Hagel: Nation Will Never Forget Lives Lost on 9/11

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.

DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Sept. 11, 2014 - The men and women of the Defense Department will never forget the lives of 184 Americans lost, their families and the survivors of the act of terror when a hijacked airliner struck the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said today.
Speaking during an observance at the Pentagon Memorial on the 13th anniversary of the 9/11 attack, Hagel was joined by President Barack Obama and Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in honoring those affected by the terrorist attack on the Pentagon and remembering those who were lost.

"We will never forget what happened on this day, at this hour, in this place -- an act of terror that shook the world and took the life of 184 Americans," Hagel said. "Today, we remember those we lost on that day -- this day -- as we're surrounded by those who love them. We celebrate our nation's strength and resilience surrounded by those who embody it."

Honoring their legacy
Americans draw inspiration, Hagel said, from the ways in which survivors and victims' families continue to honor the legacy of those who were killed and those who responded to the attack.
"My thoughts also turn to others whose lives were forever changed that day -- the first responders and survivors whose heroism and resilience we celebrate," he said.

Hagel lauded the Pentagon workers who came to work the next day "with a greater sense of determination than ever before" and the men and women in uniform "who have stepped forward to defend our country over 13 long years of war, bearing incredible sacrifices, along with their families."

The defense secretary said the nation is in a time of many complicated challenges.

"But America has always faced challenges," he added. "We have always responded as a nation united in purpose, woven together in a fabric of strong character and resounding commitment to each other and to our country."

In introducing President Barack Obama during the event, Hagel praised the president's leadership.
"To lead our nation at such a defining time requires not only the courage and vision to lead, but the humility that recognizes this unique privilege," he said. "These traits are embodied in our commander in-chief."