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'Pentagon Stone' Dedication
(May 15, 2011) | 
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| | WASHINGTON, D.C. (ANS - May 9, 2011) -- A stone recovered from the Pentagon
after the Sept. 11, 2001, attack was dedicated today in commemoration of
actions taken by members of the U.S. Army Military District of
Washington following the attack. |
A member of the 911th Technical
Rescue Engineer Company stands in front of Chief
James Schwartz, Arlington County Fire Department,
and Maj. Gen. Karl R. Horst, Joint Force
Headquarters National Capital Region and the U.S.
Army Military District of Washington commanding
general during a dedication ceremony at Fort Lesley
J. McNair, Washington, D.C., May 9, 2011. A stone
recovered from the Pentagon after the Sept. 11,
2001, attack was dedicated in commemoration of
actions taken by members of the U.S. Army Military
District of Washington following the attack. Photo
by George Markfelder, JFHQNCR/MDW |
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Maj. Gen. Karl R. Horst, the Joint Force Headquarters-National
Capital Region and the U.S. Army Military District of Washington
commanding general, spoke at the ceremony held at Fort Lesley J. McNair,
Washington, D.C.
Soldiers from the 911th Technical Rescue
Engineer Company played an integral role in the ceremony, assisting with
the unveiling of the stone and presenting the accompanying plaque.
For 10 days following the Sept. 11, 2011, attacks, the unit, then
called the Military District of Washington Engineer Company, was engaged
in rescue and recovery operations for which the unit and Soldiers
assigned were awarded the Army Superior Unit Award.
Also
recognized at the ceremony were the servicemembers and employees of
Military District of Washington who were with the command on 9/11. Maj.
Gen. James T. Jackson, who was the commanding general of Military
District of Washington during the attack, also participated in the
ceremony.
The limestone block, marked DB849 and weighing 225
pounds, was recovered from the west facade of the Pentagon, about 50
meters from the area where American Airlines flight 77 crashed into the
building nearly 10 years ago.
"The stone will serve as a tribute
to the 184 people who perished and to those who assisted in the rescue
and recovery efforts at the Pentagon; and the lives lost in Shanksville,
Pennsylvania, and at the World Trade Center. It also serves as a daily
reminder of just how much we have grown as a command since Sept. 11,
2001," said Horst during the dedication.
This is the fourth and
final commemorative ceremony recognizing the rescue and relief efforts
held over the past three months. MDW presented pieces of stone recovered
from the Pentagon to the Arlington County Fire Department on March 24,
2011; the FBI Washington Field Office on April 27,2011; and the Fire
Department of New York City on May 6, 2011.
This final piece of
stone will be positioned in a place of honor within the JFHQ-NCR/MDW
headquarters building at Fort Lesley J. McNair. | |
By Grace Ohlhaut
JFHQNCR/MDW
Public Affairs
Copyright 2011
Reprinted from
Army News Service
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