Ladies and gentlemen , on behalf of the
United States Department of Defense ,
we welcome you to our annual observance
ceremony where we honor and remember
the 184 lives lost 22 years ago on
American Airlines flight 77 and at the
Pentagon at 9:37 a.m. on September
11 2001 .
Please stand for the arrival of the
official party .
Ladies and gentlemen , the Secretary of
Defense Lloyd J . Austin , the chairman
of the Joint Chiefs of Staff , General
Mark A Milley and Colonel Tim miracle
chaplain military District of
Washington .
Please remain standing for the national
anthem performed by the United States
Navy band directed by Captain Kenneth
Collins and the joint armed forces
chorus directed by Captain Bonnie Alger .
Oh , oh ,
what a shot . Yeah
and God .
Oh ,
oh ,
I
please be seated .
Doctor Paul W Ambrose
specialist Craig Sson United States
army
petty officer , third class Melissa
Rose , Barnes , United States Navy
master sergeant , Max J Belke . United
States army retired
Doctor Yo Beru
petty officer , second class Chris
Romeo Bussen , United States Navy
carry R Blackburn ,
Colonel Canfield D Boone . United
States Army
Mary Jane Booth ,
Donna M Bowen
Alan P Boyle
Bernard C brown
petty officer , third class Christopher
L . Burford , United States Navy
captain Charles F Berling Game . The
third United States Navy reserve
retired
petty officer , third class Daniel M
Caballero United States Navy
sergeant , first class Jose O Calderon
medo , United States Army ,
Suzanne M Kelly
Angeline C Carter
Sharon A carver ,
William E Caswell
sergeant , first class John J Chata
United States army retired
Rosa Maria chopper
David M Charley Boy
Sarah M Clark
Julian T Cooper
Asia
lieutenant commander Eric A Cranford
United States Navy ,
Ada M Davis
James D Deer .
Captain Gerald F de conto United States
Navy ,
Rodney Dickens .
Lieutenant Colonel Jerry D Dickerson ,
United States Army ,
Eddie A Dillard
petty officer , first class Johnny ,
Doctor Jur United States Navy
captain Robert E Dolan Junior , United
States Navy
Commander William H Donovan United
States Navy
lieutenant commander Charles A draws
the third United States Navy , retired
commander Patrick Dunn United States
Navy
petty officer , first class Edward T
Earhart United States Navy ,
Barbara G Edwards ,
lieutenant commander Robert Rs United
States Navy Reserve ,
Charles S Falkenberg
and his wife Leslie A Whittington
and their two Children , Donna
Falkenberg and Zoe
Falkenberg
petty officer . Third class Jamie L
fallen United States Navy
J Joseph Ferguson ,
Amelia V Fields ,
Gerald P Fisher ,
Darlene E Flagg
and her husband , rear admiral Wilson F
Flagg . United States Navy Reserve ,
retired
petty officer , second class Matthew M
Flacco United States Navy
Sandra in Foster ,
first lieutenant Richard P . Gabriel ,
United States Marine Corps , retired
Captain Lawrence B gets Fred United
States Navy ,
Cortez G .
Brenda C Gibson .
Colonel Ronald F . Galinsky United
States Army retired
I and J Gray
Diane Hall mckenzie
Stanley R . Hall
Carolyn B . Hammond
Michelle M Heidenberger ,
Sheila MS he
petty officer , first class Ronald J .
Hemingway , United States Navy
Major Wallace Cole Hogan . Junior ,
United States army
staff sergeant , Jimmy I Hawley .
United States Army retired
Angela M Houtz
Brady K Howell
Peggy M Hurt .
Lieutenant Colonel Steven in Highland ,
Jr United States army ,
lieutenant Colonel Robert J . Heel ,
United States Air Force , retired
sergeant major , Lay B Ivory . United
States army ,
Brian C , Jack
Stephen D , Jacoby .
Lieutenant Colonel Dennis M Johnson ,
United States army ,
Judith L Jones
NC Judge
Brenda Kegler
Chandler R . Keller
Yvonne E Kennedy
Norma Cruise ,
Karen Anne Kincaid .
Lieutenant Michael S Lamana , United
States Navy ,
David W Leek
Dong , Chul Lee
Jennifer Lewis
and her husband Kenneth E Lewis ,
Samantha Lighten
Major Stephen B long , United States
army
James T Lynch Junior ,
Terrence M Lynch
petty officer , second class Naman
Lions , the fourth United States Navy ,
Shelley A Marshall ,
Teresa M Martin
Ada L Mason Acker .
Lieutenant Colonel Dean E Matson ,
United States Army
Lieutenant General Timothy J Maud
United States army ,
Robert J . Maxwell
Renee A May
Molly L mckenzie
Dora Marie Men ,
Patricia , E Mickley
Major , Ronald D Mill , United States
Army ,
Gerard P . Mori Junior ,
Odessa V Morris
petty officer , first class Brian . A
Moss United States Navy
H moy
lieutenant commander Patrick J Murphy .
United States Navy Reserve ,
Christopher C Newton
can win
petty officer , second class Michael A
no United States Navy .
Barbara K Olson
Ruben S or NATO
Diana B . Pedro .
Lieutenant Jonas Mick , United States
Navy Reserve
Major Clifford L . Patterson Junior ,
United States Army ,
Robert Peninger ,
Robert R Plugger
and his wife Zandra Flogger .
Lieutenant Darren H pont , the United
States Navy Reserve ,
Scott Powell .
Captain Jack D Punches , United States
Navy , retired
petty officer , first class Joseph J .
Pior Junior , United States Navy ,
Lisa J Raines
Deborah A
Sue Rasmussen
petty officer , first class Marsha D
Ratchford , United States Navy ,
Martha M Rey
Todd H Ruben
Cecilia , E , Richard
Edward V . Rowen Hot
Judy Roulette ,
sergeant major Robert E Russell ,
United States Army retired
Chief warrant officer , William R .
Ruth United States Army Reserve ,
Charles E seven S
Marri Cmon
John P . Martino ,
Colonel David M Scales United States
army
commander Robert A Schlegel United
States Navy ,
Janice M Scott .
Lieutenant Colonel Michael L . Selves ,
United States army retired
Maryanne H SVA
commander Dan F . Shano , United States
Navy ,
Anne M Sherman
Diane M Simmons
and her husband George W Simmons
Donald D Simmons
Cheryl D Sinco
chief Greg H Smallwood United States
Navy ,
lieutenant Colonel Gary F . Smith .
United States army retired
Mary Ray Supper ,
Robert spies ,
Patricia J stats
Edna L , Stevens
Norma Lang Sterling
sergeant major Larry L . Strickland ,
United States army ,
Hilda , E Taylor ,
lieutenant colonel Kip P Taylor United
States Army ,
Leonard E Taylor
Sandra C Taylor
Sandra DT
Lieutenant Carl W tape . United States
Army retired
sergeant , Tamara C Thurman . United
States army
lieutenant commander Otis V . Talbert .
United States Navy
staff sergeant , Willie Hugh Troy , the
United States army retired
lieutenant commander Ronald J United
States Navy reserve
lieutenant Colonel Karen J Wagner ,
United States Army
meta L fuller
specialist Chin suk Pack Wells . United
States army
staff sergeant Madeleine A White United
States army ,
Sandra L White ,
Ernest M Wilshire ,
lieutenant commander David L . Williams
United States Navy
major , Dwayne Williams United States
army
chief Marvin Roger Woods , United
States Navy retired
captain , John D Yamani , senior United
States Navy retired
Vicky Yancey
petty officer , second class , Kevin W
Yoakam United States Navy
chief Donald M Young United States Navy ,
Edmund G young junior ,
Lisa L Young
Yang
and her husband Yung Zheng .
Yeah , you yes ,
God you told
much .
Oh
boy . Oh .
Mhm . Yeah .
Oh , ok .
Yes .
No . Yeah .
Yeah ,
it was . You
must be . Oh ,
yes . Ok .
Oh it
it
right is .
Yes .
High Street .
The
Yeah .
Right . You
Yeah .
Yes , this
yes
please
I saw .
Oh sweet . Yes .
Right .
Um mhm I was
I heard that
ladies and gentlemen , please stand for
the invocation .
Would you help me pray this morning ?
We thank you first for the many
blessings you have bestowed upon this
amazing country , the freedoms that
we appreciate . The leaders that we
have and the amazing support that we
see this morning , we pause this
morning to remember the 184 lives lost
here as well as those in New York and
Pennsylvania from the deadliest attack
on American soil in our history . We
remember their names that were just
read . We remember their dreams . We
remember the families , some that are
here today that represent them .
Remember the emergency responders , the
more than 400 police , over 344
firefighters and nearly 7000 military
service members . They gave of
themselves in service to our country to
rescue , to protect fellow Americans .
Remember our country's leadership and
all that they did to ensure that this
would never happen again . From our
presidents . In 2001 stated , a great
people have been moved to defend a
great nation . These acts shattered
steel , but they cannot dent the steel
of American resolve . In 2010 , he
said we stand with one another . We
fight alongside one another . We do not
allow ourselves to be defined by fear ,
but by the hopes we have for our
families , for our nation , for a
brighter future . And in 2020 in the
memory of the lives lost , we resolve
to stand united one American nation ,
to defend our freedoms , to uphold our
values , to love our neighbors , to
cherish our country , to care for our
communities , to honor our heroes and
to never ever forget .
As we enter the 23rd year after that
fateful day , we always recall the 23rd
Psalm . And even though I walk through
the valley of the shadow of death , I
will fear no evil for you are with me ,
God , whatever valley that we might
face as a nation may we remember this
day ? Those that were here , those that
served across this great country and
those that stood for a cause greater
than themselves , those that stood up
to serve their fellow American . May we
always remember that day live our lives
in reflection to cherish the freedoms ,
the many blessings , the amazing
liberties , the United States of
America for God and country . Amen .
Please remain standing for a moment of
silence in remembrance of the lives
lost in September 11 th 2001 .
Please be seated .
Ladies and gentlemen , General Mark A
Milley , chairman of the Joint Chiefs
of Staff
Secretary , Austin is gas
most importantly , the survivors and
the families of the fallen . Thank you
all for participating in this morning's
ceremony . Today
we pay tribute to the 2000
977 innocent men ,
women and Children who lost their lives
22 years ago . Today , at this very
minute , the incomprehensible acts of
September 11 th created a void in our
nation left by the thousands who never
returned home . Their families
feel the absence of fathers and mothers
and sons and daughters at birthdays and
holidays and graduations and weddings
on ordinary days of the week when their
loss suddenly moves them yet again .
Today , today we honor
those who perished and today we
uphold our enduring promise to never
forget . At
9:37 a.m. right
now , 22 years ago
on September 11th , 2001
American Airlines flight 77
crashed into the Pentagon right about
where we are . And 184
souls were murdered as
terrorism battered America's shores .
The hijackers were driven by a twisted
ideology rooted in hatred and
oppression and they took the lives of
the 59 passengers and crew and 125
of our Pentagon colleagues , those
terrorists hated America . They hated
our constitution and the values that
bind us together as a nation , they
hated freedom and democracy and the
idea that we are all equal , those
terrorists wanted to destroy our
country . But on that day
and every day since the United States
has demonstrated that we would never
bow to fear and hatred .
Momentarily shaken . The United States
rose from the ashes of the World Trade
Center , the Pentagon in a field in
Pennsylvania to show the world that we
were still standing that we could not
be toppled . That terror would never
destroy us . The New York City Fire
Department arrived at the World Trade
Center within six minutes of the plane
colliding into the building .
Firefighters first responders and
everyday heroes led thousands of
survivors down dozens of flights of
stairs , making repeated trips back
into the building sacrificing their
lives so that others may live for
people . They had never met the 40
passengers and crew on United Flight .
93 fought back against the hijackers ,
the terrorists and saving perhaps
thousands on the ground at the Pentagon .
Many survivors were rescued by their co
workers who were themselves reeling
from the explosive force of the impact
in nearly Impenetrable fire and smoke
to share will in their own knowledge of
the building . They plunged into the
smoke and debris , fearless without
regard to their own life . They plunged
into that horror that litter the
corridors to seek out the bloodied and
the burned survivors and deliver them
from the inferno amidst the explosions ,
the fire and the terror , ordinary
Americans demonstrated extraordinary
valor and courage despite the
loss of 125 of our colleagues in a
gaping smoking hole between quarters
four and five in the Pentagon , it did
not close . And the leaders of the day
assured the American public that the
world that the doors of the Pentagon
will be open again on September 12th .
And indeed the next day , thousands of
military civilian and contractors
showed up for work some before sunrise ,
filled with renewed purpose and
determination . As the American flag
unfolded over the gaping hole , the
building was still on fire . Yet these
incredible men and women continued to
defend our democracy in our nation .
And over the past 22 years , many more
have chosen to step forward and serve
the cause of freedom every single day ,
the men and women who have worn the
cloth of our nation have protected and
defended the principles that were under
attack that day . So today , we honor
and remember those we lost on that
fateful morning , we continue to stand
watch on freedoms frontier around the
world to ensure that those fallen did
not die in vain . Today , we
reaffirm our resolve to ensure that our
experiment and liberty . This ep unum
continues for future generations .
22 years ago , hatred and terror did
not win . It did not destroy America ,
freedom and democracy in the very
pillars of this great nation continue
to endure . Ladies and gentlemen , it's
my honor to introduce our Secretary of
Defense , the honorable Lloyd J Austin .
Thank you and may God bless the fallen
their families and may God bless the
United States of America .
Well , thank you , General Milley .
Good morning everyone . I am absolutely
honored to be here with all of you on
this day of remembrance and resolve ,
especially moved to be here with the
family members of those . We lost
the survivors of the attacks with the
first responders who raced to save
innocent lives to the
families and the loved ones of the 184
people who lost their lives on 9 11
here at the Pentagon and on flight 77
let me extend my deepest condolences on
behalf of the department of defense .
I know that being here is hard .
I know that it takes to remember this
milestone year after year
and I know that nothing
can make it right . And
as the years go by , it may feel that
the world is moving on or even even
forgetting what happened here on
September 11th , 2001 .
But please know this . The
men and women of the department of
Defense will always remember
and we will always honor the memory of
our fallen teammates and we will always
strive to be worthy of the memory of
those we lost .
September 11th reminds us that the
American spirit still shines in times
of testing after the
attacks amid the horror and the grief ,
many Americans felt a deeper sense of
duty to their communities and to their
country and all around the country
with hearts breaking for the slain and
the suffering Americans look within
themselves and felt called to give back
in those terrible first hours and days .
People rushed to give blood , to
volunteer in hospitals , to hand out
food and water to exhausted first
responders . And here at the
Pentagon , an outstanding group of
employees and volunteers got a family
assistance center up and running in
less than a day . And over the next
month , over 2500
people volunteered there . And
so they worked long hours to serve hot
meals and provide counseling and offer
medical care and help families through
their grief .
You know , not every act of service ,
it was monumental . We remember a
hug for a soldier on the streets of
Manhattan or a child's
handwritten thank you card for a
firefighter . But every
act of grace changed us .
Drawing out a strength and a sense of
common purpose that became part of the
story of that day and part
of the story of our country .
As the months and years went by , many
Americans chose to help those in need
or to fortify our security in a newly
uncertain world .
September 11 th made America a
nation at war and hundreds of
thousands stepped up to serve our
country in uniform .
The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have
come to a close , but we remain
relentless , relentlessly focused on
combating terrorist threats to America .
And I want to thank all of my fellow
veterans who served in combat during
two hard decades of war after 9 11 ,
as well as their families for all that
they gave the
courage and the compassion that we
witnessed after September 11
were even more extraordinary when they
came from Americans who lost loved ones .
I'm thinking today of king , when
who was born in South Vietnam in a time
of chaos , he finally made it to
America with his family and he
eventually graduated from the
University of Maryland with a degree in
electrical engineering on 9
11 . He was working as a systems
administrator at the Navy Command
Center right here in the Pentagon .
He left behind a beloved wife too .
And their four year old son
who also worked for the department was
devastated by her husband's death ,
but she resolved to be strong to
support their son . And so
22 years later to and
on are incredibly close
and their tie has only grown stronger
from the loss that they've endured .
They talk every day and she is so
proud of the young man that too has
become , that that has become
on . Still tries to make his dad proud
and to honor his legacy in ways big and
small . That can mean echoing
King's love of learning or taking up
the guitar or simply staying engaged
with his community and finding ways to
help others just as his dad did .
So in September 2021
on the 20 th anniversary anniversary of
9 11 , two , visited this
memorial to place flowers on the bench
with her husband's name on it .
And she felt a wave of sadness looking
at the benches , honoring other victims
that were bare . So she called up a
friend and they came back here together
and they laid a rose on each of the 184
benches around us . And
so now thanks to Tu's Simple Act of
Kindness every year . On this day , the
Department of Defense upholds that
trend that tradition , laying a rose
on every bench to honor the memory of
every soul taken from us here on 9 11 .
Ladies and gentlemen , we are honored
to have two and on here with us today .
And I want to thank them in all of the
families of the fallen
September 11 changed you forever ,
but you changed us forever .
In so many ways , you turn grief into
grit and sorrow into strength
and you helped us to see beyond
ourselves and give back to our fellow
Americans and to deepen our democracy
and to work towards a stronger , safer
future . So it
is our duty to carry out the missions
that your loved ones chose .
It's our duty to live up to the
goodness that they embody .
And it's our duty to defend the
democracy that they love so much .
So we will always seek to meet that
challenge . We will always strive to
live up to their example in their
memory . We will always work to
keep America safe and we will
always always
remember . May God bless you all
and may God continue to bless the
United States of America . Thank you
very much .
Ladies and gentlemen , please stand for
the singing of God bless America
to his side . I I
right
from the world .
Bye . Yeah .
Parliament . Yeah .
Not married .
Really .
That
stand beside and I
the night
I
oh
yeah ,
and now receive the benediction . God ,
we thank you for this time that we
could pause to hear the names .
Remember the lives the Americans lost .
I thank you for the comfort given to
those who have lost friends or loved
ones on that fateful day and how you
continue to give peace to those who
seek it . I thank you for the courage
displayed by those who thought of a
purpose greater than their own rushing
in to help other Americans in need . As
we have remembered this day , I pray
that we few will be the source of life .
A source of hope for many so that we
can live our lives in such a way to
reflect the goodness in our world ,
help us to be bringers of hope , help
us to exemplify the dedication to
courage and honor and even the periods
of peace and moments of terror . May
our commitment to love and compassion
be felt by others around us . Lord , I
pray that as we leave this solemn place
of remembrance , that you will continue
to bless us as bearers of goodwill ,
bless all that serve others , civilians ,
military law enforcement and
firefighters . May we remember those
that serve others ? We honor the memory
of those that have gone before us and
those that gave their very lives ,
bless each person assembled here and
for those who could not make it . May
God bless the United States of America
for God and country . Amen .
Ladies and gentlemen , this concludes
today's ceremony . Thank you for
joining us this morning . The Pentagon
Memorial , the Pentagon Memorial Chapel
and the Navy Reflection Room are open
until 12 p.m.