese mainland.&nbsp; On February 19, 1945, following an ineffective bombing campaign, the United States Marine Corps invaded the island of Iwo Jima. U.S. Marines surrounded Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima and climbed to the top to take control of the island in less than four days. On February 23,&nbsp;a small flag was raised at the top of the volcanic mountain. Many of the soldiers could not see the small flag, six Marines raided a second, much larger flag. The Marines were Michael Strank, Harlon Block, Frank Sousley, Ira Hayes, Rene Gagnon, and Harold Shultz. Strank, Block, and Sousley would die less than a month after the flag raising.&nbsp; The surviving three Marines toured the nation, rallying support and advertising war bond when they made it home. Because of the tour, the Seventh War Loan Drive raised over $26.3 million for the war.&nbsp; It was believed that the sixth soldier was Navy Corpsman, John Bradley. Harold Shultz was misidentified until 2016 and was never publicly identified. John Bradley is now known to have taken part in the first flag raising. Bradley's son, James Bradley, wrote a book about his father's role in the flag raising called&nbsp;Flag of Our Fathers, and later a movie was made with the same title.&nbsp; President Eisenhower presided over the dedication of the memorial on November 10, 1954. This date was chosen for its symbolism as the 179th anniversary of the founding of the U.S. Marine Corps. The memorial is situated near the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Memorial, and the U.S. Capitol on the National Mall.&nbsp;Beginning in the spring of each year and running through mid-August, musical and marching units from Marine Barracks honor their fellow Marines during Sunset Parades, which take place on the lawn adjacent to the memorial.&nbsp;

Dedicated by President and former Allied Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1954, the US Marine Corps War Memorial is based on one of the most iconic images in American military history. The memorial depicts six men raising the American flag over the island of Iwo Jima as a sign that the Marines had won control of that strategic island after a long-fought battle. The American victory and control of Iwo Jima gave U.S. forces control of an island and airfields that was within striking distance of Japan, a feat that demonstrated that the nearly three-year-long struggle in the Pacific was finally coming to a close. 

U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial

The Women In Military Service For America Memorial is led&nbsp;by a non-profit foundation that depends on the donations to support the creation and dissemination of documentaries, books, and exhibits that share the history of women in the army over the years.&nbsp;The memorial honors multiple generations and includes&nbsp;an exhibit hall that offers artifacts and films.

Dedicated in 1997, the Women In Military Service For America Memorial honors the almost three million women who have served in the Armed Forces. The dedication includes a memorial register, and with various exhibits. The memorial was dedicated to over 258,000 women that were loyal to serving and defending their country. The Women In Military Service For America Memorial was established and dedicated to the women in 1997. 

The Women In Military Service For America Memorial 

"The Pledge" was crafted by sculptor Susan Bahary after being commissioned by the U.S. War Dogs Association, a nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring working military dogs and their handlers. Bahary has received international acclaim for her sculptures which depict the deep emotional bonds held between service animals and their handlers. Prior to this statue, Bahary created the United States' first military working dogs memorial, titled "Always Faithful." The monument serves not only as Arlington Nation Cemetery's first monument dedicated to all military servicewomen, but it is also the first monument in the United States to honor servicewomen who are military working dog handlers. The front side of the Black marble base on which the bronze servicewoman and her military working dog states: "HONORING ALL WOMEN OF THE U.S. MILITARY - PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE", with a brief note at the bottom mentioning the monument was gifted by the U.S. War Dogs Association and sculpted by Susan Bahary. The back side of the monument features a quote from Anne Sosh Brehm, who served as an Army nurse during World War II. Her quote reads on the monument as follows: "Let the generations know that women in uniform also guaranteed their freedom. That our resolve was just as great as the brave men who stand among us. And with victory, our hearts were just as full and beat just as fast — that the tears fell just as hard for those we left behind." "The Pledge" was unveiled in a closed ceremony due to the COVID-19 pandemic that was streamed on Facebook Live by The Women in Military Service for America Memorial. Following the private unveiling, the monument was placed at the front and center of The Women's Memorial lobby. When addressed about the placement of the monument, President of the Women in Military Service for America Memorial Foundation and retired chief warrant officer, Phyllis Wilson stated: "I don't want it to be hidden."

Dedicated in 2020, this bronze statue depicts a military service woman outfitted in full combat gear and kneeling face-to-face with a working military service dog. The unnamed woman cradles the dog's muzzle under her hand as the dog places a paw on the soldier's left knee - a brief and tender moment of loyalty depicted before the fury of war. The monument was unveiled on Saturday, October 17, 2020, within the Women in Military Service for America Memorial located in the Arlington National Cemetery.

"The Pledge" Women in Military Service for America Memorial

John F. Kennedy was born on May 29, 1917 in Brookline,
Massachusetts. Kennedy joined the United States Navy during World War II after
he had graduated from Harvard University. While commanding his PT-109 patrol
boat in the Pacific, they were rammed by a Japanese boat which sent his crew
overboard. He then swam four hours to shore while saving a crewman. Later he would
received the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for his heroic efforts and a Purple
Heart due to his back injury he had endured. Before becoming president in 1960, Kennedy
served on both the U.S House of Representatives and U.S. Senate. In November of
1960, at forty-three&nbsp;year old, John F. Kennedy defeated Richard Nixon to become the
youngest president ever. On November 21, 1963, while campaigning in Dallas,
Texas, Kennedy was assassinated by ex-marine, Lee Harvey Oswald. John F.
Kennedy passed away at the age of forty-six.

Jacqueline Kennedy was ultimately the conductor of all
the things that would go into the funeral and Gravestone. The gravesite is paved with Cape Cod granite
from an area near Kennedy’s home in Massachusetts. The funeral was televised lived with about 93
percent of American homes watching and another 23 countries with over 600
million people watching. The site is 20 feet wide by 30 feet long and is fenced
in by a white picket fence. JFK's grave was visited by over 50,000 people per
day within the first year. In the first three years after Kennedy’s death, over 16 million people had visited. 

The Eternal Flame burns
in the center of the five foot circular flat-granite stone at the head of the
grave. The Institute of Gas Technology
of Chicago created the design mechanism. There is a flashing electric spark
near the top of the nozzle that relights the gas should it go out due to high
winds or rain. It takes $200 a month for the maintenance to keep the eternal
flame burning. On May 17, 2013 the eternal flame was upgraded with a new burner,
new gas lines, new gas pressure regulators, new electrical cables and a more
energy efficient automated flame. The 3.2 acre site cost about 2.2 million
dollars.

There have been certain negative events that have happened&nbsp;at the Eternal Flame. An army veteran committed
suicide near the monument in 1972 and&nbsp;in 1982, an&nbsp;immigrant man from El Salvador,&nbsp;who had broken into the monument at night, had a heart attack and then fell onto the flame.&nbsp;Still despite these events, the flame has continued to live on as an icon of JFK's legacy.&nbsp;

President John F. Kennedy, the 35th United States President, is buried in the Arlington National Cemetery on the hillside below the Arlington House. After the military ceremony on November, 25th, 1963, the day of President Kennedy’s funeral, his wife Jacqueline Kennedy lit the Eternal Flame. The flame and memorial was later surrounded by a white picket fence. The Eternal Flame was inspired by the Kennedy family's trip to Paris, where they saw a flame in memory of the Unknown Soldier at the Arc De Triomphe. Mrs. Kennedy had expressed she wanted a similar device to show the world that her husband had also given his life to his country. 

John F. Kennedy's Eternal Flame

Philip Kearny was born into an eminently wealthy and well-connected family on June 2, 1815 in New York City. His father, Philip Kearny, Sr., was an eminently successful New York financier who helped establish the New York Stock Exchange, while his maternal grandfather, John Watts, was one of the wealthiest men in the state. At a young age, Kearny lost both of his parents, and consequently was raised by Watts. He attended private schools before enrolling at Columbia College, earning his degree in 1833. Three years later, when his grandfather died, Kearny inherited a fortune worth in excess of $1 million. Having dreamt of a military career since he was a boy, he joined the U.S. Army in 1837, and received a commission as a second lieutenant in the First Dragoons, commanded by his uncle, Stephen Watts Kearny. Two years later, Kearny traveled to France, where he attended the French Cavalry School in Saumur. In 1840, he fought with the French cavalry in Algiers. Upon returning to the United States, Kearny wrote a cavalry manual for the U.S. Army and served as aide-de-camp for General Alexander Macomb and then General Winfield Scott. During the Mexican War, he saw combat at the Battles of Contreras and Churubusco. In the course of the latter engagement, Kearny suffered a serious wound to his left arm, which eventually required amputation. Despite his disability, he continued to serve throughout the remainder of the conflict. Following the war, Kearny resigned his commission in the U.S. Army and traveled the world, making stops in France, China, and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). After a handful of years, he returned to the United States and settled in what was then Harrison Township, New Jersey, just outside of New York City. In the late 1850s, Kearny returned once again to France and fought alongside the French during the Franco-Austrian War, seeing combat at the Battles of Magenta and Solferino. In 1861, Kearny returned to the United States following the outbreak of the Civil War. Soon after, he received a commission as a brigadier general of volunteers and took command of the First New Jersey Brigade. Kearny participated in the Peninsula campaign in 1862 and received a promotion to the rank of major general that July. He then took command of a division in III Corps. To more easily identify his troops on the battlefield, Kearny ordered them to place a patch of red cloth on their hats. What became known as the “Kearny Patch” eventually developed into the concept of corps badges, which the entire U.S. Army eventually adopted. While scouting enemy positions during the Battle of Chantilly, on September 1, 1862, Kearny accidently stumbled upon Confederate forces. Rather than surrender, he attempted to escape, but rebel troops shot him dead. Having great respect for the Union commander and wanting to ensure that he received a proper burial, Confederate General Robert E. Lee ordered his men to transport Kearny’s body back to federal lines under a flag of truce. His remains were interred at Trinity Church in New York City.About half a century after Kearny’s death, the State of New Jersey petitioned to have his remains moved to Arlington National Cemetery, which they were in 1912. Around the same time, the state commissioned an equestrian statue to mark the Union commander’s new resting place. Designed by artist Edward Clark Potter and dedicated in 1914, it is only one of two equestrian statues in Arlington. The bronze sculpture depicts the one-armed general dressed in full military uniform and sitting confidently upright on his steed, which the artist portrayed in mid-stride. To better showcase the impressive monument, Kearny’s remains were exhumed for a third time and relocated to a more prominent location within the cemetery. Among those present at the statue’s dedication was President Woodrow Wilson, who delivered a speech during the ceremony.

Dedicated in 1914, this statue commemorates U.S. Army general, Philip Kearny (1815-1862). A native of New York City and graduate of Columbia College, he fought with the French cavalry in Algiers and lost an arm in the Mexican War before resigning from the Army and settling in New Jersey. Following the outbreak of the Civil War, Kearny received a commission as a brigadier general of volunteers and took command of the First New Jersey Brigade. He participated in the Peninsula campaign of 1862 and received a promotion to the rank of major general that July. To more easily identify his troops on the battlefield, Kearny ordered them to place a patch of red cloth on their hats. What became known as the “Kearny Patch” eventually developed into the concept of corps badges, which the entire U.S. Army eventually adopted. While scouting enemy positions during the Battle of Chantilly, on September 1, 1862, Kearny accidently stumbled upon Confederate forces, who shot him dead. His remains were interred at Trinity Church in New York City. About half a century after Kearny’s death, the State of New Jersey petitioned to have his remains moved to Arlington National Cemetery, which they were in 1912. Around the same time, the state commissioned an equestrian statue to mark the Union commander’s new resting place. Designed by artist Edward Clark Potter, it is only one of two equestrian statues in Arlington. The bronze sculpture depicts the one-armed general dressed in full military uniform and sitting confidently upright on his steed, which the artist portrayed in mid-stride. To better showcase the impressive monument, Kearny’s remains were exhumed for a third time and relocated to a more prominent location within the cemetery. Among those present at the statue’s dedication was President Woodrow Wilson, who delivered a speech during the ceremony. 

Major General Philip Kearny Statue and Grave

Arlington House is associated with a number of significant families in United States history, including the Custis family, descended from First Lady Martha Custis Washington, and the Lee family. It was also a functioning plantation where dozens of slaves labored at one time. Over 1,000 acres of the estate land was later transformed into Arlington National Cemetery. According to the National Park Service, the house raises important questions about “military service; sacrifice; citizenship; duty; loyalty; slavery and freedom.”In 1803, George Washington Parke Custis began constructing a mansion on 1,100 acres of land that he inherited after the death of his father. Custis was the grandson of Martha Custis Washington and adopted son of George Washington. He hired English architect George Hadfield, the second Architect of the United States Capitol, to design the two-story Greek revival house. It took nearly sixteen years to complete the mansion, which was constructed in three phases. Enslaved people made the house’s brick and stucco materials and harvested wood to create support beams and floors. Custis and his wife, Mary Lee Fitzhugh Custis, both lived the rest of their lives at Arlington House and are buried on the property.The Custises’ only surviving child, Mary Anna Custis, married Robert E. Lee in the family parlor at Arlington House on June 30, 1831. Mary Lee was an educated and politically-conscious individual who also enjoyed painting, gardening, and literature. Her husband, Robert E. Lee, the son of Virginia statesman Henry Lee, began an illustrious military career after graduating at the top of his class from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1829. He served in the United States Army as a military engineer and rose in ranks through his service in the Mexican-American War, conflicts in Texas, and as Superintendent of West Point. The couple lived and raised their children at Arlington House, though Robert was often away for military duties. In 1857, Mary Lee inherited Arlington House upon her father’s death. Robert became more involved with Arlington House, acting as executor of the estate and managing the property.It was also in Arlington House that Robert E. Lee chose to resign from the United States Army and join the Confederacy. In April 1861, Virginia seceded from the Union and the first battle of the Civil War took place at Fort Sumter in South Carolina. Lee had been opposed to rebellion, faithfully serving the United States military for more than thirty years. However, Lee ultimately chose loyalty to his state over his country. Lee was not a pro-slavery ideologue like some of his contemporaries, yet his personal writings, voting record, and actions as a Confederate general reflect a worldview that Blacks both enslaved and free were inferior to whites. According to historian Eric Foner, “He felt that the ‘painful discipline’ to which they were subjected benefited Blacks by elevating them from barbarism to civilization and introducing them to Christianity.” After the Civil War, Lee became a mythic figure who embodied the lost Southern cause. Over the course of sixty years, hundreds of enslaved people labored on the Arlington House estate. George Washington Parke Custis brought the first slaves, inherited through his mother, to Arlington House. They tended to the house and the fields of corn and wheat on the property. Some of the children learned to read and write under the instruction of Mary Lee and other women in the house; they followed a larger Christian belief at the time that reading the Bible would “save” Blacks. Though the Arlington House families forged relationships with some of their slaves, they supported an institution that held people as property who lacked rights and personal autonomy. The slaves’ contributions to Arlington House, however, were significant. One notable family at Arlington was the Syphax family. Charles Syphax, one of the original Custis slaves, managed the dining room at Arlington House. His children and wife, Maria Carter Syphax, were freed in 1826 and established a home on land given to them. Their descendants became business owners, elected officials, and founders of African American schools in D.C. Selina Norris Gray, Mary Lee’s head housekeeper, was entrusted with the house after the Lees evacuated Arlington under threat of Union occupation. Born into slavery at Arlington, Gray was married in the family parlor like Mary and Robert E. Lee. Once Union soldiers occupied the mansion in 1861, some of the family heirlooms went missing. She instructed the soldiers and General Irvin McDowell not to protect these heirlooms. Her efforts ensured artifacts associated with President George Washington were not lost to history.In 1864, after the Lees fled Arlington House, the property was confiscated by the federal government for "unpaid property taxes” and appropriated "for government and military use.” In 1874, George Washington Custis Lee, the Lees’s oldest son, successfully sued the federal government and briefly regained ownership of the property, until selling it back to the government in 1883. The house served as headquarters for Arlington National Cemetery. It remained the headquarters until 1928 when Congress authorized the property be restored. In 1955, the ninetieth anniversary of the end of the Civil War, Congress dedicated Arlington House as a “permanent memorial” to Robert E. Lee. The Lost Cause narrative remained strong at this time, and the memorial emphasized Lee’s gentlemanly qualities. An act in 1973 changed the name from the Custis-Lee Mansion to the Arlington House, the Robert E. Lee Memorial. The National Park Service has overseen the property since 1933. It continues to interpret Arlington House as a memorial to Robert E. Lee, while also exploring the house’s ties to the Washington and Custis families and the enslaved people who ran the plantation. Restoration efforts are not only caring for the mansion, but also emphasizing the slave quarters and gardens. The mansion is closed from March 2018 to early 2020 for a multi-million dollar restoration but museum exhibits have been set up in a nearby building.

Arlington House is a historic mansion located on a hillside amidst 250,000 military graves in Arlington National Cemetery. The mansion was famously occupied, although never actually owned, by Confederate General Robert E. Lee. Arlington House was built between 1803 and 1818 by George Washington’s adopted grandson, George Washington Parke Custis, intended as a living memorial to the first United States president. Mary Anna Custis Lee, Custis’s daughter and Robert E. Lee’s wife, inherited the property after her father’s death in 1857. The property was later acquired by the federal government and became a National Park Service site in 1933. Arlington House is significant for its connection to notable colonial families as well as families who trace their lineages back to enslaved people at the plantation, such as the Grays and Syphaxes. Arlington House was dedicated as a memorial to Robert E. Lee in 1955, and the National Park Service interprets his legacy in addition to the Custis and Washington families and the enslaved people at Arlington.

Arlington House

The Civil War Unknowns Monument was initially constructed in 1866 and is one of the oldest Monuments at the Arlington Cemetery. It was created to honor unidentified soldiers who lost their lives fighting the in Civil War. It lies near the Arlington House in the Lee Flower Garden, which was once a grove of elk and oak trees. There are 2,111 bodies buried in a masonry vault underneath the monument, fallen soldiers found on the battlefields of Bull Run and on route to Rappahanock. They lay scattered in trenches and across the fields. Some of these individuals were unidentifiable, and sometimes only part of the body could be recovered. In such cases. those who could not be identified were gathered in front of Arlington House, which sat on Robert E. Lee's sprawling Arlington Estate. This was done in part because of Quartermaster Montgomery C. Meigs' dislike of Lee, as the move would deny Lee the use of his home. In 1862, the U.S. Congress had passed legislation that would authorize the federal government's purchase of land to create national cemeteries for military dead. The existing cemeteries, Soldier's Home and the Alexandria Cemetery, had served to inter war dead near Washington, D.C., but both locations had reached maximum capacity by 1863. Following the 1864 Battle of the Wilderness, in which a large number of Union troops perished, Meigs ordered the search for a suitable site in which to bury the dead. He eventually chose the Arlington Estate for its pleasing view and its location on high ground. In 1864, he authorized the burials. Originally, the monument was designed as a plain sarcophagus. However, by 1893, the walls and lid were replaced to feature a more ornate design. Its lid features twenty-two bas-relief stars inside circles and four stylized, partial fleur-de-lis decorations. The entire structure was elevated and placed on a granite base. Additionally, Rodman guns were driven muzzle-down into the earth, and pyramids of shot were placed on pathways leading up to the memorial. Quartermaster Meigs would draw inspiration from this monument when designing his own tomb. This Monument was the first monument at Arlington to be dedicated to soldiers. The original inscription states: <blockquote>Beneath this stone, Repose the bones of two thousand one hundred and eleven, Unknown soldiers, Gathered after the war, From the fields of Bull Run, And the route to the Rappahanock, Their remains could not be identified. but their names and deaths, Are, Recorded in the archives for their country, and its graceful citizens, Honor them as of their noble army of martyrs. &nbsp;May they rest in peace. September A.D. 1866.1 </blockquote>

The Civil War Unknowns Monument is a burial vault and memorial dedicated to those unknown soldiers that lost their lives in the Civil War. Constructed in 1866, it is located in the grounds of Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial, at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. It lies just west of the Lee Flower Garden where Civil War soldiers were interred starting in 1864, owing to a lack of suitable burial grounds. The structure has changed considerably from its original design.

Civil War Unknowns Monument

<div>The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was established on&nbsp;March 4,&nbsp;1921 following the burial of an unidentified American soldier in the plaza of the Memorial Amphitheater. Congress commissioned the construction of a large marble tomb to encapsulate the body&nbsp;on July 3, 1926. Construction of the tomb began in late December 1929 and was not completed until April 1932. Soldiers from World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War are interred in front of the memorial&nbsp;beneath the plaza. In 1998, the remains of the Vietnam unknown were positively&nbsp;identified as&nbsp;Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie and exhumed on May 14. The marble stone that adorned the Vietnam crypt was replaced with a similar stone that read&nbsp;"Honoring and Keeping Faith with America's Missing Servicemen."&nbsp;Each unknown soldier was awarded&nbsp;the Medal of Honor by the current siting President of the United States at the time of their interment. </div><div> </div><div>To honor the soldier's who were never identified, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is often solemnly decorated in wreaths or ribbons by notable diplomatic figures, most notably the standing President of the United States, who often visits the Tomb on Memorial Day. This tradition began with President William G. Harding, and has since became a staple in the honoring of those who were never identified. </div>&nbsp; &nbsp; If you decide to visit the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, you may be surprised to find that it is patrolled by Tomb Guards twenty-four hours a day, three hundred sixty-five&nbsp;days a year. Being a Tomb Guard is one of the highest honors in the military and one of the rarest positions to achieve. The guards will stop any person from being disrespectful while around the tomb. Tomb Guards&nbsp;carry unloaded guns&nbsp;that have changed over the years from M1 Garands to M14s. Guards are on duty for thirty&nbsp;minute shifts during the summer and hour long shifts during the winter. During this&nbsp;time they perform a walk on the plaza mat that requires twenty-one&nbsp;steps in each direction with twenty-one seconds of pause after each completed series. This practice is symbolic of the twenty-one gun salute. This tradition has been held since 1937. Every guard is eventually relieved in a ceremony. The Relief Commander will appear in the plaza and announce the Changing of the Guard. The new guard will present his or her weapon to the commander to be inspected. While purely symbolic, a thorough white glove inspection of the weapon and the new guard's uniform will be completed with impressive precision.&nbsp; Being selected for Tomb Guard is a prestigious honor given to those who are considered the best among the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment located at Fort Myer, Virginia. Any candidate must have an absolutely clean Uniform Code of Military Justice&nbsp;record and be in good physical shape. Every candidate is required to memorize seven pages of Arlington National Cemetery&nbsp; history verbatim and eventually pass a 100 question test with 95% accuracy. Soldiers who serve honorably at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier may temporarily wear the Tomb Guard Identification badge. If the soldier serves at the tomb for nine months, they may wear the badge for the rest of their military career.&nbsp;

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, also referred to as the Tomb of the Unknowns, is located in Arlington, VA at Arlington National Cemetery. The site honors all of the unidentified American servicemen and servicewomen who lost their lives during American military engagements. The remains of one individual have been entombed in front of the memorial since World War One. Tomb Guards have patrolled the area every hour of every day since 1937.

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

The land that now comprises the cemetery was part of a 1,100
acre plot owned by George Washington Parke Custis, the grandson of Martha
Washington. The Custis-Lee mansion that still stands today was originally intended
as a living memorial to George Washington. Custis devoted much of the mansion
to storing Washington memorabilia that he regularly acquired including Washington's personal notes and papers and the command tent the president had used at
Yorktown. The property was willed to Custis’ daughter Mary Anna Randolph
Custis, wife of Robert E. Lee.The Lee family abandoned the property at the onset of the&nbsp;Civil War in 1861. After the family’s departure, Union troops used the land as a
camp and headquarters. Additionally, the estate became the home for many
newly-freed slaves. A village named Freedman's Village&nbsp;sprang up around the estate where
former-slaves grew food that was used for the Union’s war effort. In January
1864, the Lee family lost the possession of their property due to a property
tax dispute in the amount of $92.07. Congress had passed a law that empowered commissioners
to assess and collect taxes on real-estate in “insurrectionary districts” and
mandated the taxes be paid in person. The law was intended both to raise
revenue and to punish traitors like the Lee family. The estate was listed in a public auction and was purchased
by the federal government. Later, Mary’s son sued the federal government for violating
the family’s right to due process. The case made it to the Supreme Court and
the Lee family won, and the property was returned, however they sold it back to
the government for $150,000.As the war dragged on and the number of casualties grew,
there was a growing need for a suitable graveyard. The first of many military
burials was held in 1864. The decision to use the land for a cemetery was both
a practical and political one. The land provided a site for the influx of
bodies, and it was highly symbolic to bury Union soldiers on the land of the respected
Confederate general.The estate became less recognizable with every passing year.
Many of the residents of Freedman's Village remained and&nbsp;raised families in the houses
built by the Army until it was closed in 1900. &nbsp;Brig. Gen. Montgomery C. Meigs served as Quartermaster
General of the cemetery for two decades after the war and shaped its
development. He is responsible for the construction of a large, wooden amphitheater,
which has since been replaced by the Tanner Amphitheater, and the
massive red arch at the cemetery’s entrance.Today, the cemetery is home to a variety of memorials
including the&nbsp;Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, USS Maine Memorial, John F.
Kennedy&nbsp;Grave site&nbsp;and many more.Mission Statement-













“On behalf of the American people, lay to rest those who
have served our nation with dignity and honor, treating their families with
respect and compassion, and connecting guests to the rich tapestry of the
cemetery's living history, while maintaining these hallowed grounds befitting
the sacrifice of all those who rest here in quiet repose.”&nbsp;

Nestled among the rolling hills overlooking the capital city Washington D.C. and the Potomac River, Arlington National Cemetery honors those who have died in service to our country. The cemetery sits on land that was once part of Robert E. Lee’s family estate and was appropriated by the Union after the Lee family fled at the onset of the Civil War. In an ironic move born of political ill-will and necessity, the Union began burying their soldiers on the Confederate general’s estate. Through an illegal tax ordinance, the federal government took control of the estate and purchased it at a public auction. After the war, the family sued the government and won back the estate, however they had no desire to return so they sold it back to the federal government. Through many years of military burials and the addition of new memorials, the Lee family estate has become the Arlington National Cemetery we know today. Currently, the gardens and grounds of this 624 acre cemetery serve as a tribute to the service and sacrifice of every individual laid to rest within.

Memorial Amphitheater, Arlington National Cemetery

The 3rd Infantry Division monument was
approved by President George Bush on September 29, 1988, and was part of Public Law 100-456. The monument was dedicated on August 15, 1990. The memorial is located on the right
(north) side of the curved part of Memorial Drive near the Canadian
Cross and the Challenger Memorial. The nine-ton gray obelisk is several feet behind a historical marker that offers a brief history of the division. The bronze and stone marker lists battles fought by the 3rd
Infantry. World War II Medal of Honor recipient Major Audie Murphy, a member of
the 3rd Infantry, is buried along the flagstone walkway in section 46 on the
left (south) side of Memorial Drive.

The division has a long history and was&nbsp;home to the most decorated soldier in World War II, Lieutenant Audie
L. Murphy. The 3rd Division (later re-designated as
the 3rd Infantry Division on August 1, 1942) was organized at Camp Greene,
North Carolina, November 21, 1917. The division was composed of the 4th, 7th,
30th, and 38th Infantry Regiments, the 10th, 18th, and 76th FA Regiments, and
the 6th Engineer Regiment, with a total of 28,000 men. It underwent training at
Camp Green, North Carolina and Fort Bliss, Texas, and shipped to France,
arriving in April 1918. The division earned the designation “Rock of the Marne”
at the Marne River near Chateau-Thierry on July 15, 1918. When flanking units
retreated, then Division Commander, Major General Joseph Dickman, told our
French Allies “Nous Resterons La” (we shall remain here). This motto is on the
3rd Infantry Division’s distinctive insignia.

During WWII, the Division was credited
with 531 combat days which was the most combat days of any unit in the European
Theatre. The 3rd Infantry Division fought in places like Casablanca, Anzio,
Rome, the Vosges Mountains, Colmar, the Siegfried Line, Palermo, Nurnberg,
Munich, Berchtesgaden, and Salzburg. The 3rd Infantry Division was the only
U.S. unit that served in all 10 campaigns of the war, participated in four
amphibious landings, and suffered the most casualties of any U. S. unit in the
theatre.

Early in the Korea Conflict,
General&nbsp;MacArthur&nbsp;specifically asked for the 3rd Infantry Division
for his Far East Command. The Division became known as “The Fire Brigade” for
quickly moving up to cover breaks in the UN lines. On one cold and stormy night
in May 1951, the division was given orders to disengage on the east coast and
move all the way across Korea to stop a major enemy breakthrough in the west.
No one thought it could be done, including the officers who gave the order. The
officers and men of the 3rd Infantry Division loaded onto trucks, and 30 hours
later, they engaged and stopped the advance of the large hostile force. The
Chinese were amazed. They were fighting and losing to the 3rd Infantry
Division, which they thought was still on the east coast.

The 3rd Infantry Division would be
called again and again, during the Cold War, Vietnam, the Gulf War, and Afghanistan.
With the close of combat operations in Iraq, the 3rd Infantry Division moved on to Afghanistan and continued combat operations and training
missions (advise and assist) to prepare the Afghan Army and police to take over
responsibility for security in a very difficult theater of operations.
The division and aviation brigade then redeployed to duty stations in the U.S. Soon
after, the Third Division again answered the call to arms with units deployed to hostile
territory in Afghanistan. These soldiers advise and assist missions train and prepare
the Afghan Army and security forces to take, hold, and occupy large areas of
their nation.&nbsp;

This monument was dedicated at Arlington National Cemetery in 1990 to honor the 3rd Infantry Division. From its beginnings in 1917 to the division's support in the Korea war, the division fought in a total of 24 campaigns, 10 of which were during WWII. The 3d Division was organized at Camp Greene, North Carolina on 23 November 1917 and continues to be active with soldiers deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan in recent years. Every unit within the division was in France by March 1918, and the division entered combat in May. On July 15, the division distinguished itself in defense of the Marne River at Chateau-Thierry, forty-five miles northeast of Paris. This action earned the division the proud motto, "Rock of the Marne." The 3rd Infantry Division fought with distinction in World War II, participating in four amphibious landings in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, and France. The Division played a crucial role in the defense of South Korea. It returned to Germany in 1957 as part of the NATO Defense Force and was still serving in that nation when the 3rd Division Memorial was dedicated on August 15, 1990. From the first World War to Korea, 11,120 members of the 3rd Infantry were killed in battle and another 41,000 were wounded or recorded as MIA (Missing in Action).

3rd Infantry Division Monument, Arlington 

The USS Maine was commissioned for only three short years before it met its end along with 258 innocent people. It sank on February 15th, 1898 off the Havana harbor in Cuba. It was there to try and calm tension between the United States and Spain that arose due to the Cuban War of Independence. The Cuban War of Independence (1895-1898), the third and final of the liberation wars between Cuba and Spain. The other two were called the Ten Years War (1868-1878) and the Little War (1879-1880). The last three months of the Cuban War of Independence resulted in the Spanish-American War due to the explosion of the USS Maine, which finally resulted in Cuba gaining its independence. A short two days after the explosion, the exploitation of the event caused the media to coin the well-known phrase: “Remember the Maine! To Hell with Spain!” Paul Ryer says in his The Maine, The Romney, and the Threads of Conspiracy in Cuba¸ “the Maine affronted Spanish ultra-loyalists…provided an appealing target for Cuban insurgents or…pretext for North America intervention.” In this excerpt, Ryer is subtly yet cleverly demonstrating the exploitation of the terrible event for political gain. For instance, as seen in the newspaper article (that is mentioned in the images section), the United States used this as fuel to influence American support for the Spanish-American War. “People were actively associating [the Maine] with war, with heroes, with the sentiments of the heart rescuing a helpless Cuba from the hands of tyrant Spain.” The previous quote is from Jill DeTemple, and it further supports Ryer’s point that the explosion of the USS Maine was used to influence Americans’ support for a resolution against Spain. However, a book published by Tiburcio P. Castaneda, La Explosion del Maine, shines a different light on the perverted event. He rationalizes that the Maine could have met its untimely end due to “an accident caused by an electrical short circuit.” The thing to note here is that Castaneda was of Spanish origin, and his literary piece was published in 1925 for the Queen of Spain herself. This previous sentence beautifully demonstrates how one remembers the USS Maine strongly depends on sociocultural characteristics.
Additionally, in the political cartoon (mentioned in the images section as well) demonstrates how Spain viewed this mysterious—and according to Ryer, controversial—tragedy. The political satire contributes further reinforcement to Ryer by stating that it allowed for action against Spain. The Captain-General was reportedly informed that there was a possible ploy to destroy the USS Maine. Nevertheless, it was decided for this piece of information to remain undeclared per President McKinley due to its likely falsehood. Unfortunately, this piece of information proved all but false.
In conclusion, the corrupted history of the USS Maine, including the arguable explosion and the unwelcome end of 258 sailors, is a depressing yet pertinent lesson for all to learn. The story of the Maine preaches caution to those naivetes to be aware of people in power possessing the capacity to manipulate the dead’s words for their own purpose. Along with Castaneda, Ryer, and DeTemple, people possess immensely different rationalizations of tragedies due to their sociocultural backgrounds. And when these rationalizations may instill fear within a specific people, a whole nation can be moved, like the story of the Maine ultimately starting the Spanish American War.

Two-hundred and fifty-eight American sailors were sent to their death on February 15th, 1898 due to mysterious circumstances that resulted in an explosion. Relations between Spain and America were extremely tense because of the Cuban revolt against Spain and the United States loyalty that resided with Cuba. The sinking of the USS Maine—caused by an enigmatic explosion—had massive impacts due to how people with varying sociocultural backgrounds rationalized the ordeal. Nevertheless, after the manipulation of these 258 casualties by the infamous yellow journalists and the era’s politicians, a monument was erected in their honor in 1902 but was transformed into the Spanish-American War Memorial. Nevertheless, 17 years after the explosion, a memorial was raised in Arlington National Cemetery called the USS Maine Mast Memorial. 

USS Maine Mast Memorial

Arlington National Cemetery, the most famous
cemetery in the country, it is a gravesite for many of the fallen throughout
American Military History. 

In the 19th Century, our country honored
even those who fought for the south. The memorial is located in section 16 of
the cemetery. The inscription on the monument reads "An Obedience To Duty
As They Understood it; These Men Suffered All; Sacrificed All and Died!"

It is said that Arlington is the first cemetery to honor
Black Confederate soldiers. While the image on the monument depicts Black and
white soldiers marching together there is much speculation as to the truth of
the depictions. 

Arlington National Cemetery was created because of
the countries need for the burial of many fallen soldiers. &nbsp;Even though there are many Confederate soldiers
buried here, the tension between north and south was so great that it is still
considered to be a union gravesite. Often family members of the Confederate soldiers
used to be denied access into the cemetery on a prejudice basis. As time went
by thought the prejudices subsided and this is when north and south finally
could say that they were past the war. 

To further honor these citizens of the South, the
United Daughters of the Confederacy petitioned to erect a major monument to the
Confederate dead. On March 4, 1906 Secretary of War William Howard Taft granted
their request. The cornerstone was laid on Nov. 12, 1912 at a ceremony
featuring speakers William Jennings Bryan and James A. Tanner, a former Union
corporal who lost both legs at the second Battle of Bull Run. He was commander
in chief of the Union veterans group, The Grand Army of the Republic. That same
evening, President William Howard Taft addressed the United Daughters of the
Confederacy at a reception in the Daughters of the American Revolution's
Centennial Hall.

There are many inscriptions on the memorial, mostly
at the base. &nbsp;On the front of the
memorial is the seal of the Confederacy and a tribute by the United Daughters
of the Confederacy, with the Latin phrase: "Victrix Causa Diis Placuit Sed
Victa Caton." Which means: "The Victorious Cause was Pleasing to the
Gods, But the Lost Cause to Cato." There are also other inscriptions all
dedicated to the Confederates who served at this tragic time in American
History.

Arlington National Cemetery conducts at least thirty
burials a week; it consists of six hundred and twenty four acres of memorials
and a rolling area of tranquility and serves as a very peaceful final resting
place. This landscape serves as a tribute to the service and sacrifice of every
individual laid to rest within the hallowed grounds of Arlington National
Cemetery.

&nbsp;

The Confederate Monument at Arlington National Cemetery is a place of refection and honor. Arlington National Cemetery is a hallowed ground that has given over 400,000 veterans of the United States Armed Forces a final resting place. It has over 28 major monuments and 142 minor memorials. One of the major monuments includes the Confederate Monument. 

Confederate Memorial (Arlington National Cemetery)

The Battle of the Bulge took place from December 16th, 1944 to January 25th, 1945. &nbsp;The battle pitted roughly 610,000 Allied troops vs 500,000 Axis troops.&nbsp;(1) &nbsp;Hitler's goal was to push through the English coast essentially splitting the Allies forces like he had done in 1940. &nbsp;He initially pushed through the American front and advanced toward the Meuse River.&nbsp;(2) General Eisenhower quickly brought in reinforcements to slow down the German assault, and quickly they began counterattacking the German assault. &nbsp;General Patton was able to counterattack Hitlers northern flank and eventually relieve the 101st Airborne Division in Bastogne which was a key point. &nbsp;This was the last major assault that Hilter was able to launch west and is considered the greatest battle in American military history. &nbsp;(2) The monument was created to honor all those who lost their lives in the Battle of the Bulge that helped ensure victory for the Americans. &nbsp;The plaque reads "To World War II American Soldiers who fought in the Battle of the Bulge - The greatest Land Battle in the history of the United States Army."&nbsp;(3)

The Battle of the Bulge Memorial was created for those soldiers who died fighting for freedom at the Battle of the Bulge.  The monument was approved for construction on December 6th, 2002 when the Veterans Benefits Act of 2002 was passed.  It was finished on May 8th, 2006 and was dedicated.  It was dedicated by Belgium Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt and Luxembourg Secretary of State for Culture Octavie Modert.  300 veterans of the battle and their family members attended. 

Battle of the Bulge Memorial

Prior to the Spanish-American War, all nurses in the military were men, as the U.S. Military did not allow females to serve in any way. Furthermore, nursing was not a sought-after position in the military. At this time, there were only 791 male nurses serving in the Army, far too few for a war. Congress finally recognized that women needed to be hired to serve as nurses, however, they only approved their hiring through contracts- military nurses would not actually be military personnel. Congress gave the task of leading the recruitment effort to Dr. Anita Newcomb McGee. The largest group targeted by Dr. McGee was the D.A.R.- the Daughters of the American Revolution. &nbsp; Out of the 1,563 nurses now working through contracts for the military, 76 were sent to Cuba, 30 to the Philippines, nine were sent to Puerto Rico, six to Honolulu, eight served on board the hospital ship USS Relief, but the vast majority worked in U.S. hospitals. Although none of the nurses died during combat, several did succumb to diseases such as typhoid and yellow fever.&nbsp;Several of the&nbsp;women who died while serving in the United States are buried close to the memorial in Arlington National Cemetery, although those few that died overseas are buried overseas as well. In June of 1899, Dr. Anita Newcomb McGee was instrumental in the formation of the Order of Spanish-American War Nurses, in memory of the service of the contract nurses during the Spanish-American War. A monument to these brave women was planned, however it was not dedicated until 1905, due to several unforeseen problems. In 1901, the Secretary of War, Elihu Root, still hadn't approved the creation of the memorial, and fund-raising for the project was going at a very slow pace. Disagreements over design, size and style for the monument were also to blame. Finally, in 1905, Barclay Brothers Granite Company out of Barre, Vermont, was given the job of constructing the memorial. The monument is six feet wide, three and a half feet across, and seven feet high, and is constructed out of gray granite, with a boulder shape and a rough texture. At the top sits a Maltese Cross, which is the symbol for the Order of the Spanish-American War Nurses, and the front of the memorial has several palm branches carved into the granite. The monument was dedicated on May 2, 1905, with a simple but meaningful ceremony. Officially, the monument is dedicated to "deceased Army nurses in the National Cemetery at Arlington, Virginia."

The Spanish-American War Nurses Memorial is a monument located in Arlington National Cemetery, installed on May 2, 1905. This monument, made of granite, was created to pay tribute to the nurses who died during the Spanish-American War, which took place in 1898. The Spanish-American War marked the first time that females served in any capacity in the United States Military; prior to this, military nurses were male. The monument resides in Section 21 of Arlington National Cemetery, the same section in which the Spanish-American War Nurses are buried. 

Spanish-American War Nurses Memorial

On October 23rd, 1983 two suicide bombers drove trucks into Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon. &nbsp;They blew up and killed 299 French and American servicemen, 241 were just American. &nbsp;This was the deadliest attack on US Marines since Iwo Jima. &nbsp;(1) There was a lot of criticism about the Marine barracks having lax security at the time of the event and the commander of the barracks stated that it was a hard position to defend because it was on flat ground and people had to drive past it all the time in order to get to the airport. &nbsp;They traced the bombing back to a militant political group called Hezbollah which started in Lebanon in 1982. &nbsp;They also suspected Iranian and Syrian involvement. &nbsp;&nbsp;(1) The attack happened at 6:22 am when the suicide bombers truck hit the compound containing 2000 pounds of explosives. &nbsp;The barracks were holding the 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regimental Battalion Landing Team. &nbsp;The team was stationed over there in order to help coordinate Palestinian withdraw from the area. &nbsp;(2) &nbsp;

The Beirut Barracks Memorial is dedicated to the 241 American servicemen who were killed in the bombing of a Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon.  It occurred during the Lebanese Civil War after two suicide bombers drove truck bombs in the barracks detonating them.  There were 299 total casualties from the explosions because the barracks were holding a joint task force of French and American forces.  It is located in section 59 of the cemetery.

Beirut Barracks Memorial

The U.S. Air Force Memorial Foundation was established in
1992 and once it was founded, the foundation quickly came up with the idea a
memorial be set to recognize those who served or are serving in the Air
Force.&nbsp; At the end of 1993, President Bill
Clinton signed an order approving the Air Force Memorial.&nbsp; Fundraising for the memorial quickly started
once a location for the memorial was discovered.&nbsp; 

&nbsp;The initial location for the memorial was near the
Netherlands Carillon which is near the Arlington Cemetery.&nbsp; Also near was the U.S. Marine Corps Memorial.&nbsp; Several groups representing the Marine Corps
came forward to object to the placement of the Air Force Memorial and delayed
plans for the monument.&nbsp; In 1997, prior
Marine, turned Congressman Gerald Solomon from New York (NY) came forward with
a bill that would “prohibit” any monument to be “within view” of the U.S.
Marine Corps Memorial.&nbsp; The Air Force
Memorial later found the site where the memorial now sits which is just south
of the Arlington Memorial Cemetery.&nbsp;

&nbsp;On October 14. 2006, the memorial was officially dedicated
with President George Bush being the keynote speaker.&nbsp; 30,000 people attended the ceremony to see
the new memorial.&nbsp; President Bush ended
his speech with, “To all who have climbed sunward and chased the shouting wind,
America stops to say: your service and your sacrifice will be remembered
forever, and honored in this place by the citizens of a free and grateful
nation.”&nbsp;

&nbsp;The design of the Air Force Memorial represents the Air
Force Thunderbirds performing a “bomb burst”.&nbsp;
The Thunderbirds are a squadron of fighter jets that travel the country
to perform air shows at various airports and popular beach destinations.&nbsp; The entrance to the memorial has a “Runway to
Glory”, an honor guard statue that stands eight-feet tall, two granite material
walls that have inscriptions on them and a Glass Contemplation Wall so anyone
visiting can pay their respects.

&nbsp;The U.S. Air Force broke away from the U.S. Army
Air Corps to become their own entity in 1947.&nbsp;
Since then, the Air Force has played crucial roles in the Korean War,
the War in Vietnam, the Gulf War and the Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.&nbsp; There have been countless airmen, both
enlisted and commissioned that have served in the Air Force and many have paid
the ultimate sacrifice, not making it back home.&nbsp; This memorial is a tribute to those that have
served.&nbsp;

Dedicated to the men and women that have served or are serving in the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Air Force Memorial is a three-spired monument that stands 270 feet high.  The monument, located in Arlington County, VA represents the Air Force Thunderbirds flying in a bomb burst maneuver.  The monument was revealed on October 14. 2006 and overlooks the Pentagon.  The star that symbolizes the Air Force is encapsulated beneath the spires.  The “Runway to Glory” entrance of the monument displays a Glass Contemplation Wall that pays tribute to those in the Air Force that have paid the ultimate sacrifice while serving.


United States Air Force Memorial

During
World War II, President Roosevelt was under pressure to provide a larger, more
accommodating location for what was then known as the Department of War, what
is now known as the Department of Defense. The original site chosen for the
building was known as Arlington Farm and was located just to the east of
Arlington Cemetery; this area’s roadways required that the building be designed
in the shape of a Pentagon to maximize space. Congress was forced to change
locations when protesters said that the proximity of such a building to
Arlington Cemetery was inappropriate. The new site was in a place called Hell’s
Bottom, and to save time the pentagon shape of the original design was still
used although it was unnecessary. 

This new
building would be designed to accommodate up to 40,000 government employees. With
a total floor area of about 6.6 million square feet, the Pentagon building has
twice the office space of the Empire State Building. When the building was
constructed, bathrooms throughout the US were still segregated so the complex
has twice the necessary number of restrooms. Today, the building holds about
25,000 civilian and military employees, at its height during the Korean War the
staff reached 33,000 people. 

The first
major threat to the building was during the Cold War. As the Russians developed
nuclear technology, the Pentagon was viewed as a likely target for a nuclear
missile. Security measures were heightened and nerves were high as employees in
Department of Defense prepared for possible nuclear attack. During the Korean
War, the Pentagon was at its height and became the center of all military
activity in the US. After the war, because of its prominence, the Pentagon
became a major tourist attraction. The massive office building takes up 29 acres and has more than 17 miles of corridors. Because of its unique design, it takes only 7 minutes to walk to any two points in the building. At its peak, it housed 33,000 workers. The building is most noted because of its five-sided shape. A total of 680,000 tons of sand and gravel were used to make the concrete for the building.Because it was built during war years, the building contains no marble or much of the other ornamentation found in other Federal buildings.In October
of 1967, 35,000 Vietnam War protesters faced off 2,000 federal troops armed
with tear gas at the Pentagon. The protesters had rallied and marched across
Memorial Bridge in the direction of the Pentagon and shouted down the war. To
the protesters, the Pentagon represented the totalitarian nature of the US
government and military during the war. Skirmishes arose throughout the night,
but no shots were fired by either side. The arrests made and tensions arose
that night only worsened the relationship between the government and the
protesters. A massive billion dollar renovation project began in the early 1990s. Then on September 11, 2001, an American Airlines flight was hijacked and crashed into the west side of the building as part of that day’s terrorist attacks on the United States. Everyone on the plane was killed as were 100 people in the building. That section was rebuilt while renovations were ongoing. It has been noted that because of the renovations at the time, several offices that were destroyed during that terrorist act were unoccupied and therefore many lives were spared.

On
September 11, 2001, the same group of terrorists who attack the World Trade
Center flew a plane into the Pentagon. 189 people were killed in the crash and
resulting fires, including the hijackers of the plane, workers in the Pentagon,
and passengers; because of ongoing construction to modernize the building, far
fewer people were in that area of the building than normal, this coincidence
saved countless lives. The fire caused by the crash burned for 36 hours total,
extending the damage to the building. It took only one year to complete the
renovations to the building and repair the damage caused by the attack, but the
effect it had will linger forever. There is now a memorial at the Pentagon
honoring those who lost their lives at the hands of the terrorists on that
fateful day.&nbsp;

Designed by the US Army Corps of Engineers and completed in 1943, the Pentagon is a symbol of the United States’ military power and strength. The Pentagon has been the site of military planing, anti-war protests, ceremonies honoring soldiers and officers, and foreign terrorist attacks. This unique building houses the US Department of Defense and is the hub of activity during war time. It faced the threat of nuclear attacks during the Cold War and was the site of a terrorist attack on September 11, 2001.

Arlington Monuments and Arlington National Cemetery

The National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information