Wed Sep 11 17:15:54 UTC 2024: ## Pentagon Honors 9/11 Victims with Solemn Ceremony
**Arlington, VA** – On the 23rd anniversary of the September 11th attacks, the Pentagon held a solemn ceremony to commemorate the tragedy and honor the heroes who lost their lives. The event, held on Wednesday, included the reading aloud of the names of the 184 people killed when a hijacked plane crashed into the Defense Department headquarters.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke of the importance of remembering the day and the resolve it instilled. “It can feel that more and more Americans are returning to normal life on each new Sept. 11,” he said, “But not here. Not at the Pentagon. Because we remember.” Austin offered condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims, saying “We have repaired the damage to this building, but we cannot repair the damage to your hearts.”
General Charles Q. Brown, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, praised the heroism of those who risked their lives to save others. “Amid the destruction, something profound emerged. A demonstration of determination. It was the courage of those who ran toward the danger, who chose not to flee, but to help, but to save, that provided a light in a time of darkness,” he said.
In a display of resilience, an American flag was unfurled over the Pentagon at sunrise. Similar ceremonies and memorials took place in New York City and Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where other planes crashed on September 11th, 2001. Across the country, thousands of volunteers are honoring the courage and sacrifice of that day by beautifying dozens of America’s national military cemeteries.
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