Remembering 9-11 at The Pentagon in Washington, DC.

An inside look at what happened at The Pentagon with exclusive photos.

Ed. Note. Open in browser to get full presentation of pictures.

The Pentagon on 9/12. Initially thought to be contained, fire reignited briefly on that day. 184 Americans lost their lives at The Pentagon. 59 on the plane and 125 inside the building perished in the Pentagon attack. There were 55 military personnel and 70 civilians who lost their lives. Photo credit: Scott Boatright

One event on 9-11 does not over shadow the other. What happened in New York City, at the Pentagon across the Potomac River from Washington, DC and in a field outside of Shanksville, Pennsylvania, is an amazing testimony of bravery and the American people’s heart response to an attack. Today is Patriots Day to remember loved ones, heroes and to contemplate the potential of a nation resolved in its purpose.

On that fateful day of the attack, the terrorists had specific targets and chose the particular flights for the capacity of explosive fuel they carried. Each overtaken aircraft was a coast-to coast flight from an east coast airport to a California destination.

Two flights, American Flight 11 and United 175, left Boston’s Logan International for Los Angeles. Departing less than 20 minutes apart, terrorists commandeered the two aircraft. The World Trade Center Towers were hit by two Boeing 767 jetliners at 8:46 AM and 9:03 AM the morning of September 11, 2001.  

At the Pentagon, military command, who having heard what happened in New York, were suspecting an attack in the DC area. They were getting word of it but didn’t know the target. Just over 30 minutes later at 9:37 AM it occurred on the west side of the Pentagon when American Airlines Flight 77, a Boeing 757, slammed head-on into the first floor. Where and how it hit is significant, because ultimately many lives were unintentionally spared by the terrorists flight path. There were circumstances within the Pentagon as it was under renovation that saved even more lives. Because of on-going renovations, 3800 people had been moved to other areas of the Pentagon. Many were also protected by the rigid design of the second largest office building in the world.

Even more significant, Washington, DC residents were saved from further attack by the brave passengers of Flight 93. They fought back with their lives grounding the 4th plane, a Boeing 757, in Pennsylvania.

The construction of the largest office building in the world. 

Ground was broken exactly 60 years earlier on September 11, 1941 to construct a building to house The War Department. The Chief of Staff General, George C. Marshall, was ordered to plan for a single office building for the expanding War Department currently located in 17 buildings throughout the Washington, DC area. As a section of the five sides was completed, War Department personnel moved into it. Construction would continue on the next phase. The Pentagon was built in 16 months at a cost of just over $31 million dollars. It was dedicated on January 15, 1943. In 1990, Congress authorized a complete renovation project costing over $1.21 billion which began in 1994 and ultimately was completed around 2014. 

The original design which, at the time, was the largest office building in the world, did not have passenger elevators. They weren’t installed until 2001. Long ramps to the next floor and stairways, connecting 17.5 miles of hallways in its 5 concentric “rings” was how War Department personnel navigated the complex. The inside ring is named “A.” Each ring is named alphabetically to the outside ring “E.” Yet, the design with intersecting corridors is efficient allowing a person to get anywhere in the building in about 8 minutes or less.

An aerial photo of The Pentagon circa. 1955. The Riverside Entrance.

There is a 30 foot gap between each ring to allow light into the interior ring offices. Between C and B there is an access road known as “A-E Drive.” The five exterior walls on “E” are 921 feet long. The innermost walls on the “A” ring facing the center courtyard, which is 5 acres, are 362 feet in length. As modern communications developed, a significant part of the renovation taking place was the updating of 100,000 miles of telephone cables. Another update were windows made of impact glass an inch and a half thick. Each window weighed more than a ton and were welded into tube steel frames. Many remained undamaged after the explosion.

The inner courtyard of The Pentagon is 5 acres. Note the concentric rings.

In 1941, steel was at a premium as the United States was on alert concerning the conflicts that led to World War II. Three months after the construction began on the Pentagon, the attack on Pearl Harbor happened thrusting the USA into World War II.

In May of 1941, the idea of the military headquarters was directed. Engineers and architects agreed that it would be a no frills design and by July plans were completed. The building has a fort like aesthetic. The structural framework of the building is reinforced concrete. The outside walls which are about one mile in circumference, are 9 inch thick brick with an Indiana limestone facade. The other rings are 10 inch concrete. The Pentagon is supported by over 41,000 concrete pilings of various sizes. As you will see, this design structure saved many lives.

Photos and video of The Pentagon on 9-11 and afterwards.

The Sunshine Journal has gathered many photos of the attack and aftermath at the Pentagon. The publication would like to thank Scott Boatright of Vero Beach. In 2001, he was an investigator for Fairfax County Fire and Rescue who was often on assignment when the Virginia Task Force One unit was called into action. 

The unit’s primary function that day was Urban Search and Rescue. Arlington County Fire Department and Fort Meyer’s Fire Department were first on the scene, putting out the majority of the fire in the “impact zone.” They rescued many survivors with the help of service volunteers who “ran back in the building.”

Mr. Boatright’s job was to gather photograph and video surveillance in real time. On 9-11, he was the only person in the DC airspace gathering reconnaissance for the FBI after the FAA had grounded all aircraft. He remembered, “I arrived after the section on the outer ring collapsed. I was immediately asked to go up and get film from overhead. The Fairfax County police helicopter took me up with my camera and to film at the request of the command.” 

The video below is the Fairfax County Urban Search and Rescue team coordinating search operation protocols.

The reconnaissance was to see how widespread the fire went in both directions. While the fire fighters could see the smoke, they could not tell the extent of damage on the various roofs of the internal rings. Because of the reinforced structure, fire from the explosion moved down the hallways and upward. 

Below is video surveillance after the search operation meeting. It is followed by many pictures of 9-11 at The Pentagon.

Never forget.

Loading in the command center for Virginia Task Force One’s Urban Search and Rescue coordinated by Fairfax Fire Department..

The staging area completed for Virginia Task Force One. As the week progressed, the Salvation Army and others came in with new boots to replace footwear ruined in the Search and Rescue process. They also provided food snacks and anything needed as the rescuers worked around the clock. Many of these people went to NY to assist in rescue operations at Ground Zero.

The Pentagon from the Riverside Entrance on 9-11.

The black soot left behind from the engines mostly exploding on the outside of the building. The construction of the building prevented penetration on a wide scale. This section known as corridor 5 suffered more damage because of the old windows had not been replaced. Whereas corridor 4 (right) of the impact zone faired better.

The location of the “punch out” hole on ring C. As noted, it was initially thought the nose punched through. But, it was actually the rear of the plane. The plane hit so hard, it ended in reverse order of impact. Note ring D to the left that does not have any fire scarring on its three top floors. Because the terrorist came in so low parallel to the ground, it allowed all but two people escape from the top three floors of all rings. The Pentagon is five floors in height, and only 71 feet tall.

A close-up of the punch out hole on ring C. Workers search debris for remains and any evidence of the plane. A tire from the landing gear was eventually found beneath this pile debris.

The plane entered the west side, flying directly beside the heliport landing pad, hitting the Pentagon at an angle. To the left in picture is the control tower structure. Two operators, army specialist, Jacqueline Kidd and civilian, Sean Boger, were on duty at the control tower. After the plane hit they both escaped the tower. Their cars parked between the building and the landing pad were burned in the explosion.

Firefighters put out fires reigniting from the heat and excess fuel. The heliport never caught fire in spite of its proximity to the impact zone.

After initially putting out the fires, they would often reignite as shown here on the evening of September 11th.

Fairfax County Urban Search and Rescue team outside of the “punch out” on A-E Drive taking a breather.

Fairfax County Urban Search and Rescue deploy dogs to look for survivors.

Firefighters attack a fire breaking out in the evening. The pallets of lumber were brought in to build stands to shore up the building. Part of the Urban Search and Rescue mission was working with structural engineers on the team to accomplish the work.

Urban Search and Rescue team working with structural engineers to shore up the building floors still standing.

Shoring up the interior floors of the structure.

Fairfax County firefighters working into the evening of 9/11.

President Bush speaks words of encouragement to the Virginia Task Force 2 team who arrived from Virginia Beach. Search and Rescue operators came from Memphis Tennessee and Montgomery County, Maryland too.

US Army helicopter circling the sight with the FAA aboard. The fire in the building could have been terrible. However, the structure of the building with its thick facade of brick and limestone, caused the explosions of the engines to remain mostly on the outside of the building. The windows to the right were the newly reinforced one ton glass which protected those inside.

In the north parking lot, debris was separated into piles. Airplane parts, building materials and yes, remains of the dead. Much was just thrown in the dumpsters staged for debris.

President, George W. Bush and Defense Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld visit the rescue operations. The Office of the Secretary of Defense was in a direct path of the plane. Rumsfeld was meeting elsewhere in The Pentagon with congressional leaders for breakfast when the plane hit. He left and went toward the scene only to evacuate. Outside, he helped carry a wounded civilian to an ambulance. He then returned to The Pentagon command center where he remained for the day in communication with the President and cabinet. The Pentagon never shut down operations. Firefighters saved all communication systems.

Speaker of the House Denny Hastert and General Jack Keane on site at The Pentagon.

The 3rd infantry at Fort Meyer also know as “The Old Guard” for being the oldest named guard unit in the Army.

On the 4th floor end window is a Marine Corp flag still standing unharmed by assault on 9-11.

Firefighters from Fairfax County, Arlington County, Alexandria County Fire Department, and Fort Meyer prepare the flag to drape over the side of the Pentagon which became an iconic symbol of American resolve.

Local school children put flags flowers and messages in one of many makeshift memorials. This fence divides the Pentagon from Arlington Cemetery.

Virginia Task Force One say goodbye after their rescue operation is completed.

Demolition completed.

President Bush and Secretary Rumsfeld during the National Anthem at the ceremony for the completed restoration of The Pentagon after 9-11.

All branches of the military look on to commemorate the completion of the restoration of The Pentagon. The stage would be replaced by a memorial garden that features the names of the 184 men and women that died that day in the attack.

The Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery for the servicemen, civilians and plane passengers and crew that died that day.

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue honored throughout the county as all Americans did, the brave men and women of the FDNY.