United States Department of Defense

            A ceremonial planting of a Memorial Weeping Cherry Tree will be held Tuesday, Nov. 9, at 1 p.m. EST outside the Pentagon's Metro Entrance.  The National Capital Area Federation of Garden Clubs (NCAFGC) is sponsoring the event.  NCAFGC President Carol Carter and Raymond F. DuBois, director of administration and management for the Office of the Secretary of Defense, will preside at the ceremony.

            The tree honors children whose parents perished in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attack on the Pentagon and memorializes the children who died in the plane crash that day.  Ashes of debris taken from the devastation will be given a sacred scattering in the earth used for planting.

            Media wishing to cover the ceremony should contact Brett Eaton, (703) 601-2554, ext. 111, brett.eaton@whs.mil.  Additional information about NCAFGC and the Memorial Weeping Cherry Tree may be obtained by contacting Mary McCutchen, (703) 960-2276, sammccutch@aol.com.