Location: Pentagon

Cecelia was born on June 2, 1960 to Mazie I. (Ward) Lawson and the late John F. Lawson. A native Washingtonian, she was the youngest of eight children. She attended schools in the DC area and graduated from the Job Corps in 1980 with a Certificate in Accounting. After her graduation, she was employed with … Continued

Martha M. Reszke, 56, was a civilian who had worked for the Army budget office for the past eight years. Friends and family describe her as a dedicated worker, but an even more dedicated mother, wife and friend. To “everyone who came into her life, she gave,” said her husband, Jim. “The thing about her was … Continued

Rodney Ratchford tried to talk about his wife in the present tense. Amid the devastation at the Pentagon, where Marsha D. Ratchford worked for the Navy as an information technician, her husband had not given up hope. It’s what she would have wanted.  “We still got the faith. We’re still prayed every day,” said Rodney … Continued

  Rhonda Sue Ridge Rasmussen, 44, learned September 10 that she had been selected for the transfer to California that she was seeking. Her husband, Floyd, who also works at the Pentagon, said they thought about staying home September 11 to celebrate and plan for their October move, but their sense of duty led them … Continued

  Deborah Ann Ramsaur served as the secretary to the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, Lieutenant General Timothy J. Maude. Deborah loved her job and loved being a member of the Department of Defense. On weekends, she would wear a “hooah!” T-shirt, proudly and affectionately displaying a word associated with soldiers.  Deborah’s husband, John, … Continued

  For as long as his parents can remember, Joseph John Pycior, Jr., wanted to be in the Navy. “In Carlstadt, they had an organization years ago called the Naval Brigade, for kids eight and nine years old and up,” says Arlene Pycior, his mom, who proudly remembers her son’s involvement in that brigade. “They … Continued

  Captain Punches was a native of Tower Hill, Illinois and held a B.S. from Missouri University in Civil Engineering, an M.S. in Strategic Studies from the Naval War College, and an M.S. from Salve Regina in International Relations. Designated a Naval Aviator in 1975, Captain Punches received orders to Patrol Squadron Sixteen (VP-16) at NAS … Continued

  Friends keep calling to comfort Art Powell – and themselves. His identical twin, Scott, worked at the Pentagon, and they call wanting to hear Scott’s voice in Art’s.  “Some people just want to talk and hear that familiar tone and cadence,” said Art, 35.  Growing up, their parents didn’t dress them alike or give … Continued

  Lieutenant Darin Howard Pontell, a 26-year-old native of Columbia, Maryland, was finishing his 12-hour shift when terrorists attacked the Pentagon.  “Darin was ‘one of those people who you hope to run across in life,’ ” said his wife, Devora. “He was thoughtful and generous and wanted to make everyone around him happy. He would … Continued

  Major Clifford L. Patterson, Jr. graduated from St. John’s College High School in 1986. In 1991 he graduated from Howard University as a Distinguished Military Graduate. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Infantry Corps.  His military schools include Infantry Officer’s Basic and … Continued