NEVER FORGET
The Indiana 9/11 Memorial
Dedicated on September 11, 2001, the newly renamed Indiana 9/11 Memorial stands in dedication to those who perished and as a testament to the strength and resilience of all Americans.
Located at 421 West Ohio Street in Downtown Indianapolis, the Memorial consists of two beams from the World Trade Center. Behind the beams stand granite monuments with inscriptions detailing the timeline of the tragic events that took place on Sept. 11, 2001. Perched majestically atop one of the beams is a life-size sculpture of an American Bald Eagle with outstretched wings to represent the American spirit and resolve, and whose gaze is cast toward New York, Washington, D.C. and the crash site of Flight 93 near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
In designing the Memorial, it was the architect’s vision to recreate both emotionally and symbolically the experience of being at the World Trade Center site. His purpose was to make the Memorial as real today as for future generations and to always remember what happened on September 11, 2001. The centerpiece includes two steel beams that represent Tower One and Tower Two of the World Trade Center. These steel beams are displayed in a way that's approachable and accessible even allowing visitors an opportunity to walk up and touch the beams upon entering the Memorial.
Permanent Tribute
The Indiana 9/11 Memorial honors all victims whose lives were lost in the attacks and it is a testament to never forget the sacrifice of nine Hoosiers, who were killed after Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon, including most notably, Lieutenant General Timothy J. Maude – who was the highest ranking United States military offical killed in the terrorist attacks and the highest-ranking officer to die by the actions of a foreign enemy since U.S. Army Lieutenant General Simon Bolivar Buckner, Jr. was killed during the Battle of Okinawa in June 1945 during World War II.
He held the rank of Lieutenant General and was serving as the United States Army’s Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel at the Pentagon, at the time of his death. Born in Indianapolis, Lieutenant General Maude understood the human spirit. He understood that the well-being of the Army – soldiers, civilians, retirees, veterans and their families – is inextricably linked to our readiness as a force. He demonstrated his broad understanding of human nature and his creative instincts in delivering on that understanding. He understood that young men and women today are looking for something greater than self and are able to accept the notion of duty to country as the noblest of endeavors. Lieutenant General Maude is survived by his wife, Teri Maude, and their daughters, Kathleen A. Koehler and Karen E. Maude.
Timeless Recognition — One Man’s Resolve
It stands as a timeless recognition of one man’s resolve to establish a memorial in the Hoosier state and its capital city. Greg Hess, an Indianapolis Firefighter and Paramedic and a member of Indiana Task Force 1, labored for 8 grueling days alongside other first responders in lower Manhattan.
In January 2010, he learned that the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey was accepting petitions for artifacts from Ground Zero for communities interested in establishing local monuments. To fulfill that vision, he established Project 9/11 Indianapolis and together with the support of civic leaders, approval was granted to receive the two steel beams that would form the centerpiece of The Indiana 9/11 Memorial.