DIA Memorial - United in Memory, Committed to Freedom
                     
DIA Memorial
Designed and built in remembrance of the seven members of the Defense Intelligence Agency
that were victim to the attack on the Pentagon on September 11, 2001.
Rosa M. Chapa, Sandra N. Foster, Robert J. Hymel, Shelley A. Marshall,
Patricia E. Mickley, Charles E. Sabin and Karl W. Teepe
When approached by the DIA to create a permanent memorial for these victims we felt that it was important to visually represent the vision and mission of the DIA community. The men and women that serve in the DIA are committed to providing service for our country and its citizens. They are dedicated to defending our nation and providing its leaders with information and knowledge that ensures its security. With this in mind, a structure was envisioned that symbolized our nation’s unity and strength – a strength that the individuals we memorialize represented in their devotion to their country.
 
For over 200 years, the American flag has symbolized our nation's unity and strength. It therefore was a natural choice to represent the strength of the DIA community. The shape and functionality of this structure is representational of a flag unfurled, blowing in the wind. Stainless steel frames encapsulate eight laminated glass panels. Seven of these frames are capable of rotating a full 360 degrees – just like our lives they are forever evolving and changing. These seven unique units represent the lives of the seven individuals we honor with this memorial. An eighth frame remains stationary displaying an excerpt from an essay titled "During a Time of Trouble" by James Henry Leigh Hunt.
 
The material within the panels is a mesmerizing type of glass called dichroic glass. The dichroic glass was chosen to serve as a symbolic reminder of change and reflection. The defining characteristic of this exceptional media is its ability to transmit and reflect light, producing a variation of color, opacity and reflective qualities. The rotating glass panels are adorned with seven textured glue-chip stripes, a this is a reference to the stripes on the American flag
 
As you look at the memorial, the Pentagon can be seen behind it across the Potomac river. At the base of the structure lies a polished piece of limestone taken from the Pentagon debris. The names of the seven victims are carved into the stone with the title of the memorial “United in Memory - Committed to Freedom.” The use of the building material serves as a stark but beautiful tribute to the loss of our colleagues, friends and family.
Classic Glass, Inc.