The Indiana 9/11 Memorial was re-dedicated Saturday marking the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks and remembering those who perished.
The memorial was created in Indianapolis 10 years ago, with two steel beams from the World Trade Center. The beams are now joined by a piece of limestone from the Pentagon and a tree grown from another that survived at Ground Zero.
A plaque was also unveiled to honor Lt. Gen. Timothy Maude, who was killed on 9/11 when one of the hijacked planes, American Airlines Flight 77, was flown into the Pentagon. Maude, who was from Indiana, was the highest ranking officer to die during the attacks.
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb spoke at Saturday’s memorial, reiterating that the attacks and the civilians and first responders who died will never be forgotten.
“We still bow and we still pray and we still honor those that we lost, and we will for the next 20 years and we will every day after that,” Holcomb said.
Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita said while the 9/11 terrorist attacks took place across the country, it’s important for Hoosiers to remember the day.
“We’re going to see the resolve of Hoosiers, who will not only never forget, but make sure this never happens again,” he said.
Former Vice President Mike Pence also spoke at Saturday’s memorial.
“As we rededicate this memorial, let us rededicate ourselves as Americans,” Pence said. “Today, we remember our beloved fallen whose names are enshrined in this memorial and memorials across the country.”
Speakers at the memorial also honored Marine Cpl. Humberto Sanchez, of Logansport, who was killed last month during a suicide bombing in Kabul, Afghanistan as the U.S. was withdrawing from the country. Sanchez’s funeral is scheduled for Tuesday.
Nearly 3,000 people were killed in the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks carried out by the terrorist organization al Qaeda. Two planes -- American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175 -- were intentionally flown into the two towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, causing both to collapse. Another plane -- American Airlines Flight 77 -- was flown into the Pentagon, and a fourth plane -- United Airlines Flight 93 -- crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania as passengers tried to regain control of the aircraft.
Contact WFYI criminal justice reporter Katrina Pross at kpross@wfyi.org. Follow on Twitter: @katrina_pross.
Pross is a Corps Member of Report for America, an initiative of The GroundTruth Project.