The Pentagon commemorates attack victims with 184 beams of light

On September 11, 2006, the Pentagon commemorated the fifth anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks with a temporary memorial consisting of 184 beams of light projected upward from the building's central courtyard. Each beam represented one of the 184 victims killed at the Pentagon and aboard American Airlines Flight 77 on September 11, 2001. The illuminated installation provided a visual form of remembrance within the headquarters complex, linking the site's physical history with the individuals who died during the attack. The Pentagon also established annual commemorative practices, including displaying a large American flag on the damaged side of the building and illuminating that section with blue lights at night. These activities became part of the institution's continuing remembrance of the attacks.