San Antonio 911 Memorial
San Antonio 911 Memorial, The San Antonio 9/11 Memorial honors the victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and will educate future generations about the effects of terrorism. This heartfelt memorial is visibly located on the access road of Highway 90 West between Lackland Air Force Base and Kelly USA. The memorial sits on 10,000 square feet of land.
For decades, United States citizens for the most part have been bystanders to the effects of terrorism. That was until the morning of September the 11, 2001.
Do we forget the innocent airline passengers, or the trapped office workers who said goodbye on cell phones to their loved ones, or the firefighters & police men and women who rushed the twin towers up to their doom… what about the men & women who perished at the Pentagon, or what about the passengers who charged the cockpit of United Airlines flight 93, which is the plane that is said to have been headed for the Whitehouse? Do we forget?
The events of September 11th created a domino effect. Families lost loved ones, our country became engaged in a global war on terrorism, and people suddenly became interested in what level our national defense was at.
Today, a non-profit organizations commitment to never forget continues with the San Antonio 9/11 Memorial. That organization is the International Community Development Corporation (ICDC). The founder of the ICDC, a retired US Air Force Officer, is Dr. LaSalle R. Vaughn, who is also the Pastor and Founder of New Life Christian Center in San Antonio, Texas.
The ICDC is committed to develop the local community through a holistic approach of empowerment and revitalization and whose services benefit the community in the areas of education, community development and family and social programs.
The San Antonio 9/11 Memorial honors the victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and will educate future generations about the effects of terrorism. This heartfelt memorial is visibly located on the access road of Highway 90 West between Lackland Air Force Base and Kelly USA. The memorial sits on 10,000 square feet of land.
The ICDC contracted Architectural Design Associates of San Antonio to design the memorial. Artist renditions by the designers interpreted the vision Dr. Vaughn had of a memorial and transformed the vision into a state of the art urban monument.
The memorial has four structures, each carrying symbolic meaning and significance. The structures include the Wall of Freedom; representing the Pentagon, an ascending and descending wall; representing the Twin Towers in New York, and a 35 ft. stainless steel pillar; representing the plane that crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. Surrounding the memorial are fountains, pools of water, and trees to enhance the beauty of the memorial.
The Wall of Freedom symbolizes the freedom that our forefathers achieved after much sacrifice to build our great nation. The slit at the top of the Wall of Freedom symbolizes that although terrorists infiltrated our nation on September 11, 2001, they could not destroy the American spirit. And the 35 ft. stainless steel pillar features an eternal flame that will burn in memory of those who perished on 9/11.
The spiritual symbolism captured within this memorial declares a message of national and individual repentance. We begin with God who is the light of the world; the eternal flame. During our walk through life, at some point we may walk away from God; the descending wall. At another point God’s desire is that we face the thing in our lives that will turn our hearts back towards God; the ascending wall; leading us back to our creator; the eternal flame.
The best way to prevent the repeat of a tragedy is through information, awareness and education. The San Antonio 9/11 Memorial is committed to educate future generations about the effects of terrorism through educational forums.
The first two forums on the effects of terrorism were held in 2002. Those forums included “The Cause and Effects of Terrorism”, and “Israel at Heart”. ICDC plans to host additional forums to educate future generations about the effects of terrorism.
This commitment also includes a community service that corresponds with the Homeland Security Advisory System. The flagpole located within the memorial adorns both the U.S. flag and a colored flag. The color of the flag will correspond with the Homeland Security Advisory Systems current threat level to our nation.
When individuals see the colored flag, it will serve as a reminder of our nation’s current threat level. It is not intended to invoke fear, because we’ve not been given the spirit of fear. Rather, to remember that there is an enemy that seeks to destroy us.
Phase 2 of the San Antonio 9/11 Memorial is the construction of an Educational Center that will be adjacent to the Memorial. The Education Center will be approximately 5000-6000 square feet that will include a theater with a seating capacity of 100, gift shop, information center, and a conference room. Construction for the Educational Center should begin in 2004.
The Memorial was dedicated on the second anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks during a special ceremony held on September 11, 2003 at 8am. The ceremony featured speakers representing the State of Texas; Texas Railroad Commissioner Victor Carrillo and State Representative Ken Mercer, the City of San Antonio; Mayor Ed Garza, and the local military; Major General Paul Lebras. Lackland Air Force Base AIA Color Guard participated in the ceremony, as well as the San Antonio Police Department, and the San Antonio Fire Department.
During the ceremony the eternal flame that sits upon the 35 ft. stainless steel pillar was ignited by the San Antonio Fire Department. Also incorporated into the program was a symbolic wreath laying. There were six wreaths placed within the memorial for the Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, Police Officers, and Fire Fighters.
There are several small scale 9/11 Memorials that have been or are being built in cities across the US. However there are only plans in four cities for major 9/11 Memorials to be built. Those cities who have future plans for a 9/11 memorial include, New York City, the Pentagon in Washington DC, and Shanksville, PA. The San Antonio 9/11 Memorial is the first of its kind in the United States.
To the innocent victims, the brave heroes, to those who acted selflessly, this monument is dedicated in loving memory to all the individuals who perished on September 11, 2001. We will never forget!