Clete McAlister, president of Arlington Veterans Park Foundation, sets up a flag for the 25th anniversary of 9/11 on Sept. 5 at Veterans Park. McAlister said he wanted to remember those who served and those who died in the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.
On an early Saturday morning, a portion of Veterans Park sat mostly empty. Volunteers and park workers arrived and started driving pieces of steel rebar into the ground one by one, slowly filling the field.
The rhythmic clinking of the steel, each sound distinct, continued as the sun gradually rose.
After hours of work in the rising heat, clothes were soaked with sweat, and jugs once filled with water held less. By noon, the sun had climbed high, and so had the display: 911 American flags held up by rebar and PVC pipes.
The flags, on display until Sept. 12, are part of the annual Patriot Week observance. The memorial honors the lives lost 25 years ago on Sept. 11, 2001, according to an Arlington press release.
What initially began as a fundraiser where people could dedicate a flag to someone has evolved into Arlington’s physical remembrance of the attacks.
On ground zero, three firefighters erected a lone American flag that rose above the dust, chaos and debris that littered New York. The image circulated, and the flag became a symbol of resilience.
It’s a symbol that still carries weight years after 9/11.
Once all 911 flags were displayed at Veterans Park, Holly Hattendorf Maxwell, a 54-year-old Arlington resident, took a step back. She said she felt overwhelming feelings of peace, thankfulness and remembrance after seeing the field full of stars and stripes.
“It’s a visual representation of our unity and our strength to overcome things and continue on as a strong nation and a strong community,” Hattendorf Maxwell said.
Arlington resident Barry Bonduramp, 64, carries flags for the 25th anniversary of 9/11 on Sept. 5 at Veterans Park. Bonduramp said he wanted to help put flags up because he had deep connections to those who served during 9/11.
David Curtis, a 42-year-old Arlington resident, has helped set up the display six times, but he still had an emotional response to seeing the flags.
“When I look out here, I get goosebumps,” Curtis said. “It’s a chilling, solemn symbolism of our country.”
He said that despite the political polarization happening in the country, he wants Americans to know that they’re all represented by one flag regardless of background or beliefs.
By helping plant the flags, Curtis said he can give back to those who died on 9/11.
“It’s hard work, but it’s nothing compared to what some have given for our country,” Curtis said. “I’m not giving my life out here, but it’s a way that I can shed some sweat to show some appreciation.”
Arlington resident Robert Luke, 77, unfurls a flag for the 25th anniversary of 9/11 on Sept. 5 at Veterans Park. Luke said he wanted to help his community by putting up flags.
For Clete McAlister, Arlington Veterans Park Foundation president, remembering is fundamental to the memorial.
“When someone has given their life and service to our country, there’s no longer anything we can do for them except to remember them,” he said. “That’s what we seek to do, is remember those people who’ve given everything.”
As the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks unfolded, first responders arrived on the scene to help. According to the FBI website, more than 400 of them lost their lives.
“We mean this as a tribute not only to veterans, although it’s Veterans Park, but also for fire and police and EMS,” McAlister said. “Those are the heroes of Sept. 11.”
With the work coming to an end, the clanking stopped, and in its wake was a field now full of flags. Hattendorf Maxwell said she hopes to come back year after year.
“I hope that we continue to do this until I can’t do it anymore,” she said. “I hope to be a part of this until I’m out here in my wheelchair.”