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CNN Live Today

Pentagon Victims Honored at Arlington Ceremony

Aired September 12, 2002 - 13:16   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: The 184 victims of last year's attack on the Pentagon were honored today in a burial service at Arlington National Cemetery. The cremated remains of some of the victims were buried at a site overlooking the Pentagon.
Details live from CNN National Correspondent Bob Franken -- Bob, no doubt it was very moving.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Very moving. Of course, just the location here, Arlington National Cemetery is moving with its 260,000 grave sites, 184 added today, at least in a symbolic sense. What this was was a coffin that had remains that could not be matched up with some of the victims of the Pentagon attack, five victims. They have never been able to match up with remains. Those remains and others, with the permission of the family were all cremated and then put in a coffin which was drawn in a horse caisson after ceremonies at the amphitheater, to a new memorial. It is a five-sided monument with the names of all 184 Pentagon victims on it. It overlooks the Pentagon. As a matter of fact, we were told that when the leaves are off the trees in the colder weather, the sun will cast a shadow of the Pentagon on this monument. Now, the movement to the grave site was preceded by a ceremony in the amphitheater, quite unusual. Hasn't been one like this in the amphitheater since 1950, as a matter of fact, for an Air Force chief of staff. There, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld echoed promises made over and over again that the United States would not forget the sacrifices.

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DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: Those we honor today died because of an institution, that a symbol of this generous creed and way of life. A symbol of military power to be sure, but of power used to right wrong, to do good, to help achieve a more perfect day, when nations might live in peace. But until that time comes, the events of September 11 remind us that the forces of freedom are locked in a new type of struggle with those who oppose all that our freedom represents.

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FRANKEN: The plaintive sound of "Taps." We have heard it so many times when a nation is in sadness, when individuals are in sadness. And, of course, it is the sadness of now, over a year since the attack on the United States, the victims memorialized here at Arlington National Cemetery -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Bob Franken, thank you so much. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com