9/11 Flight Crew Memorial in Grapevine, Texas

The 9/11 Flight Crew Memorial, located in Grapevine, Texas, with a golden glow at sunset. / Photo courtesy of Scott Kent

The 9/11 Flight Crew Memorial, located in Grapevine, Texas, serves as a national place of remembrance to the professionals who crewed American Airlines Flights 11 and 77 and United Airlines Flights 93 and 175. Dedicated on July 4th, 2008, just outside of Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, it was the first national memorial to honor the 9/11 flight crews.

Names of the 33 brave crew members of the 9/11 flights are engraved on slabs of granite surrounding the base of the Memorial. The Memorial has five figures; two pilots, two flight attendants, and a child representing the traveling public. The figures are 14 feet high and with the base stand 18 feet. The Memorial is sited facing west on a compass rose with engraved pavers encircling the site. The figures stand on a single block of white Texas limestone.

“This 9/11 memorial is dedicated to the 33 flight crew members that were lost, and to all the crew members that courageously continue to be the ever-vigilant professionals of the airline industry,” said Shirley Hall, a flight attendant and vice-president of the 9/11 Flight Crew Memorial Foundation, during the formal dedication ceremonies. “As you return to visit here in a quieter moment, please remember that this site is sacred ground. Walk quietly, speak softly, pray if you will, cry if you must; but always look to the skies.”

Story and photo produced by Scott Kent, scott.kent@ihg.com

Scott Kent, a native Mississippian and Ole Miss graduate, lives in Atlanta where he works for IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group), the world’s largest hotel company. He majored in journalism and business while at Ole Miss and later earned a master’s degree in journalism administration from the University of Memphis. During his career in the hospitality industry, he’s helped launch many of IHG’s newest hotel brands, including Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn Express, and Hotel Indigo. In addition to traveling across all 50 states, he has worked in more than 50 countries.